Men Who Signed Both: Declaration And Constitution

The United States Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are two of the most important documents in the country's history. The Declaration of Independence, primarily signed on August 2, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House, declared that the 13 American colonies were free and independent states, no longer under British rule. The Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, established the United States government and outlined the framework for the nation's federal government and its three branches. Of the men who signed both documents, only Roger Sherman and Robert Morris also signed the Articles of Confederation. In total, seven men signed both the Declaration and the Constitution, with Benjamin Franklin, at 81, being the oldest signer of both.

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Pennsylvania had the most representatives in both documents

Pennsylvania had the most representatives in both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Nine Pennsylvania citizens signed the Declaration, eight signed the Constitution, and four signed both. This is despite the fact that Pennsylvania's name was misspelled as "Pensylvania" above the signers' names.

The Declaration of Independence was signed by the majority of delegates on 2nd August 1776, but signatures were added as late as 1781. The Constitution, on the other hand, was signed by 39 men on 17th September 1787. All of the signers were white men and property owners.

Benjamin Franklin, a leading voice at the Constitutional Convention, was 70 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence, and 81 when he signed the Constitution, making him the oldest signer of both documents. Other notable Pennsylvanian signatories of both documents include Robert Morris, a Philadelphia businessman who financed the Continental Army, and James Wilson, a lawyer and businessman who helped secure Pennsylvania's ratification.

Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of both documents

Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Born on January 17, 1706, Franklin was 70 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Eleven years later, in 1787, he was 81 years old when he signed the U.S. Constitution, making him once again the oldest signer.

Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and played a crucial role in the rebellion against Great Britain. He was the only person to sign the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and the U.S. Constitution. He was also a drafter of the Declaration of Independence and served as the first postmaster general of the United States.

Franklin's influence extended beyond politics. He was a polymath, celebrated as a writer, scientist, inventor, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. He was also an early and strong advocate for the abolition of slavery and the protection of the rights of Native Americans. Franklin's more than 30,000 letters and documents attest to his prolific output and impact on the early history of the United States.

The signing of the Declaration of Independence took place primarily on August 2, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, though the date has long been a subject of debate. The final draft of the Declaration was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, with 12 of the 13 colonies voting in favor and New York abstaining. The Declaration proclaimed the Thirteen Colonies as "free and independent States," no longer part of the British Empire.

George Wythe signed the Declaration but resigned before the Constitution was signed

The United States Declaration of Independence was signed on August 2, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. The 56 delegates to the Second Continental Congress represented the Thirteen Colonies, 12 of which voted to approve the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Declaration proclaimed the Thirteen Colonies as "free and independent states", no longer part of the British Empire.

One of the 56 signatories to the Declaration of Independence was George Wythe, a judge, academic, and scholar from Virginia. Wythe was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and served as one of Virginia's representatives to the Continental Congress and the Philadelphia Convention. He was also a delegate to the Constitutional Convention but resigned in June 1787 to care for his dying wife.

The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, over a decade after the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution was engrossed on four sheets of parchment, with the signatures on the fourth sheet. The signing of the Constitution took place in Philadelphia, at the same location as the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

George Wythe, unfortunately, did not live to sign the Constitution. He resigned from the Constitutional Convention in June 1787, three months before the signing of the Constitution, to be with his wife during her final days. Despite not signing the Constitution, Wythe played a crucial role in ensuring that his home state of Virginia ratified the document.

In conclusion, George Wythe signed the Declaration of Independence but resigned from the Constitutional Convention before the Constitution was signed. His absence from the list of signatories of the Constitution was due to his dedication to his wife during her illness.

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Roger Sherman and Robert Morris also signed the Articles of Confederation

Roger Sherman and Robert Morris were among the few men who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. They were also among the signatories of the Articles of Confederation.

Roger Sherman (1721-1793) was a Founding Father of the United States, a lawyer, and an early American politician. He was born in Newton, Massachusetts, and established a legal career in Litchfield County, Connecticut, despite lacking a formal education. Sherman was a member of the First and Second Continental Congresses, during which he signed the Continental Association to impose an economic boycott on British trade. He was also appointed to the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence. Sherman initially opposed efforts to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new constitution, but he eventually became a key delegate to the 1787 Philadelphia Convention that produced the United States Constitution. He is the only person to have signed all four great state papers of the United States: the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.

Sherman was one of the most active members of the convention, making motions or seconds 160 times. He favoured granting the federal government the power to raise revenue and regulate commerce. During the convention, he proposed a bicameral national legislature with equal representation from all states, but this was rejected in favour of the Virginia Plan's proposal for proportional representation. Sherman also served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, where he was a member of the committee of 13 responsible for preparing a draft constitution. He saw the convention as a means to modify the existing government rather than create a new one. After the ratification of the Constitution, Sherman represented Connecticut in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

Robert Morris, on the other hand, was known as the "Financier of the American Revolution." He was born in Liverpool, England, in 1734 and moved to Oxford, Maryland, as a teenager. He later relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to learn about business and finance through an apprenticeship. Morris became a successful merchant and was elected to several committees due to his reputation. He attended the Second Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the US Constitution. Morris was a nationalist and a long-time critic of the Articles of Confederation. He played an active role in trying to establish American credit and helped finance the American Revolution out of his pocket. He also served as the Superintendent of Finance, using his personal credit to ensure the necessary funds for the Continental Army. Morris was elected to the US Senate by Pennsylvania in 1788 and helped broker the Compromise of 1790, which established national credit in exchange for locating the federal capital in the South.

The signatures on both documents are arranged in a similar manner

The signatures on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution are arranged in a similar manner. The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 delegates, representing the 13 colonies, on August 2, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. The Second Continental Congress had approved the final draft of the Declaration on July 4, 1776, with 12 of the 13 colonies voting in favour and New York abstaining. The signatures on the Declaration are grouped by state, with the exception of John Hancock, as President of the Continental Congress. The states are arranged geographically from south to north, with Button Gwinnett from Georgia first and Matthew Thornton from New Hampshire last.

The U.S. Constitution was signed by 39 delegates on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signatures on the Constitution are also grouped by state, with the exception of Convention President George Washington. The listing of states is arranged geographically from north to south. The Constitution was engrossed on four sheets of parchment, with the signatures on the fourth sheet.

Pennsylvania had the largest representation in both documents, with nine delegates signing the Declaration, eight signing the Constitution, and four signing both. Benjamin Franklin, who was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence at 70 years old, also signed the Constitution 11 years later at the age of 81, making him the oldest signer of the Constitution as well. Other notable signatories of both documents include Roger Sherman and Robert Morris, who were the only two men to also sign the Articles of Confederation.

The process of signing these documents was significant, as it represented the endorsement of the content within them. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed the 13 colonies as "free and independent states", no longer part of the British Empire. The U.S. Constitution, on the other hand, established the frame of the nation's federal government and delineated the functioning of its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

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