1. Characteristics of the Delegates to the Constitutional Convention

2. The Constitutional Convention Original purpose of the meeting was to reform (not scrap) the Articles of Confederation Delegates decided to keep proceedings secret until final Constitution was drafted Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA

3. Age Average Age: 42 Youngest: 26 Oldest: 81 Jonathon DaytonBen Franklin

4. Education Over Half Graduated from College George Clymer Educated by Uncle James Madison Princeton 33 from Ivy League… 9 from Princeton

5. Occupations Delegates came from a wide variety of backgrounds PlantersLawyersArtisansMerchants Ben Franklin George Washington Alexander Hamilton William Paterson

6. Government Experience While many delegates had years of experience in state and national politics, others were relative novices. GovernorsJudgesLegislatorsNovices James Wilson Pennslyvannia John Dickinson Delaware John Blair Virginia John Langdon New Hampshire

7. States Represented Massachusetts New Hampshire Connecticut New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Maryland Delaware Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia *Rhode Island Refused to Attend

8. Competing Plans for the Constitution Virginia Plan Written by James Madison Scrap Articles & create new gov. Bicameral Legislature Representation based on population Lower house elected by people & Upper house chosen by lower New Jersey Plan Introduced by William Paterson Wanted to reform Articles rather than replace them Unicameral Legislature based with equal representation for each state Connecticut (Great) Compromise  Bicameral Legislature with representation in House of Representatives based on population and two representatives per state in the Senate

9. Constitutional Compromises 3/5 Compromise Slaves count as 3/5 of a person for taxation and representation Commerce Compromise Congress cannot tax exports, but it can tax imports. Congress cannot ban the slave trade until 1808 Democracy vs. Stability House of Representatives to be directly elected by people, but President and Senate to be indirectly elected. Strength of Executive Branch President elected to 4 year terms with limits on his power through checks & balances