Eleanor Finch
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 39 delegates representing 12 states endorsed the Constitution, which was created during the four-month-long convention. The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of a process that began with the convening of the Federal Convention of 1787, also known as the Constitutional Convention, in response to concerns about the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution. The delegates to the convention debated and crafted a new governing document that established a powerful central government and delineated the functions of its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of delegates signing the newly drafted constitution | 39 |
| Number of delegates who refused to sign | 3 |
| Number of delegates who participated in the convention | 55 |
| Number of delegates who dropped out | 13 |
| Number of states represented at the convention | 12 |
| State that did not send delegates | Rhode Island |
| Age of the youngest signer | 26 (Jonathan Dayton) |
| Age of the oldest signer | 81 (Benjamin Franklin) |
| Date of signing | September 17, 1787 |
| Place of signing | Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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What You'll Learn
The Federal Convention of 1787
The Convention was attended by delegates chosen by the state legislatures of 12 of the 13 original states, with Rhode Island being the only state that refused to send representatives. The delegates debated and discussed proposals for amending or replacing the Articles of Confederation. The "Virginia Plan," proposed by Edmund Randolph of Virginia, suggested an entirely new government with a strong central government based on popular consent and proportional representation. This plan received support from states with large populations.
Another proposal, the "New Jersey Plan," advocated for retaining the essential features of the Articles of Confederation, including a unicameral legislature with equal representation for all states. The convention debated these competing proposals for months before reaching a compromise known as the Great Compromise, which prescribed a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal state representation in the Senate.
Despite disagreements and reluctance among some delegates, 39 delegates ultimately signed the newly drafted Constitution on September 17, 1787. The signing of the Constitution did not legally enact it, as it required ratification by nine of the thirteen states. The document was then submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City, the nation's temporary capital, for further consideration and ratification by the states.
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The Virginia Plan
The plan was presented to the Convention as fifteen draft resolutions that outlined basic principles of government. The first resolution called for "enlarging and correcting" the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. The Articles gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers and could not regulate commerce or print money. The Virginia Plan, therefore, called for a radical departure from the Articles, proposing a strong central government based on popular consent and proportional representation.
The proposed national legislature should consist of two branches, with the members of the first branch (the House of Representatives) being elected by the people of the several states for a term of three years. The members of the first branch would be subject to rotation in office and recall elections, and they would select the members of the second branch (the Senate) from candidates nominated by state legislatures. The national legislature would have all the legislative power belonging to the Confederation Congress, as well as new powers.
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The New Jersey Plan
The signing of the United States Constitution took place on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the 74 delegates chosen, 55 attended, and 39 signed the document. George Washington, as president of the Convention, signed first, followed by the other delegates, grouped by states from north to south.
- The Articles of Confederation should be revised to make them "adequate to the exigencies of Government and the preservation of the Union."
- The Confederation Congress should be authorized to raise money by taxing imports, by a stamp tax, and by postage, with tax evaders tried in state courts with appeal to a Federal judiciary.
- The three-fifths rule, whereby three-fifths of the number of enslaved people living in a state would be considered when determining its population, in order to proportionally assess Congress's funding requests from the states.
- An executive branch should be added, made up of more than one individual, and it should be possible to remove said executives by a majority vote of the states.
- There should be a Federal judiciary, appointed by the Executive, to hear and determine impeachments of Federal officers, and appeals in other cases.
- All Acts of Congress made pursuant to the Articles of Confederation should be the supreme law of the land, with state judges bound to uphold them.
- Provision should be made for the admission of new States into the Union.
- There should be a uniform rule of naturalization.
- Citizens of each state should be treated equally in state criminal courts.
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The Articles of Confederation
The Articles were ratified by 12 states by February 1779, 14 months into the process. Maryland was the lone holdout, refusing to go along until the landed states, especially Virginia, indicated they were prepared to cede their claims west of the Ohio River to the Union. Maryland finally ratified the Articles on February 2, 1781, and Congress was informed of its assent on March 1. The Articles of Confederation then officially became the law of the land.
However, just a few years after the Revolutionary War, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared that the young country was on the brink of collapse. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart. The Articles' failure to empower the central government to carry out essential functions was their primary weakness. As a result, six years after the ratification of the Articles of Confederation, a majority of delegates to Congress agreed that the Articles needed significant revisions. On February 21, 1787, the Congress resolved that a convention of delegates be held in Philadelphia for the purpose of revising the Articles. This convention resulted in the creation of a new constitution, which was signed by 39 delegates on September 17, 1787.
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The signing ceremony
The signing of the United States Constitution occurred on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing ceremony marked the culmination of a four-month-long convention, during which 55 delegates from 12 states (all except Rhode Island, which did not send any delegates) worked to create a new constitution.
The final document, engrossed by Jacob Shallus, was presented at the convention's final session. Despite some delegates' disappointment with the compromises in the document, 39 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Read signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, who was absent. The signatures were grouped by states, progressing from north to south.
The convention's secretary, William Jackson, played an important role in the signing ceremony. In addition to signing the document to authenticate corrections and amendments, he added a note to verify four amendments made by hand to the final document, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the Constitution.
The delegates who signed the Constitution ranged in age from Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, to Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, who had to be carried to the sessions in a sedan chair due to his infirmity. The diversity of ages and backgrounds among the delegates further highlighted the significance of the signing ceremony as a moment of unity and compromise in the formation of the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
39 delegates signed the US Constitution.
74 individuals were selected to attend the Constitutional Convention, but only 55 delegates participated.
No, Rhode Island did not send any delegates to the convention.
