Jonah Patel
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 or 39 of the 41 or 42 delegates present. The signing took place in Philadelphia, and the delegates represented all 13 colonies. The Constitution was first ratified by Delaware on December 7, 1787, and New Hampshire became the ninth state to accept it on June 21, 1788, officially ending government under the Articles of Confederation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of colonies that signed the US Declaration of Independence | 12 out of 13 colonies |
| Date of signing the US Declaration of Independence | 2nd August 1776 |
| Number of delegates to the Convention | 65 |
| Number of delegates who attended the Convention | 55 |
| Number of delegates who signed the document | 39 |
| Number of delegates who refused to sign the document | 3 |
| Number of delegates who signed the US Constitution | 38 or 39 out of 41 or 42 |
| First state to ratify the US Constitution | Delaware |
| Date of ratification of the US Constitution | 7th December 1787 |
| Number of states required to vote for the US Constitution to be accepted | 9 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was signed by 39 delegates
The delegates in the hall signed the Constitution, with the exception of Edmund Randolph, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry, who withheld their signatures. The delegates who signed were weary from the weeks of intense pressure but were generally satisfied with their work. They shared a farewell dinner at the City Tavern, just two blocks away.
The Constitution was then ratified by the states. The first state to ratify was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The constitution was also ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina, and finally by New Hampshire, which became the ninth state to accept the Constitution on June 21, 1788.
The signing of the US Constitution was a significant event in the country's history, as it established a new form of government and outlined the rights and principles that would govern the nation. The process of drafting and signing the Constitution involved intense debate and compromise, as the delegates worked to create a document that would unify the country and protect the rights of its citizens.
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12 colonies voted in favour of the Declaration of Independence
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 or 39 delegates out of 41 or 42 present. The signing took place in Philadelphia, concluding the Constitutional Convention that had begun on May 25, 1787. The Convention was initially called to amend the Articles of Confederation, but ultimately resulted in the proposal and creation of a new form of government.
The road to the Constitution began with the Declaration of Independence, which was approved by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, with 12 colonies voting in favour and New York abstaining. The 56 delegates represented the 13 colonies, and the vote signalled their intention to break away from the Kingdom of Great Britain and its empire. The Declaration was signed on August 2, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, which was later renamed Independence Hall.
The 12 colonies that voted in favour of the Declaration of Independence were taking a bold step towards self-governance and independence from the British Empire. The delegates to the Second Continental Congress recognised the need for a unified nation made up of independent, sovereign states. This sentiment would later influence the creation of the Constitution, which established a stronger, more centralised government for the newly formed United States.
The Declaration of Independence was a significant milestone, as it proclaimed the 13 colonies as "free and independent states", no longer under British colonial rule. This assertion of independence set the stage for the subsequent efforts to establish a new nation with its own governing document, leading to the Constitutional Convention a decade later. The Constitution would further solidify the colonies' independence and shape the future of the United States.
The 12 colonies that voted in favour of the Declaration of Independence recognised the importance of unity and self-determination. By taking this decisive step, they laid the foundation for the establishment of a nation based on shared principles and a collective vision for the future. This spirit of collaboration and a desire for a stronger union would continue to guide the young nation as it navigated the challenges of the Revolutionary War and the formation of a new government under the Constitution.
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The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 or 39 of the 41 or 55 delegates present. The signing took place in Philadelphia, PA, at the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall. The Constitution was then sent to the 13 states for ratification. Per Article VII, it was agreed that the document would not be binding until its ratification by nine of the 13 states.
The ratification of the Constitution was celebrated with the first national day of Thanksgiving, designated by President George Washington on October 3, 1789, as November 26, 1789. The first federal elections were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789, and the new government began on March 4, 1789. George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789.
All 13 states eventually ratified the Constitution by May 29, 1790, with North Carolina and Rhode Island being the last two states to do so.
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The Continental Congress passed a resolution to implement the Constitution
The road to the implementation of the Constitution began with the Second Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia in 1776. Twelve of the 13 colonies voted in favour of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, with New York abstaining. The Declaration proclaimed the 13 colonies as "free and independent states", no longer part of the British Empire.
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 debated the new Constitution over three summer months. The delegates grappled with questions such as the balance of power between the central government and the states, state representation in Congress, and the election of representatives. Despite some refusing to sign due to the absence of a bill of rights, 38 of the 42 delegates present signed the Constitution, with one signing on behalf of an absent delegate, bringing the total to 39 signatures.
The process of ratification by the states began after the Convention. Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The Massachusetts Compromise, reached in February 1788, addressed concerns about the lack of protection for certain rights in the Constitution, leading to the proposal of amendments that would become the Bill of Rights. New Hampshire became the ninth and final state needed to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788, paving the way for the Continental Congress's resolution to implement the Constitution.
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The Constitution was signed on August 2, 1776
The United States Declaration of Independence, which proclaimed the independence of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain, was signed on August 2, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, also known as Independence Hall. The signing of the Declaration of Independence occurred over a month after its adoption on July 4, 1776, by the Second Continental Congress, with 12 of the 13 colonies voting in favour and New York abstaining.
The date the Declaration was signed has been a subject of debate, with some sources, including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams, stating that it was signed on July 4, 1776. However, subsequent research and testimonies from other signatories, such as Thomas McKean and historian Wilfred Ritz, suggest that it was signed on or after August 2, 1776. This conclusion is supported by the absence of several signatories on July 4 and the presence of delegates who were not yet elected to Congress until after that date.
The Declaration of Independence was a significant step towards the formation of the United States Constitution. The Continental Congress in 1774, composed of delegates from 12 colonies, adopted a statement of rights and principles, many of which were later incorporated into the Declaration of Independence and the Federal Constitution. The process of drafting and ratifying the Constitution involved representatives and delegates from the colonies, now states, debating and compromising on issues such as the power of the central government and state representation in Congress.
The final version of the Constitution was signed by 38 or 39 of the 41 or 42 delegates present, with a few refusing to sign due to the absence of a bill of rights. The Constitution was ratified by the states, with Delaware being the first to do so on December 7, 1787, and New Hampshire becoming the ninth and final state needed for its acceptance on June 21, 1788.
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Frequently asked questions
There were 13 colonies when the US Constitution was signed.
There were 42 delegates in total.
39 delegates signed the Constitution.
