What was the primary reason the delegates decided to keep the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention secret?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: To allow delegates to speak freely and change their minds without public pressure
The delegates believed that total transparency would lead to political grandstanding and make compromise impossible. By working in secret, they could debate radical ideas and build a consensus before presenting the final document to the public.
Practice all 20 Constitutional Convention and Compromises questions
Keep practicing
More Constitutional Convention and Compromises questions
- The Electoral College was created as a compromise between which two positions?
- The Commerce Compromise addressed Northern and Southern differences by stating that:
- Which agreement at the convention postponed any federal ban on the importation of enslaved people until 1808?
- Who is often referred to as the 'Father of the Constitution' due to his pivotal role in drafting the document and the Bill of Rights?
- Under the original Constitution, which part of the federal government was the only one directly elected by the people?
- The 'Necessary and Proper Clause' (Elastic Clause) was included in the Constitution to: