Omar Bennett
The Founding Fathers of the United States drafted the Constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787. The Constitutional Convention, which met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was attended by 55 delegates, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and others. These Founding Fathers represented a cross-section of 18th-century American leadership and were prominent leaders in their respective states. The Constitution was the result of their efforts to revise the existing Articles of Confederation, which had given the Confederation Congress limited powers and had failed to address issues such as taxation and commerce. The Founding Fathers, through the Constitution, laid the framework for a powerful central government and established the terms for its ratification, setting in motion a process that allowed future generations to revise and improve upon their work.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of delegates appointed to the Constitutional Convention | 70 |
| Number of delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention | 55 |
| Number of delegates who signed the Constitution | 39 |
| Age range of delegates | 26-81 |
| Date of the Constitutional Convention | May 14, 1787 – September 17, 1787 |
| Location of the Constitutional Convention | Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia |
| People who influenced the ideas in the Constitution | John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Montesquieu, Blackstone, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams |
| People who influenced the writing of the Constitution | Gouverneur Morris, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, George Washington |
| People who signed the Constitution | George Reed, John Dickinson, George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and others |
| Titles | Founding Fathers, Fathers, Founders |
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What You'll Learn
The Founding Fathers
The term "Founding Fathers" was first used by John Quincy Adams in 1825 during his inaugural address, where he referred to the U.S. Constitution as "the work of our forefathers" and expressed his gratitude to the "founders of the Union".
In response, the Founding Fathers created the U.S. Constitution, which included an introductory paragraph titled "Preamble", a list of seven Articles that define the government's framework, an untitled closing endorsement with the signatures of 39 framers, and 27 amendments that have been adopted under Article V. The Constitution was drafted and signed in Philadelphia in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall.
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The Constitutional Convention
The Convention was attended by 55 delegates, with 39 signing the Constitution. The delegates represented a wide range of interests and views, and their ages ranged from 26 to 81. Notable figures among the delegates included George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin. Madison, who played a pivotal role in setting the convention's agenda, believed that a strong central government was necessary to address the country's problems.
While the Convention's original purpose was to revise the Articles of Confederation, the delegates ultimately decided to create a new system of government. They debated various proposals, such as Madison's Virginia Plan and William Paterson's New Jersey Plan, with the Virginia Plan forming the basis of the new government. The delegates grappled with contentious issues, including the role of the executive, congressional representation, and slavery. They compromised by creating a federal government with three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial, establishing a balance of powers.
The Constitution that emerged from the Convention established a federal government with more specific powers, including the authority to conduct foreign relations. It introduced a system of checks and balances, dividing federal authority among the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. The Constitution was ratified in 1789, becoming the foundation of the United States Government and one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
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The Articles of Confederation
The people who created the Constitution of the United States are often referred to as the Founding Fathers or Framers. 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention sessions, but only 39 signed the Constitution.
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The ratification process
The US Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, after a contentious Constitutional Convention and a months-long ratification process. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 or 39 of the Constitutional Convention's 41 or 55 delegates, depending on the source. It was then sent to the states for debate and ratification votes.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were familiar with the challenges of achieving unanimous ratification. They bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. Instead, they called for special ratifying conventions in each state.
The Convention also decided to substitute state conventions instead of state legislatures as the bodies to consider ratification. A proposal to allow each of the states to decide their own method of ratification was rejected.
Ratification by nine of the 13 states was required to enact the new government. Between December 7, 1787, and June 21, 1788, the nine required states ratified the Constitution, making it the official framework for the government of the United States of America. All 13 states eventually ratified the US Constitution by May 29, 1790.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and, finally, New Hampshire.
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The 'We, the People' phrase
The US Constitution was drafted in 1787 by 55 delegates from 12 of the 13 original states (Rhode Island did not send any delegates). These delegates are often referred to as the Founding Fathers of the United States.
The document was signed by 39 of the delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, who was absent. The Constitution was created during the Philadelphia Convention, now known as the Constitutional Convention, which convened from May 25 to September 17, 1787.
The opening words of the Constitution, "We the People", represented a new thought: the idea that the people, not the states, were the source of the government's legitimacy. The phrase was coined by Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania, who chaired the convention's Committee of Style. Morris improved on the original draft, which followed "We the People" with a list of the 13 states. Instead, he substituted "of the United States" and then listed the Constitution's six goals, none of which were mentioned in the original draft.
The phrase "We the People" reflected the belief that the Constitution was created by and for the people of the United States. It emphasised the idea that the government derived its power from the consent and sovereignty of the governed, rather than from the individual states or any other external entity. This concept was a significant departure from traditional forms of governance, where power was often vested in monarchies or centralised authorities.
The phrase also highlighted the democratic nature of the Constitution, suggesting that the document was intended to protect the rights and freedoms of the people. This interpretation is supported by Article XI of the Constitution, which states that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution shall not be construed to deny or disparage other rights retained by the people. Furthermore, Article XII reinforces the idea that powers not explicitly delegated to the federal government are reserved for the states or the people themselves.
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Frequently asked questions
The people who created the US Constitution are referred to as the Founding Fathers of the United States. The 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention are also referred to as framers.
Some of the Founding Fathers are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin.
The Founding Fathers were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating a new one. James Madison is known as the "Father of the Constitution" due to his great contributions to the formation of the new government. Gouverneur Morris wrote the Constitution's final language.
