Simone Lawson
Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father of the United States, whose contributions to the media, science and politics are well known. In 1787, Franklin was a Pennsylvania delegate to the Constitutional Convention, which produced the U.S. Constitution. At the end of the convention, he urged his fellow delegates to support the heavily debated new document. The U.S. Constitution was ratified by the required nine states in June 1788, and George Washington was inaugurated as America's first president in April 1789.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Proposed a plan for uniting the colonies under a national congress | The Albany Plan |
| Helped lay the groundwork for the Articles of Confederation | The first constitution of the United States |
| Represented the Pennsylvania Assembly in London | 1757 |
| Settled a tax dispute involving descendants of William Penn | 1757 |
| Was a delegate to the convention that produced the U.S. Constitution | 1787 |
| Urged fellow delegates to support the heavily debated new document | 1787 |
| Signed the U.S. Constitution | 1788 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Franklin's work as a delegate to the convention that produced the U.S. Constitution
- Franklin's signing of the U.S. Constitution
- Franklin's work as a representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly
- Franklin's work as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress
- Franklin's work as the American Ambassador to the Court of Louis XVI
Franklin's work as a delegate to the convention that produced the U.S. Constitution
Benjamin Franklin was a Pennsylvania delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. At 81, he was the convention's oldest delegate. Franklin urged his fellow delegates to support the heavily debated new document, which was ratified by the required nine states in June 1788.
The US Constitution: Ratification and Its Legacy
You may want to see also
Franklin's signing of the U.S. Constitution
Benjamin Franklin was a key figure in the creation of the U.S. Constitution. In 1754, at a meeting of colonial representatives in Albany, New York, Franklin proposed a plan for uniting the colonies under a national congress. Although his Albany Plan was rejected, it helped lay the groundwork for the Articles of Confederation, which became the first constitution of the United States when ratified in 1781.
Franklin was also a delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention, which produced the U.S. Constitution. At 81, he was the convention's oldest delegate. Franklin urged his fellow delegates to support the heavily debated new document, and it was ratified by the required nine states in June 1788. Franklin signed the U.S. Constitution, and it was his final significant act of public service before his death in 1790.
The Constitution: A Vote of Citizen Confidence?
You may want to see also
Franklin's work as a representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly
Benjamin Franklin was a representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly from 1757 to 1775. During this time, he worked to settle a tax dispute and other issues involving the descendants of William Penn, the owners of the colony of Pennsylvania. Franklin's work as a representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly was an important part of his career and contributed to his legacy as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
Franklin's time as a representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly also coincided with a period of increasing tension between the British government and its American colonies. In the mid-1760s, the British government began to impose a series of regulatory measures to assert greater control over the colonies. Franklin, who considered himself loyal to England, initially supported these measures. However, the 1765 American uprising against the Stamp Act led him to change his position. He began to pursue the goal of uniting the colonies in a break from England and worked to persuade members of the British Parliament to repeal the law.
Patrick Henry: Constitution Ratification and His Role
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Franklin's work as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress
Benjamin Franklin's work as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress was instrumental in the eventual ratification of the US Constitution. In 1754, at a meeting of colonial representatives in Albany, New York, Franklin proposed a plan for uniting the colonies under a national congress. Although his Albany Plan was rejected, it helped lay the groundwork for the Articles of Confederation, which became the first constitution of the United States when ratified in 1781.
Franklin's experience as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, where he served on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence, which he signed, was crucial in shaping his understanding of the complexities of governance and the importance of unity among the colonies.
In 1785, Franklin returned to Philadelphia from France. Two years later, at the age of 81, he became a Pennsylvania delegate to the Constitutional Convention, the oldest delegate in attendance. Franklin's advanced age and extensive experience made him a revered figure at the convention, and his support for the heavily debated new document carried significant weight.
The Constitution's Ratification: A Historical Perspective
You may want to see also
Franklin's work as the American Ambassador to the Court of Louis XVI
Benjamin Franklin's work as the American Ambassador to the Court of Louis XVI was instrumental in getting the constitution ratified. Franklin's popularity with the French helped secure a Treaty of Alliance with the Americans in 1778. Franklin also signed the Treaty of Paris in 1783 after the Revolutionary War had been won.
Franklin's efforts in France helped lay the groundwork for the Articles of Confederation, which became the first constitution of the United States when ratified in 1781. Franklin had proposed a plan for uniting the colonies under a national congress as early as 1754, although his Albany Plan was rejected at the time.
Franklin returned to the US in 1785 and was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. At the end of the convention, he urged his fellow delegates to support the heavily debated new document. The U.S. Constitution was ratified by the required nine states in June 1788, and George Washington was inaugurated as America’s first president in April 1789. Franklin died a year later, at age 84, on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia.
Hamilton's Constitution: Ratification and Legacy
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
In 1787, Benjamin Franklin was a Pennsylvania delegate to the Constitutional Convention. At the end of the convention, he urged his fellow delegates to support the heavily debated new document.
The U.S. Constitution was ratified by the required nine states in June 1788, and George Washington was inaugurated as America's first president in April 1789.
Benjamin Franklin had previously served on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence, which he signed. He was also sent to France as the American Ambassador to the Court of Louis XVI.
In 1754, Benjamin Franklin proposed a plan for uniting the colonies under a national congress. Although his Albany Plan was rejected, it helped lay the groundwork for the Articles of Confederation, which became the first constitution of the United States.
![Founding Fathers [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71f9-HsS5nL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
