Signatories Of The Founding Documents: A Historical Count

The United States Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are two of the most important documents in the history of the nation. The Declaration of Independence was signed on August 2, 1776, by 56 members of the Second Continental Congress, in Philadelphia. The date of its signing has been a subject of debate, with some believing it was signed on July 4, 1776, the date of its adoption. The U.S. Constitution, on the other hand, was signed by 39 delegates, out of 55 who attended the Constitutional Convention, with 12 out of 13 states being represented.

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39 people signed the US Constitution

The US Constitution, one of the country's most important documents, was signed by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states. The signing took place on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it marked the culmination of a four-month-long convention.

It is worth noting that Rhode Island declined to send any delegates to the convention, and of the 70 delegates chosen, only 55 attended the majority of the meetings. Interestingly, there were never more than 46 delegates present at any one time. This means that out of the 41 or 42 delegates who were present for the signing, 39 endorsed the Constitution. The three who refused to sign were George Mason, Edmund Randolph, and Elbridge Gerry, who objected due to the lack of a Bill of Rights.

The signatures on the US Constitution were arranged with the President, George Washington, at the top, and the rest of the signatures in state order from north to south, from right to left. The signers came from various states, with Pennsylvania contributing the most signatures (20%) with eight, followed by Delaware with five. The youngest signer was 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton from New Jersey, and the oldest was Benjamin Franklin, who was 81 years old at the time and needed assistance to sign.

The US Constitution established the federal government and its branches, and it governs the people of the United States. It is a living document that is constantly being interpreted and referenced in modern times. The signatures on the Constitution serve as an essential form of authentication, providing documentation of the validity and agreement to the document's content.

55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention

The United States Constitution was signed by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states. However, 70 delegates had been chosen as representatives, and 55 of them attended the proceedings in Philadelphia. It is believed that there were never more than 46 of them in attendance at any one time.

The Constitutional Convention was a four-month-long convention that took place in 1787. The delegates who attended were all white men and property owners, with a wide range of ages. The youngest delegate to sign the Constitution was 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton from New Jersey, while the oldest was Benjamin Franklin, aged 81.

The signing of the Constitution occurred on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This was the same location where the Declaration of Independence was signed eleven years earlier. The document was signed by the President, George Washington, first, followed by the rest of the signatures in state order from north to south.

The Constitution established the federal government and its branches, and it governs the people of the United States. It is a living document that is constantly being interpreted and referenced.

The US Constitution was signed on August 2, 1776

The US Constitution was not signed on August 2, 1776. The Declaration of Independence was signed on that date by the majority of the delegates, but the signing continued through the fall of 1776 and perhaps as late as 1781.

The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the 70 delegates chosen as representatives to the Constitutional Convention, only 55 attended the proceedings, and it is believed that there were never more than 46 of them in attendance at any one time. When it came time to sign, 38 of the 41 delegates present became signatories. George Mason, Edmund Randolph, and Elbridge Gerry refused to sign, and John Dickinson was ill and unable to attend the Convention on the day of the signing, so 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states, signed the document.

The 39 men who signed the US Constitution were all white men and property owners. The average age of the signatories was 42, with Benjamin Franklin, at 81, being the oldest, and New Jersey's Jonathan Dayton, at 26, being the youngest. Interestingly, 20% of the signers (eight of the 39) were from the state of Pennsylvania.

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56 members of the Second Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 members of the Second Continental Congress. The signing of the Declaration of Independence is a significant event in the history of the United States, marking the country's official break from British rule and its establishment as a sovereign nation.

The Declaration of Independence was written and adopted by the Second Continental Congress, a group of representatives from the 13 American colonies, who met in Philadelphia in 1776. The committee responsible for drafting the Declaration included Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman, with Jefferson delegated the task of writing the document.

The Declaration was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and printed copies were distributed shortly after. However, the official signing of the document took place on August 2, 1776, with John Hancock, the President of the Congress, being the first to sign. The other delegates followed custom and signed beginning at the right, with their signatures arranged by the geographic location of the states they represented, from north to south.

While 56 delegates eventually signed the Declaration, it is important to note that not all of them were present on August 2. The signing continued through the fall of 1776 and possibly as late as 1781, as delegates returned to or arrived at Congress. This prolonged signing period highlights the commitment and determination of the members of the Second Continental Congress to stand by their decision and affirm the independence of the United States.

In contrast, the signing of the U.S. Constitution, another pivotal document in American history, took place on a single day, September 17, 1787. Only 39 men, all of them white property owners, signed the Constitution, despite there being 70 attendees at the Constitutional Convention. This disparity in the number of signatories between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution is an interesting aspect of the formation of the United States government and the establishment of the country's foundational principles.

The signing of the Declaration occurred in Philadelphia

The signing of the Declaration of Independence was a significant event in the history of the United States. It proclaimed the Thirteen Colonies as "free and independent states," no longer a part of the British Empire. The delegates who signed the Declaration represented the colonies and were committing themselves to the cause of independence.

The process of signing the Declaration took some time, and it is believed that not all delegates signed on the same day. Some sources indicate that a few delegates may have added their signatures after August 2, and the signing continued through the fall of 1776 and possibly as late as 1781. The date of signing has been a subject of debate, with some early sources indicating that it was signed on July 4, 1776, the same day it was adopted. However, most historians now agree that the signing occurred primarily on August 2, nearly a month after its adoption.

The signing of the Declaration of Independence set a precedent for the founding of the United States and the establishment of a new nation. It was a bold statement of the colonies' intentions to govern themselves and break away from the rule of the Kingdom of Great Britain. The delegates who signed the Declaration understood the significance of their actions and the potential consequences, including the possibility of war with Britain.

The signing of the Declaration in Philadelphia was a pivotal moment in the history of the United States, marking the beginning of a new era and the birth of a nation. It was a courageous act by the delegates who risked much to secure freedom and independence for the colonies.

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