Omar Bennett
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates and the Convention's secretary, William Jackson, making 40 signatures in total. Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, did not sign the Constitution. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States' envoy and missed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Thomas Jefferson's signature on the Constitution | Myth |
| Year the Constitution was drafted | 1787 |
| Number of signatures on the Constitution | 39 |
| Number of delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention | 55 |
| Number of states in 1787 | 13 |
| State that didn't send a delegation to Philadelphia | Rhode Island |
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What You'll Learn
- Thomas Jefferson was in Paris in 1787 and so did not sign the Constitution
- delegates signed the Constitution, including George Read who signed for John Dickinson
- Three founders refused to sign: Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, and Edmund Randolph
- The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
- The Constitutional Convention was held at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall
Thomas Jefferson was in Paris in 1787 and so did not sign the Constitution
Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third president of the United States, did not sign the Constitution. This is because he was in Paris in 1787, serving as the Minister to France for the United States.
Jefferson had been an influential figure in the early years of the American Republic, but he was absent during the Constitutional Convention, which took place in Philadelphia from May to September 1787. While Jefferson was in France, he remained engaged in the political developments back home and corresponded with many of the key figures involved in drafting the Constitution, including George Washington, John Adams, and James Madison.
During this time, Jefferson closely followed the proceedings of the Convention and offered his thoughts and suggestions remotely. He was a strong advocate for a bill of rights to protect individual liberties and played a significant role in shaping the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which influenced the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights.
Despite his absence at the Constitutional Convention, Jefferson's ideas and principles were reflected in the final document. His writings, including the Declaration of Independence, had a profound impact on the framers of the Constitution and helped shape their thinking on issues such as individual rights, limited government, and separation of powers. So, while Jefferson may not have physically been present to sign the document, his influence on the founding principles and ideals of the United States is undeniable.
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39 delegates signed the Constitution, including George Read who signed for John Dickinson
Thomas Jefferson, one of the most prominent Founding Fathers of the United States, did not sign the Constitution. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States' envoy and missed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The Constitutional Convention, which took place in 1787, was a gathering of delegates from the original states (except Rhode Island, which did not send a delegation) to draft and sign the Constitution.
The Constitution was drafted to codify the spirit of the Revolution into a practical scheme of government, promoting the welfare of all citizens. The Articles of Confederation, which established the first national government, were in need of significant revisions as they lacked provisions to empower the central government adequately. The delegates debated competing proposals and eventually produced the document we now know as the Constitution, which expanded the power of the central government while protecting the prerogatives of the states.
Among the group of 42 delegates who gathered at the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) for the signing ceremony, 39 signed the document, including George Read, who signed for John Dickinson, who was ill. Three founders—Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, and Edmund Randolph—refused to sign the Constitution, unhappy with the final document. They preferred the decentralised nature of the Articles of Confederation and desired a Bill of Rights.
The 39 signatures on the Constitution included delegates ranging in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair. The signing took place on September 17, 1787, and five states immediately ratified the Constitution after the delegates signed it.
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Three founders refused to sign: Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, and Edmund Randolph
Thomas Jefferson, who drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, did not sign the US Constitution. In 1787, when the Constitution was signed, Jefferson was in Paris serving as the United States' envoy.
Three founders refused to sign the Constitution: Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, and Edmund Randolph. Elbridge Gerry was mercurial and cantankerous by nature, and Edmund Randolph was afraid to be associated with something that might fail. George Mason, on the other hand, refused to sign based on his principles. He did not believe the Constitution established a wise and just government. He had previously drafted the Virginia Declaration of Rights and framed Virginia's constitution. He was proud of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and pleased that it became a model for other states.
Gerry, Mason, and Randolph had made known their reasons for not signing. Some of the reasons for their opposition included the lack of a Bill of Rights. They demanded a "bill of rights" that would spell out the immunities of individual citizens.
In total, there were 39 signatures on the Constitution on September 17, 1787, including that of the Convention's secretary, William Jackson.
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The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates and the Convention's secretary, William Jackson, making a total of 40 signatures on the document. The signing ceremony took place at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. The Constitution was drafted in 1787, after the War for Independence, to establish a scheme of government to promote the welfare of all citizens.
Thomas Jefferson, who composed a draft of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, did not sign the Constitution. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States' envoy and missed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. John Adams, who was also in service overseas in London as the United States minister to Great Britain at the time, did not sign the Constitution either.
Among the 42 delegates who gathered for the signing ceremony, 38 signed the document, with delegate George Read signing on behalf of the ill John Dickinson. Three founders, Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, and Edmund Randolph, refused to sign the Constitution due to their unhappiness with the final document, including the lack of a Bill of Rights.
The signing of the Constitution was a significant event in the history of the United States, as it laid the foundation for the country's government and codified the spirit of the Revolution.
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The Constitutional Convention was held at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall
Thomas Jefferson did not sign the US Constitution. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States' envoy and missed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The Constitutional Convention was held at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, where 42 delegates gathered for the signing ceremony. Of those 42 delegates, 39 signed the document, with George Read signing on behalf of the ill John Dickinson. The Convention's secretary, William Jackson, also signed the document, bringing the total number of signatures to 40. The delegates ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair.
The Constitution was drafted in 1787 after the War for Independence. The original 13 states collectively appointed 70 individuals to the Constitutional Convention, although Rhode Island did not send any delegates. A number of these individuals did not accept or could not attend, including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Samuel Adams. In total, 55 delegates attended the sessions, but only 39 signed the Constitution.
The signing of the Constitution was set for Monday, September 17, 1787, after the state delegates approved the draft on September 15. Jacob Shallus, the assistant clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, engrossed the document, creating an accurate transcription of the draft over the course of about 40 hours. He was paid $30 for his work.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Thomas Jefferson did not sign the Constitution. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States' envoy and missed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
Jefferson was in Paris, France, serving as the United States' envoy.
39 delegates signed the Constitution, along with the Convention's secretary, William Jackson, bringing the total number of signatures to 40.
No, out of the 42 delegates who attended the signing ceremony, 38 signed the document, with George Read signing on behalf of the ill John Dickinson. Three Founders—Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, and Edmund Randolph—refused to sign.
Yes, Jefferson composed a draft of the Declaration of Independence in June 1776. He was one of six Founders who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
