Omar Bennett
The exact number of Constitution signers who owned slaves is disputed, but it is estimated that around 25 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention owned slaves. Many of the framers of the Constitution, including Founding Fathers such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin, owned numerous slaves. Despite expressing a desire to see the institution of slavery gradually abolished, none of these men took a public stand on the issue, and the Constitution included several concessions to slavery, including a 20-year ban on any restrictions on the Atlantic slave trade and a fugitive slave clause requiring the return of runaway slaves to their owners.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Approximate number of constitution signers who owned slaves | 25 |
| Total number of delegates to the Constitutional Convention | 55 |
| Founding Fathers who owned slaves | George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton |
| Founding Fathers who freed slaves in their will | George Washington |
| Founding Fathers who became members of anti-slavery societies | Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton |
| Number of slaveholders in the "Declaration of Independence" painting out of 47 | 34 |
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What You'll Learn
- Of the 55 delegates, about 25 owned slaves
- The Constitution prohibited Congress from outlawing the slave trade for 20 years
- Many signers, including Benjamin Franklin, became members of anti-slavery societies
- George Washington owned slaves but later freed them in his will
- Thomas Jefferson, who wrote all men are created equal, owned hundreds of slaves
Of the 55 delegates, about 25 owned slaves
The Constitution of the United States was signed by 55 delegates, about 25 of whom owned slaves. This included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin. Many of the framers had moral qualms about slavery. For example, George Mason, a Virginia delegate who owned hundreds of slaves, spoke out against slavery, arguing that it "discourages arts and manufactures" and corrupts slaveholders. Similarly, Luther Martin of Maryland, a slaveholder himself, argued that the slave trade should be subject to federal regulation and was inconsistent with America's republican ideals.
Despite their talk of gradual abolition, no national abolition legislation ever materialized. Benjamin Franklin, who owned slaves early in his life, later became the president of the first abolitionist society in the United States. Alexander Hamilton, who was born in a slave colony in the British West Indies, also became a member of an anti-slavery society.
The controversy over the Atlantic slave trade was ultimately settled by compromise. In exchange for a 20-year ban on any restrictions on the Atlantic slave trade, southern delegates agreed to remove a clause restricting the national government's power. The convention also adopted a fugitive slave clause, requiring the return of runaway slaves to their owners.
While the exact number of constitution signers who owned slaves is disputed, it is clear that slavery was a prevalent issue among the founding fathers.
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The Constitution prohibited Congress from outlawing the slave trade for 20 years
The Constitution of the United States was a compromise between the Southern states, where slavery was pivotal to the economy, and states where the abolition of slavery had been accomplished or was contemplated. Article 1, Section 9, Clause 1, prohibited the federal government from limiting the importation of "persons" (i.e., enslaved African persons) where existing state governments allowed it, for 20 years after the Constitution took effect. This clause was one of a handful of provisions in the original Constitution related to slavery, though the word "slave" was consciously avoided.
The Three-Fifths Clause, for example, gave the South extra representation in the House of Representatives and extra votes in the Electoral College. The framers of the Constitution believed that concessions on slavery were necessary to gain the support of southern delegates for a strong central government. They were convinced that if the Constitution restricted the slave trade, South Carolina and Georgia would refuse to join the Union.
The controversy over the Atlantic slave trade was settled by compromise. In exchange for a 20-year ban on any restrictions on the trade, southern delegates agreed to remove a clause restricting the national government's power to enact laws requiring goods to be shipped on American vessels. The same day, the convention adopted the Fugitive Slave Clause, requiring the return of runaway slaves to their owners.
The Constitution was signed by 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, of whom about 25 owned slaves. Many of the framers harbored moral qualms about slavery. Several of the Founding Fathers, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, owned numerous slaves, while others, like Benjamin Franklin, owned just a few. Despite this, all expressed a wish at some points in their lives to see the institution gradually abolished.
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Many signers, including Benjamin Franklin, became members of anti-slavery societies
The exact number of signers of the US Constitution who owned slaves is disputed, but it is estimated that around 25 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention owned slaves. Many of the framers of the Constitution had moral qualms about slavery. Several of them, including Benjamin Franklin, became members of anti-slavery societies.
Benjamin Franklin's relationship with slavery was complicated. He owned slaves early in his life, and even ran "for sale" ads for slaves in his newspaper. However, in his later years, he became a vocal critic of slavery and an abolitionist. Franklin wrote several essays stressing the importance of abolishing slavery and integrating African Americans into American society. He also advocated for the education of black slaves, promoting the opening of a school for black slaves in Philadelphia in 1758.
In 1787, Benjamin Franklin became the president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, originally formed in 1775 as the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage. The society advocated for the abolition of slavery and worked to integrate freed slaves into American society. Franklin also signed a public anti-slavery appeal in 1787, weeks before the start of the Constitutional Convention.
Franklin's views on slavery were influenced by his interactions with Quaker abolitionists and dedicated abolitionist friends during his time in Paris. He was also impacted by the campaign in Britain to abolish slavery, which began in the 1760s, and the landmark judicial case of Somerset v. Stewart in 1772, where Lord Mansfield ruled that there could be no slavery on English soil.
In summary, while Benjamin Franklin had a complicated relationship with slavery early in his life, he later became a vocal member of anti-slavery societies and worked to promote the abolition of slavery and the integration of freed slaves into American society.
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George Washington owned slaves but later freed them in his will
The exact number of the signers of the Constitution who owned slaves is disputed, but it is estimated that around 25 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention owned slaves. Many of the framers of the Constitution harbored moral qualms about slavery. For example, Benjamin Franklin, a former slaveholder, and Alexander Hamilton, who was born in a slave colony in the British West Indies, became members of anti-slavery societies.
One of the signers of the Constitution, George Washington, owned slaves but later freed them in his will. Washington was a hereditary slave owner, becoming a third-generation slave owner at 11 years old when he inherited his first ten slaves upon his father's death in 1743. He owned hundreds of slaves, and his views on slavery were contradictory. On the one hand, he wrote that he wished "more and more to get clear" of owning slaves, and he supported abolition in theory. On the other hand, he never publicly stood against slavery, and his wealth and position in society depended on enslaved workers. During the Revolutionary War, Washington's thinking on slavery evolved, and he became increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of owning other human beings. He also began to view slavery as a threat to American independence, stating that the British were trying to "fix the Shackles of Slavry [sic]" upon the colonies.
Despite his changing attitudes, Washington continued to own and purchase slaves, and he even pursued escaped slaves, trying to force them to return. He also used both reward and punishment to manage his enslaved population and separated people from their families as punishment. However, he did express a moral aversion to selling his enslaved workers publicly or splitting their families. Washington's views on slavery may have been influenced by his familial relationships with African Americans, and he approved of initiatives to recruit and enlist African Americans and enslaved workers into the army during the Revolutionary War.
When Washington died, he freed the slaves he owned in his will, making him the only Founding Father to do so. However, his will stipulated that his slaves remain with his wife, Martha Washington, for the rest of her life, and they were only freed a year after his death. Washington's complicated relationship with slavery reflects the broader contradictions within the founding of the United States and the Constitution, which prohibited Congress from outlawing the Atlantic slave trade for 20 years and included a fugitive slave clause requiring the return of runaway slaves to their owners.
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Thomas Jefferson, who wrote all men are created equal, owned hundreds of slaves
Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, penned the words "all men are created equal." However, the irony lies in the fact that he himself owned hundreds of slaves throughout his life. Born in 1743 in Virginia, Jefferson came from a family of slave owners, and his father was a Virginia planter. Jefferson's upbringing in a slave society and his family's active participation in the institution of slavery likely influenced his views on inequality.
Jefferson's statement, "all men are created equal," is considered transformative and bold, and it has come to embody America's founding ideals. The phrase draws from Enlightenment philosophy and the writings of John Locke, Montesquieu, and George Mason. Despite his professed belief in equality, Jefferson's vision did not include the enslaved or women. He questioned the intellectual capacity of Black people and failed to advocate for their freedom with the same vigour he displayed in fighting for the liberty of white colonists.
Jefferson's complex relationship with slavery is further exemplified by his actions as President. He brought enslaved teenagers from Monticello to train in French cooking and hired enslaved individuals from local Washington slave owners. Additionally, Jefferson's support for the Three-Fifths Compromise and the Fugitive Slave Clause in the Constitution protected the institution of slavery and ensured the return of runaway slaves to their owners.
While Jefferson expressed a desire to abolish slavery, he felt powerless to bring about change. He viewed slavery as a "wolf by the ear," acknowledging the difficulty of maintaining or ending it. Jefferson's ambivalent stance on slavery, coupled with his role as a slave owner, stands in stark contrast to his famous declaration of equality. This contradiction continues to spark scrutiny and debate surrounding Jefferson's legacy.
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Frequently asked questions
The exact number is disputed, but it is estimated that around 25 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention owned slaves.
Yes, some of the constitution signers who owned slaves, such as Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton, later became members of anti-slavery societies.
Yes, George Washington freed the slaves he owned in his will, becoming the only Founding Father to do so.
