Constitutional Compromise

Constitutional Compromise challenges you to find a way forward for a young nation as disagreements mount. Engage in the ideas discussed at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and discover how your compromises compare to those made by the 55 delegates.

In this game, you will hear from delegates as they cast their vision for the future of the United States and weigh the options. Balance the interests of large and small states, navigate the interest of delegates who envision vastly different roles of the new government, or process the difficult decisions addressing the institution of slavery in the states.

Not all compromises are (or were) the ideal outcomes. While based on real debates and historical arguments, this game is not a reenactment. In the end, you can discover how your decisions compare to what happened in Philadelphia. For English and multilingual learners: This game offers a support tool, Spanish translation, voiceover, and glossary.

Learning Objectives: Your students will...

• Explore the key questions debated during the 1787 Constitutional Convention
• Evaluate the arguments made during the debates
• Describe the compromises made in the Convention
• Identify key players at the Convention
• Compare the historical outcomes with other possible compromises

Teachers: Discover classroom resources for teaching around Constitutional Compromise. Visit: icivics.org/games/constitutional-compromise

Constitutional Compromise offers a support tool for English and multilingual learners, Spanish translation, voiceover, and glossary.

Game Features

• Experience the main historical debates of the Constitutional Convention
• Identify points from each side of a debate to build a compromise
• See how your compromise compares to the historical outcome
• Discover the modern relevance of each debate