Constitution Clash

Independence Hall is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The founding fathers wrote the constitution in this room in the heat of the summer with no air conditioning.  They kept the windows and doors closed with the curtains pulled down so that no one could hear their discussions about what the American Government would look like. They did this because the people were very concerned about the nation's future.  There were so many opinions about what America should and should not look like that it would have been impossible to get the work done if the public could hear and participate in the discussion.  

Delegates, or representatives, were sent to Philadelphia to represent the interests of the citizens of each state.  Small states were worried that the larger states would dominate and make a government that ignored them.  Large states felt their opinions should carry more weight than smaller states because they represented a larger portion of the people.  Finding a way to satisfy both groups was challenging. 

Adding to the problems was the people's fear of a powerful government.  King George and the British were the most powerful in the world.  The people had experienced the abuses of a very powerful government and did not want to have the new government doing the same types of things to the people.  Some of the abuses included being punished for speaking out against unfair rules, having officers come into homes and search through citizens' things looking for anything that might get them in trouble, and being forced to let soldiers live in your house, eat your food, and use all of your household items without your permission.