Simone Lawson
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing of the United States Constitution marked the conclusion of the four-month-long Constitutional Convention, which began on May 25, 1787, with the goal of amending the Articles of Confederation. However, the convention ultimately resulted in the proposal and creation of a new form of government, outlined in a four-page document signed by 39 delegates, representing 12 states. Benjamin Franklin, in his final great speech, made a powerful argument for the new Constitution, and the document was then signed by the delegates as individual witnesses of the unanimous consent of the states present.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 17 September 1787 |
| Location | Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Number of Signatures | 39 |
| Number of Delegates Present | 41 |
| Number of States Represented | 12 |
| Number of States Absent | 1 |
| State Absent | Rhode Island |
| Age of Youngest Signer | 26 (Jonathan Dayton) |
| Age of Oldest Signer | 81 (Benjamin Franklin) |
| Date of Ratification | 1788 |
| Date of Implementation | 4 March 1789 |
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What You'll Learn
The date: 17 September 1787
The United States Constitution, written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, is the world's longest surviving written charter of government. The date of its signing, 17 September 1787, is considered a significant event in the history of the United States.
The signing of the Constitution took place at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, marking the conclusion of the four-month-long Constitutional Convention. The convention was attended by 55 delegates, representing 12 states, with Rhode Island being the only state that did not send any delegates. Of the 55 attendees, 39 delegates endorsed the Constitution by signing the document. The signatories included individuals with experience in local, colonial, and state governments, many of whom had also participated in the American Revolution.
The signing of the Constitution was a crucial step in establishing a new form of government for the newly formed nation. The document outlines the framework of the nation's federal government and delineates the functions of its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The Constitution also introduced a system of checks and balances to limit the powers of each branch.
The closing endorsement of the Constitution, which includes the signatures, serves as an authentication of the document's validity. It records who signed the Constitution, when, and where. Additionally, it describes the role played by the signers in developing the document. The signing of the Constitution laid the foundation for the enduring principles of governance that continue to shape the United States today.
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39 delegates signed
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing of the Constitution occurred at the conclusion of the four-month-long Constitutional Convention, which was convened to amend the Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution. However, the delegates to the Convention ultimately created a new form of government, establishing a powerful central government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
Of the 74 delegates chosen to attend the Constitutional Convention, 55 participated, representing 12 of the 13 states (all except Rhode Island). Of these 55 delegates, 39 signed the Constitution, including John Dickinson of Delaware, who was absent but authorized George Read to sign on his behalf. The signatories included individuals with experience in local, colonial, and state governments, many of whom had taken part in the American Revolution, with seven having signed the Declaration of Independence and 30 having served on active military duty.
The 39 delegates who signed the Constitution endorsed the document, agreeing to the closing protocol, which included a declaration of the document's adoption by the states present and a formulaic dating of its adoption. The convention's secretary, William Jackson, added a note verifying four amendments made by hand to the final document and signed it to authenticate its validity. The signing of the Constitution marked the beginning of the process of ratification by the states, with Delaware being the first state to ratify on December 7, 1787.
The United States Constitution is the world's longest-surviving written charter of government, enduring for over two centuries due to the framers' wise separation and balance of governmental powers. The document's first three words, "We the People," affirm the government's service to its citizens, and it has evolved through amendments to meet the changing needs of the nation. The signing of the Constitution is commemorated annually on Constitution Day, established by Congress in 1956 to promote a better understanding of this foundational document.
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The location: Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The location of the signing of the United States Constitution was the Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The building was also the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence eleven years earlier.
The Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia, with representatives from 12 of the 13 states (all except Rhode Island) gathering in the city on May 25, 1787. The delegates were tasked with amending the Articles of Confederation, but ultimately proposed a new form of government.
The Independence Hall in Philadelphia was where, after three months of debate, the delegates to the convention endorsed the Constitution on September 17, 1787. Of the 74 delegates chosen, 55 attended the convention, and 39 signed the Constitution. The signatories included seven who had also signed the Declaration of Independence, and 30 who had served on active military duty.
The signing of the Constitution was an extraordinary achievement, as the delegates crafted a powerful central government while representing a wide range of interests and views. The document was a compromise that balanced centralized power with loyalty to the states. It laid out a framework for the nation's federal government and delineated the functions of its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
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The convention's secretary: William Jackson
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing was preceded by a four-month-long convention, during which the Constitution was drafted. The document was endorsed by 39 delegates, representing 12 states (all except Rhode Island).
The secretary of this convention was William Jackson, a military officer during the War for American Independence. Jackson was born in 1759 in Cumberland, England, to an English father and a Scottish mother. Orphaned at a young age, he was sent to live in South Carolina under the guardianship of Owen Roberts, a respected merchant and veteran. Jackson joined the Continental Army at 16 and fought in the Revolutionary War's Southern Department. He served as a secretary to Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who was in command of the Southern Theater.
Jackson's abilities were noticed, and he was chosen as secretary for the Constitutional Convention on May 25, 1787. He was nominated by Alexander Hamilton and approved by the delegates, despite some surprise that he was selected over Benjamin Franklin's grandson, William Temple Franklin. Jackson's role as secretary included taking notes, a task that he did not perform extensively, and his notes from the convention lack substance and detail, to the disappointment of historians.
After the Constitution was signed, Jackson was tasked with carrying the document to New York City, where he presented it to the Continental Congress. He also added a note to verify four amendments made by hand to the final document and signed it to authenticate its validity. Jackson went on to serve as George Washington's personal secretary during his first two years as President.
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The first state to ratify: Delaware
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing of the document was the culmination of a four-month-long convention, with 39 delegates from 12 states endorsing the Constitution.
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, earning it the nickname "The First State". The ratification was a unanimous decision, with all 30 delegates to the Delaware Constitutional Convention approving the document. This was a significant moment in the formation of the United States, as Delaware took the lead in approving the new governing document that replaced the Articles of Confederation.
The Delaware Ratifying Convention met just a few days earlier, on December 3, 1787, and quickly moved to ratify the Constitution. This swift action by Delaware set the ball rolling for the rest of the states to follow suit. It's worth noting that Delaware was a small state in terms of both area and population, yet it played a pivotal role in the nation-building process.
The Constitution was sent to the states for ratification, and it would become binding once nine of the former 13 colonies had ratified it. This threshold was achieved on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, solidifying federal democracy as the law of the land. The new government under the U.S. Constitution officially began on March 4, 1789, marking a significant shift in the country's governance.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787.
The US Constitution was signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
39 delegates signed the US Constitution. However, there were 41 delegates present at the signing, and 55 delegates participated in the convention.
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