Isabella Carter
Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was 81 years old when he signed the US Constitution in 1787. Franklin was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, the oldest delegate in fact, and played a significant role in shaping the vision for the new nation. He was also a signatory to other key documents in US history, including the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, and the Treaty of Paris, which formally ended the Revolutionary War. Franklin's influence extended beyond politics, as he was also a writer, scientist, inventor, publisher, and diplomat, with a legacy that continues to be honoured in American culture and currency.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Birth year | 1706 |
| Death year | 1790 |
| Age when he attended the Constitutional Convention | 81 |
| Year of signing the Constitution | 1787 |
| Age at death | 84 |
| Occupation | Statesman, author, publisher, scientist, inventor, diplomat, printer, political philosopher |
| Key documents signed | Declaration of Independence, Treaty of Alliance with France, Treaty of Paris, U.S. Constitution |
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What You'll Learn
Benjamin Franklin was 81 when he signed the US Constitution
Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father of the United States and one of the most influential intellectuals of his time. He was a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Franklin played an influential role in the Revolutionary War era and the fight for American independence. He was also a champion of freedom of expression, viewing it as essential to democracy and practising it through his literary endeavours.
Franklin was the oldest signer of the US Constitution, at 81 years old. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which produced the US Constitution. This was his final significant act of public service. The US Constitution was ratified by the required nine states in June 1788, and George Washington was inaugurated as America's first president in April 1789.
Franklin is the only Founding Father to have signed all four of the key documents establishing the US: the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Treaty of Alliance with France (1778), the Treaty of Paris establishing peace with Great Britain (1783), and the US Constitution (1787). He also helped write a new constitution for the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery in 1787.
Franklin died a year after the Constitution was ratified, at the age of 84, on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia. He was buried in Philadelphia's Christ Church cemetery, and in his will, he left money to Boston and Philadelphia, which was used to establish a trade school, a science museum, and fund scholarships and other community projects.
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Franklin was a delegate at the 1787 Constitutional Convention
Benjamin Franklin was 81 years old when he attended the 1787 Constitutional Convention as a delegate from Pennsylvania. He was the oldest delegate at the convention. Franklin's presence at the convention was his final significant act of public service. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and played a crucial role in shaping the country's vision and future.
Franklin was a strong advocate for freedom of expression, believing it to be essential for democracy. He practised these rights through his literary works and ownership of the Pennsylvania Gazette. Additionally, he championed freedom of the press and religious freedom. Franklin's intellect, insight, and patriotism greatly contributed to the creation of the U.S. Constitution.
Franklin's influence extended beyond his literary pursuits. He was a scientist and inventor, studying electricity, ocean currents, meteorology, the common cold, and refrigeration. He developed the Franklin stove, bifocal eyeglasses, and the glass armonica, an instrument that composers like Beethoven and Mozart composed music for.
Franklin also left a lasting impact on American society through his writings. He wrote under the pseudonym "Richard Saunders" in Poor Richard's Almanack, and his quotes and proverbs became staples in American popular culture. One of his most well-known sayings is, "a penny saved is a penny earned." Franklin's more than 30,000 letters and documents have been compiled in The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, preserving his legacy for future generations.
In conclusion, Benjamin Franklin's attendance at the 1787 Constitutional Convention exemplifies his dedication to public service and his significant role in shaping the United States. His contributions as a Founding Father, his intellectual prowess, and his advocacy for freedom of expression and the press, solidified his place in U.S. history. Franklin's scientific pursuits, literary works, and influential quotes continue to shape American society even today.
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He was the only Founding Father to sign all four key US documents
Benjamin Franklin was 81 years old when he signed the Constitution in 1787. He was one of 57 delegates, and the oldest attendee at the Constitutional Convention.
Franklin was the only Founding Father to sign all four key US documents, which were critical to the nation's independence from Great Britain. These documents were:
- The Declaration of Independence (1776)
- The Treaty of Alliance, Amity, and Commerce with France (1778)
- The Treaty of Peace between England, France, and the United States (1782), also known as the Treaty of Paris
- The Constitution (1787)
Franklin was also the only person to sign the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Paris, and the Constitution. He was a leader in his state government, and his reputation for wisdom and political acumen earned him a place among the nation's founding fathers.
Franklin was a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. He was also a strong advocate for abolitionism, writing several essays stressing the importance of the abolition of slavery and the integration of African Americans into American society.
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Franklin was a champion of freedom of the press
Benjamin Franklin was 70 years old when he signed the US Constitution in 1787. He was the only person to sign the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Treaty of Paris peace with Britain.
Franklin was a strong advocate for freedom of the press and free speech. He was a successful and influential writer, editor, and publisher, as well as a printer and political philosopher. Franklin's work as a journalist and publisher gave him a platform to advocate for freedom of the press and free speech, which he saw as essential pillars of a free society. In his writings, he emphasised the importance of combining "every Thing that is useful, and every Thing that is ornamental." He recruited 24 prominent citizens as trustees for a new institution of higher education, which opened in 1751 as Franklin's Academy. Four years later, it was converted into a college that could confer undergraduate and professional degrees.
Franklin's support for freedom of the press and free speech is also evident in his writings on slavery and abolition. He wrote several essays stressing the importance of abolishing slavery and integrating African Americans into American society. Franklin's beliefs were influenced by his early life; his father, a poor chandler, owned a book by Puritan preacher Cotton Mather, which Franklin later cited as a key influence. Franklin's first pen name, Silence Dogood, paid homage to Mather.
Franklin's advocacy for freedom of the press and free speech extended beyond his writing. He was a strong supporter of the procedure for preventing smallpox introduced to colonial America by an African slave named Onesimus, despite opposition and rumours surrounding the death of a child. Franklin's stance on these issues demonstrates his commitment to freedom of expression and the press, which he believed were crucial for a democratic society.
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He was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence
Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father of the United States and played an influential role in the Revolutionary War era and the fight for American independence. He was a delegate to the convention that produced the U.S. Constitution in 1787, and at 81 years old, he was the oldest signer of the document.
Franklin was born in 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts, and had little formal education. By the age of 12, he was apprenticed to his older brother James, a Boston printer. He began contributing essays to his brother's newspaper at 16 and ran away from his apprenticeship at 17, moving to Philadelphia. Franklin became a successful newspaper editor and printer, publishing The Pennsylvania Gazette at 23. He also wrote Poor Richard's Almanack under the pseudonym "Richard Saunders."
In addition to his literary endeavors, Franklin was deeply involved in public affairs in Philadelphia. He helped launch a lending library, a hospital, and a college, and gained acclaim for his experiments with electricity. He also studied ocean currents, meteorology, the causes of the common cold, and refrigeration. Franklin invented the Franklin stove, bifocal eyeglasses, and the glass armonica, a musical instrument that was once popular but fell out of use in the early 19th century.
Franklin's intellect, insight, and patriotism were instrumental in the creation of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. He was a strong advocate for freedom of expression, viewing it as essential to democracy and a check against tyrannical regimes. He also championed religious freedom and believed in the importance of abolishing slavery and integrating African Americans into American society.
Benjamin Franklin died in 1790 at the age of 84, leaving behind a legacy of scientific and political achievements that continue to shape the United States today.
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Frequently asked questions
Benjamin Franklin was 81 years old when he signed the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
Benjamin Franklin was the only Founding Father to sign all four of the key documents establishing the U.S.: the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Treaty of Alliance with France (1778), the Treaty of Paris establishing peace with Great Britain (1783), and the U.S. Constitution (1787).
Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father of the United States, a diplomat, author, publisher, scientist, and inventor. He was also the first postmaster general.
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