1. Creating the Constitution

2. The setting 55 delegates met in Philadelphia beginning in May, 1787 All meetings that summer were held in secrecy Purpose was to revise the Articles of Confederation These delegates were later known as the Framers

3. Plans and Compromises

4. Virginia Plan (large and wealthy states) Three separate branches bicameral legislature representation based on population or wealth of States Lower house popularly elected Upper house chosen by States Veto power over State laws Congress chooses executive and judiciary Veto power of executive and judiciary over Congress

5. New Jersey plan (small states) Unicameral legislature States equally represented Limited power to tax and regulate trade More than one executive chosen by legislature State governors could remove executive Judiciary appointed by executive

6. Connecticut compromise Bicameral Congress with membership in House based on population and in Senate based on equal numbers for each State All states would benefit

7. Three-fifths compromise In northern States both taxes and representation were based on population Southerners could add 3/5 of the enslaved toward representation, But, they also had to count them toward taes owed to the National Government

8. Commerce and slave trade compromise Congress was forbidden to tax exports and to pass laws against slave trade for at least 20 years

9. Constitution approved September 17, 1787 the Convention approved the new Constitution and sent it to the states for ratification