3 An Important Paper

3 AN IMPORTANT PAPER "Stop," said Annie. "We turn here, onto Fifth Street, then onto Chestnut Street." Jack and Annie trudged through the heat until they came to Chestnut Street. It was much quieter and calmer than Market. "Look, that's it," said Jack. He pointed to a brick building with paned windows and a tall bell tower. A sign in front said PENNSYLVANIA STATE HOUSE. "Great," said Annie. "So this is the plan. We say we're delivering Doctor Ben's midday meal. Then, to get his attention, we say we're from the press. That's what the rhyme tells us to do." "Got it," said Jack. "Let's go."

Jack and Annie walked up a pebbled path to the state house. When they reached the brick building, they knocked on the front door. No one came to let them in. Annie tried to turn the door's handle, but it was locked. Looking around, Jack noticed that all the windows were closed. Most of the blinds were drawn. "No one's here," he said. He felt sweaty and tired from the humid heat. "We came here for nothing." "Darn," said Annie. "Maybe we should go back to Doctor Ben's house and wait for him there." Suddenly the door swung open. A guard in a blue jacket and white pants stood before them. He looks like a soldier from the American Revolution, Jack thought. "No guests are allowed to enter," the guard said. "But, sir, we're not guests," Annie said

politely. "We're delivering a midday meal to Doctor Ben. It's from his daughter, Miss Sarah." "All right, come in," said the guard. He moved away from the door. "Thanks!" said Annie. She and Jack stepped into the building. "The doctor is in the Assembly Room," the guard said, pointing down the hall. "Wait outside the room until they take a break." "Yes, sir," said Jack. Jack and Annie tiptoed down the dark, shadowy hallway. "Listen," said Annie. Loud voices were coming from a room ahead. The door was half-open, so she and Jack peeked inside. "This must be the Assembly Room," whispered Jack. The large room had high ceilings and two fireplaces. The tall windows were framed by heavy drapes.

Men sat at tables with green tablecloths. They wore long jackets and shirts with white ruffled collars. They all had hair that came to their shoulders. At the front of the room, a white-haired man sat on a raised platform in a high- backed chair. He seemed to be in charge. Another man stood at a front table, hurriedly writing. Several men were talking: "Gentlemen, you are wrong!" "No! You want to give too much power to the national government." "He is correct!"

"But we have no Bill of Rights!" "Or freedom of speech!" "What about trial by jury?" The man in charge banged a gavel against his desk. "Order!" he said. "Raise your hands if you wish to speak." "What's going on?" Annie whispered to Jack. "I'm not sure," Jack whispered back. "I'll check our book." He reached into his bag and pulled out their Pennsylvania book. He opened to the chapter about Old Philadelphia. He turned the page. "Whoa!" Jack whispered. He showed Annie a painting in the book. "Look—it's the same!" Annie looked at the painting, then back at the men in the room. "It's this meeting!" Annie whispered. "What's going on?"

They read silently: In 1787, after the Revolutionary War, America was made up of thirteen separate colonies. Each was like a different country. Would the colonies remain separate or become a nation of states? That summer, fifty-five delegates met in Philadelphia to answer this question. James Madison took daily notes on the meetings. In the end, he wrote America's most important document. Oh, man! thought Jack. He understood everything now. "Annie—" "I get it!" she whispered. She repeated a line from Morgan's message: "A paper must be signed." "I know," whispered Jack. "They're creating the United States Constitution!" "The Constitution? That's a big deal,"