Who Signed The Constitution? A Look At The Ministers Involved

The United States Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, established the office of the President of the United States and outlined how the federal government should operate. Interestingly, only 39 men, all of whom were white property owners, signed this significant document.

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The number of signatories

The US Constitution, which established the office of the President of the United States, was signed by 39 men, all of whom were white and property owners. The signing took place on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, the cultural, financial, intellectual, and social centre of the nation. Interestingly, only two of the 39 signatories would go on to become president: George Washington, who was the first president, and James Madison, who would become the fourth.

The Constitutional Convention was attended by 70 delegates, 55 of whom participated in the proceedings. However, it is believed that there were never more than 46 delegates present at any one time. Of these 46, 38 became signatories, while George Mason, Edmund Randolph, and Elbridge Gerry refused to sign, citing objections that would later become central tenets of the Anti-Federalists.

Several notable figures were absent from the Constitutional Convention, including Thomas Jefferson, who was serving as the US minister in France, and John Adams, who was the US minister in Great Britain. Only six men signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution: George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, George Read, Roger Sherman, and James Wilson. Benjamin Franklin, at 81, was the oldest signer and required assistance to do so, while Jonathan Dayton was the youngest.

Signers who became presidents

Of the 39 men who signed the U.S. Constitution, only two would go on to become presidents: George Washington and James Madison.

George Washington was the first president of the United States and the president of the Constitutional Convention. He was the first to sign the Constitution, followed by the other delegates, grouped by states from north to south.

James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, is considered the Father of the U.S. Constitution. He represented Virginia at the Continental Congress during the 1780s and drafted the Virginia Plan, which served as the foundation for most of the discussions at the Convention. Madison kept a detailed journal of the Constitutional Convention, which was published after his death and contains the most complete account of the proceedings. He also worked on the Bill of Rights and was one of the authors of the Federalist Papers.

Thomas Jefferson, who would become the third president of the United States, did not sign the Constitution as he was in France, serving as the U.S. minister. John Adams, the future second president, was also not present at the Constitutional Convention as he was in Great Britain, serving as the U.S. minister.

Absent founding fathers

The US Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, established the office of the President of the United States. Of the 39 men who signed the document, only two, George Washington and James Madison, would go on to serve as president.

However, some of the most influential figures in the founding of the United States were notably absent from the signing of the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, was in France serving as the US minister. Despite his absence, Jefferson's influence was felt through his letters. He praised the design of the Constitution but feared it favoured the government over the people. He successfully urged Madison to add a Bill of Rights, which passed in 1791.

John Adams, who would become the second US president, was also absent from the Constitutional Convention, as he was in Great Britain serving as the US minister. John Hancock, Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, and Alexander Hamilton were also not present at the signing of the Constitution.

Some scholars regard all delegates to the Constitutional Convention as Founding Fathers, whether they approved the Constitution or not. Signers of the Articles of Confederation, which was adopted in 1781 as the nation's first constitution, are also considered Founding Fathers.

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Signers' occupations

The US Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, established how the government of the United States should operate. Of the 70 delegates chosen as representatives to the Constitutional Convention, only 39 men ended up signing the document. These men were all white, property-owning individuals.

The occupations of the signers of the Constitution varied. Many of the signers had legal backgrounds, including Roger Sherman, who was a judge and lawyer, and Robert Morris, a merchant and lawyer. Several signers had served in the military, including Richard Dobbs Spaight, Sr., who was commissioned in the North Carolina militia, and George Washington, who was the president at the time of the signing. Some signers had backgrounds in science and medicine, such as Hugh Williamson, who studied to become a Presbyterian minister, practiced medicine, and examined scientific matters.

A few signers were also involved in politics and government. Benjamin Franklin, for example, was a statesman and diplomat, while George Read was an attorney and respected politician from Delaware. Some signers had financial backgrounds, including Alexander Hamilton, who was a banker and economist. John Adams, who would become the second president of the United States, was serving as the US minister in Great Britain at the time and did not sign the Constitution. Thomas Jefferson, the future third president, was also absent as he was in France serving as the US minister.

The signers of the Constitution represented different states, including Georgia, Connecticut, and Delaware. They also varied in age, with Benjamin Franklin being the oldest at 81 and in need of assistance to sign, while Jonathan Dayton was the youngest signer. Despite their differences, the signers of the Constitution came together to establish the framework for the US government and its operations.

Signers' ages

The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates, all of whom were white men and property owners. Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, was the youngest signer, while Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, was the oldest.

The signers' ages were likely influenced by the requirement that they had to be property owners, which meant that only those who had accumulated some level of wealth and stability could sign. Additionally, many of the signers had likely fought in the American Revolution, which took place from 1775 to 1783, so they would have been in their thirties or older by the time the Constitution was signed in 1787.

Benjamin Franklin, the oldest signer at 81, played a significant role in the Constitutional Convention. He delivered an address strongly endorsing the Constitution, despite any perceived imperfections. He summed up the sentiments of those who did sign, stating:

> "There are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them...I doubt, too, whether any other Convention we can obtain, may be able to make a better Constitution. For when you assemble a number of men to have the advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men, all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests, and their selfish views. From such an assembly can a perfect production be expected?"

Richard Dobbs Spaight, Sr., signed the Constitution at the age of 31. He represented North Carolina at the Constitutional Convention and attended every session. He had previously served in the North Carolina militia and legislature before leaving the military to focus on his political career.

The specific ages of all 39 signers are not readily available, but it is known that they represented a range of ages, with most likely being in their thirties or older, given the context of the time.

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