1. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS The Buzz at Independence Hall

2. 1.The mission of the meeting in Philadelphia in May of 1787 was to revise the Articles of Confederation. 2. Once delegates arrived they decided to throw the entire document out the window and start fresh.

3. 3. The 55 delegates were fiscally conservative, wealthy and educated. They were lawyers, merchants, shippers, land speculators and moneylenders. Their average age was 42; 19 owned slaves.

4. 4. Absent were Jefferson (in Paris), J. Adams (in London), Patrick Henry and Sam Adams-(they were suspicious of a plot being perpetrated).

5. S. Adams

6. 5.They had considerable experience in state and national politics and, most were nationalists-these delegates had been chosen by their respective state legislatures. Names-Washington, Hamilton, Madison, Pinckney

7. Alexander Hamilton-NY

8. James Madison-VA

9. Charles Pinckney-SC

10. 6.They shared the common visions of sound money, protection of private property; a stronger central government and checks and balances. 7.They agreed on the issues of: human nature, political conflict, objects and nature of government.

12. 8.They feared the potential destructive power of the masses yet they harbored their belief in republicanism(based on the ideas of the consent of the governed as well as limited power of the national government.)

14. 9.The Large State Plan or the Virginia Plan was introduced first with a bicameral congress based on population. a) The legislature could impose taxes and regulate interstate and foreign trade. b) The national legislature could veto any state law

15. c) Executive and judicial branches would be added.

16. 10.The Small State Plan or New Jersey Plan was then introduced which proposed a unicameral congress with equal representation. a) Congress could tax and regulate trade- foreign and interstate b) Executive and judicial branches were added c) Each state had one vote in Congress

17. 11. They settled on the Connecticut Compromise: a) bicameral legislature; one based on population and one equal 12. The issue of slavery was handled with the 3/5’s Compromise-every slave was counted as 3/5’s of a person for taxation and representation.

18. 13. Congress was given the power to tax, to borrow, spend $$,regulate interstate and foreign commerce. 14. Each state was guaranteed a republican form of government. 15. On September 17, 1787 the document was ready to go to the states for ratification and was signed by 39 delegates.