The Constitution Convention of 1787 inspired us to reenact the almost four months of debate that took place in Philadelphia as the forty founding fathers debated ho0w to modify the Articles of Confederation and then finally threw them out altogether and started a new. Each student in grade 4 – 8, were each assigned the role of one of the these men who came from all but one of the thirteen colonies. Our students had to find out where their assigned delegate came from, their education, their views on slavery and ideas for the constitution. We soon learned that if it hadn’t been for James Madison we wouldn’t know what happened and how they battled with problems of slavery, big states, small states and so much more. Our students represented Ben Franklin, George Washington, James Wilson, Luther Martin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Gouvenor Morris and more. Once their research was complete, their scripts written, we staged the debate that took place from May 14 to September 17, 1787 in the hot and steamy months in Philadelphia. Following our reenactment, students our class read the Constitution. Each student was assigned to rewrite in their own words, with a partner, one of the articles of the Constitution, which they shared with the whole class. This helped all the students learn about the three branches of government, how they interface, and the checks and balances that were built into the design.