Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution was signed by 39 delegates, including George Read, who signed on behalf of John Dickinson, who was unable to attend. The Federal Convention of 1787, which was held in Philadelphia, was attended by 41 delegates, of whom 38 signed the Constitution. George Mason, Edmund Randolph, and Elbridge Gerry refused to sign, citing objections that would become foundational for the Anti-Federalists.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of delegates chosen as representatives to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 | 70 |
| Number of delegates who actually attended the proceedings in Philadelphia | 55 |
| Maximum number of delegates present at any one time | 46 |
| Number of delegates who became signatories | 38 or 39 |
| Number of delegates who refused to sign | 3 |
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What You'll Learn
39 delegates signed the US Constitution
The US Constitution was signed by 39 delegates, or "signatories", at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, in 1787. Of the 70 delegates chosen as representatives to the Constitutional Convention, only 55 attended the proceedings, and no more than 46 were present at any one time. When it came to signing the document, three delegates—Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, George Mason of Virginia, and Edmund Randolph—refused to sign. John Dickinson was unable to attend the signing but authorised another delegate, George Read, to sign on his behalf, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
The Constitutional Convention was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had established the first national government. However, the Articles failed to empower the central government to carry out essential functions, such as raising revenue or conducting diplomatic relations. They also could not effectively manage the western territories. As a result, a majority of delegates to Congress agreed that significant revisions were needed.
The convention debated competing proposals from May to July 1787, before turning over plans to a Grand Committee, whose report, dubbed the Great Compromise, resolved many contentious points. The final document, the Constitution, expanded the power of the central government while protecting the prerogatives of the states.
Not all of the delegates agreed with the final product. Some expressed reservations but signed the Constitution, anticipating vigorous debates within their states. The three delegates who refused to sign objected to the expansion of central government power, and their views became the cornerstones for the Anti-Federalists.
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41 delegates were present
The United States Constitution was signed by 39 delegates, though 41 were present at the Federal Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia. The convention was convened six years after the ratification of the Articles of Confederation, which established the first national government. However, the Articles' failure to empower the central government led to a consensus among a majority of Congress delegates that revisions were needed.
The convention was attended by 55 of the 70 chosen representatives, though it is believed that there were never more than 46 present at any one time. When it came time to sign the document, 38 of the 41 delegates present became signatories. George Mason, Edmund Randolph, and Elbridge Gerry refused to sign, citing objections that would become central tenets of the Anti-Federalists.
John Dickinson, who was not in attendance, authorized another delegate, George Read, to sign on his behalf. Thus, there were 39 signatures on the Constitution. The delegates who signed the document had either served in the Continental Congress or fought the British during the American Revolution.
The delegates debated competing proposals from May to July 1787 before turning over plans to a Grand Committee, which produced a report known as the Great Compromise. This report resolved many contentious issues, including prescribing a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal state representation in the Senate. After two more months of intense debates and revisions, the delegates produced the document we now know as the Constitution.
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Three refused to sign
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787. Of the 55 delegates present at the convention, 39 signed the document. The signatures were transcribed by Jacob Shallus, the assistant clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, who was paid $30 for his work.
Three men refused to sign the Constitution: Edmund Randolph, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry. All three men cited objections that would later become key principles of the Anti-Federalists. Edmund Randolph, a delegate from Virginia, declared:
> In refusing to sign the Constitution, I take a step which might be the most awful of my life, but it is dictated by my conscience, and it is not possible for me to hesitate, much less, to change.
Gerry, also a delegate from Massachusetts, was also vocal about his refusal to sign. George Mason, the third delegate who refused to sign, was also from Virginia.
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70 delegates were chosen
The United States Constitution is a framework for the US government that was authored by the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. On February 21, 1787, Congress resolved that a convention of delegates would be held in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. 70 delegates were chosen as representatives to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, but only 55 attended the proceedings, and there were never more than 46 delegates present at any one time.
The Articles of Confederation established the first national government, but they had significant weaknesses. They protected the sovereignty of the states, but at the expense of the central government, which lacked the power to raise revenue or conduct diplomatic relations. The central government also could not effectively manage the western territories.
After two months of intense debates and revisions, the delegates produced the document we now know as the Constitution, which expanded the power of the central government while protecting the prerogatives of the states.
A total of 39 delegates signed the Constitution, including John Dickinson, who authorized another delegate, George Read, to sign for him. Three delegates, Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, George Mason of Virginia, and Edmund Randolph, refused to sign the Constitution, citing objections that would become cornerstones for the Anti-Federalists.
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The convention took place in Philadelphia
The Constitutional Convention, which took place in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787, was a pivotal event in American history. The convention was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation and address the shortcomings of the league of states. However, proponents of a new constitution, including James Madison of Virginia and Alexander Hamilton of New York, sought to establish a stronger national government and create a new framework for governance.
The convention was held in the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, and 70 delegates were chosen to represent the states. Of these, only 55 attended the proceedings, and no more than 46 were present at any given time. The delegates elected George Washington of Virginia, the former commanding general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, as the President of the convention. Washington shared the vision of a stronger national government.
Madison, a strong nationalist, played a pivotal role in the convention. Before the proceedings began, he drafted the "Vices of the Political System of the United States," which critically evaluated the existing political system and proposed solutions. Madison's ideas formed the basis of the Virginia Plan, which called for a supreme national government and a departure from the Articles of Confederation. The Virginia Plan was presented to the convention by Edmund Randolph, the governor of Virginia, and it became the predominant coalition within the convention.
The convention debated and ratified the Constitution of the United States, and 39 delegates signed the document, including John Dickinson, who authorized George Read to sign on his behalf. Three delegates, George Mason, Edmund Randolph, and Elbridge Gerry, refused to sign, citing objections that would later become central tenets of the Anti-Federalists. The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia laid the foundation for the framework of the United States government and marked a significant shift towards a stronger central government.
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Frequently asked questions
39 delegates signed the US Constitution.
70 delegates were chosen to represent the states in the Continental Congress, but only 55 attended the proceedings in Philadelphia.
No, not all delegates agreed with the final draft of the Constitution. Some expressed reservations but signed the document, anticipating debates within their states. Three delegates, Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, George Mason of Virginia, and Edmund Randolph, refused to sign.
