The Constitution And Jefferson's Signature: An Age-Old Question

Thomas Jefferson, born in 1743, was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and the third president of the country from 1801 to 1809. He was also the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, which was signed in 1776. However, Jefferson did not sign the US Constitution, as he was in France serving as the United States minister when it was written in 1787. He was 44 years old at the time.

Explore related products

U.S. Presidents Volume 2: Thomas Jefferson & James Madison

$9

Science and the Founding Fathers: Science in the Political Thought of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and James Madison

$12.46 $24.95

American Dark Age: Racial Feudalism and the Rise of Black Liberalism

$24.44 $35

The Age of Jefferson and Marshall Part 1-2: Jefferson and His Colleagues, and John Marshall and the Constitution

$49.95

Slavery and the Founders

$33.18 $62.99

Alexander Hamilton: The Graphic History of an American Founding Father

$11.58 $19.99

Thomas Jefferson was 33 when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776

Thomas Jefferson was 33 years old when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. He was not one of the signatories, but his preamble is regarded as an enduring statement on individual and human rights. His famous phrase, "all men are created equal", has been called "one of the best-known sentences in the English language".

Although Jefferson did not sign the Declaration of Independence, he was involved in the drafting process. He was also a key figure in the creation of the Constitution, despite not signing this document either. Jefferson was invited to the Constitutional Convention but did not attend. He assisted with the Constitution for nearly three years, and his thoughtful and careful comments through letters reveal his cautious reservation about the new plan. He ultimately accepted it, but only on the condition that a firm Bill of Rights be added to secure individual and state liberties.

Jefferson's concerns about the Constitution included the lack of guaranteed term limits or rotation for the presidency. He also believed that the secrecy rule for the Philadelphia gathering was a misjudgment, which may have been a reason he was incorrectly accused of being an Antifederalist. Despite these worries, he felt that the basic principles of the Articles of Confederation were the best form of government available.

At the start of the American Revolution, Colonel Jefferson was named commander of the Albemarle County Militia in September 1775. He was then elected to the Virginia House of Delegates for Albemarle County in September 1776, when finalizing the state constitution was a priority.

Jefferson was not one of the 39 people to sign the Constitution

Thomas Jefferson was 33 years old in 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed. However, Jefferson was not one of the 39 people to sign the Constitution.

The Constitution was signed by 39 delegates at the Constitutional Convention, which was held in 1787. The original states, except Rhode Island, collectively appointed 70 individuals to the convention, but many did not accept or could not attend. Thomas Jefferson was one of those who did not attend. Other notable figures who did not attend include Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock.

Despite not signing the Constitution, Jefferson did play a role in its creation. He assisted with the constitution for nearly three years and corresponded with Madison about the proposed Constitution. Jefferson had some reservations about the new plan, particularly regarding the lack of a guaranteed term limit or rotation for the presidency and the absence of a bill of rights. However, he ultimately accepted it as a way to improve the United States, provided that a firm Bill of Rights was added to secure individual and state liberties.

Jefferson is often regarded as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, along with figures such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and James Madison. While some of these individuals did not sign the Declaration of Independence, they made significant contributions to the founding and shaping of the nation.

He assisted with the Constitution for nearly three years

Thomas Jefferson was 33 years old when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. He was not one of the 39 delegates who signed the Constitution. However, he did assist with the Constitution for nearly three years. During this time, he was especially proud of his Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, which aimed to prohibit state support of religious institutions and the enforcement of religious doctrine. Unfortunately, this bill failed to pass, as did his legislation to disestablish the Anglican Church. However, both were later revived by James Madison.

In 1778, two years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was tasked with revising the state's laws. Over the next three years, he drafted 126 bills, including laws to streamline the judicial system. He also proposed statutes that provided for general education, which he considered the basis of "republican government".

Jefferson was concerned about the concentration of land ownership and power in the hands of Virginia's landed gentry, who were becoming a hereditary aristocracy. He took the lead in abolishing what he called "feudal and unnatural distinctions", targeting laws such as entail and primogeniture, which allowed land and power to be passed down to the oldest son of a deceased landowner.

While Jefferson did not attend the Constitutional Convention, he did receive copies of the proposed Constitution from Madison and others soon after the convention ended. He provided thoughtful and careful comments through letters, expressing his cautious reservations about the new plan while ultimately accepting it. He believed that the convention had been overly influenced by Shays' Rebellion, an insurrection in Massachusetts, and felt that it was not a sufficient reason to overhaul the national structure.

Jefferson also disagreed with the secrecy surrounding the drafting of the Constitution, which may have contributed to his being incorrectly accused of being an Antifederalist. He saw the Constitution as having "a bitter pill or two", specifically mentioning his concerns about the lack of guaranteed term limits or rotation for the presidency and the absence of a bill of rights. Despite these misgivings, Jefferson ultimately supported the ratification of the Constitution, provided that a firm Bill of Rights was added to secure individual and state liberties.

Explore related products

Finding Jefferson: A Lost Letter, a Remarkable Discovery, and Freedom of Speech in an Age of Terrorism

$16.72 $25.95

Thomas Jefferson's Presidency (Presidential Powerhouses)

$1.51

Thomas Jefferson Didn't Sign the Constitution: Exposing Myths About the Constitutional Convention (Exposed!)

$26.93

Common Sense (Hourglass Edition): Abridged and Annotated with Definitions and Historical Context

$7.99 $7.99

The Age of Reason and Other Works by Thomas Paine (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics)

$1.99

Prisoners of the Bashaw: The Nineteen-Month Captivity of American Sailors in Tripoli, 1803–1805

$28.45 $34.95

Jefferson's Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom was included in the Constitution

Thomas Jefferson, born in 1743, was 33 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He was also involved in the drafting of the Constitution, assisting with it for nearly three years.

The statute affirmed the rights of Virginians to choose their faith without coercion and separated church and state. It was influenced by Enlightenment principles and religious freedom, with Jefferson referring to "the holy author of our religion" rather than specifying a particular religion. The bill stated that no one should be compelled to attend or support any religious worship or place and that all men should be free to profess and argue for their opinions in matters of religion without affecting their civil capacities. It also acknowledged the right of future assemblies to change the law, considering it an "infringement of natural right".

The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom had a significant impact on the drafting of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. Supreme Court's understanding of religious freedom. It became a benchmark for religious liberty, influencing legal decisions and shaping the protection against governmental intrusion on religious liberty in the First Amendment.

Jefferson's ultimate acceptance of the Constitution was conditional on a firm Bill of Rights

Thomas Jefferson was 33 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He was the principal drafter of the Declaration, which is considered one of the most significant and influential written documents in world history.

Jefferson played a crucial role in shaping the nation's capital and defining the powers of the Constitution and the emerging republic through his various public offices. He strongly believed in limiting the powers of the federal government and protecting the liberties of citizens. In a letter to James Madison in 1787, Jefferson objected to key parts of the new Federal Constitution, including the absence of a bill of rights.

Jefferson's ultimate acceptance of the Constitution was indeed conditional on a firm Bill of Rights. He wanted the new Constitution to be accompanied by a written "bill of rights" to guarantee personal liberties, such as freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom from standing armies, trial by jury, and habeas corpus. He recognized that a stronger federal government would make the country more secure economically and militarily, but he feared that a strong central government might become too powerful and restrict citizens' rights.

Jefferson's correspondence with James Madison, the principal architect of the Constitution, helped convince Madison to introduce a bill of rights into the First Congress. After ratification by the requisite number of states, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, went into effect in 1791. This was a significant step in ensuring that the federal government respected the fundamental liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

In addition to his work on the Declaration of Independence and his support for a Bill of Rights, Jefferson also assisted with the Constitution for nearly three years. He was especially proud of his Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, which, unfortunately, failed to pass. However, this bill, along with his legislation to disestablish the Anglican Church, was later revived by James Madison.

Frequently asked questions