Omar Bennett
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states, endorsed the Constitution. Rhode Island was the only state that did not sign the Constitution, as it declined to send delegates. The signing of the Constitution occurred after four months of debate, and it was agreed that the document would not be binding until ratified by nine of the 13 existing states.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of delegates chosen | 74 |
| Number of delegates attended | 55 |
| Number of delegates signed | 39 |
| Number of delegates refused to sign | 3 |
| Number of states represented | 12 |
| State not represented | Rhode Island |
| Date of signing | September 17, 1787 |
| Location of signing | Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Date of ratification by Rhode Island | May 29, 1790 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Rhode Island refused to send delegates
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing was attended by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states. Rhode Island was the only state that refused to send delegates.
The convention was presided over by George Washington, who was unanimously elected as president. The delegates who attended the convention endorsed the Constitution, which was created during the four-month-long convention. The endorsement included signatures, a declaration that the delegates' work had been completed, and a statement that those who signed the document subscribed to its final form.
The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of a process that began in June 1774, when the Virginia and Massachusetts assemblies proposed an intercolonial meeting of delegates from the colonies to restore harmony between Great Britain and the American Colonies. This led to the first Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia in September 1774 and consisted of delegates from 12 colonies.
Rhode Island's refusal to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention was not the only instance of resistance to the Constitution. Even after the Constitution was ratified, it faced opposition from some states that believed it did not adequately protect certain rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. It was not until May 29, 1790, that Rhode Island finally approved the document, marking the ratification of the Constitution by all states.
James McHenry: A Constitution Signature
You may want to see also
39 delegates signed the Constitution
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing of the Constitution marked the end of the four-month-long Constitutional Convention, which had begun on May 25, 1787. The Convention was presided over by General George Washington, who was elected unanimously.
Of the 74 delegates chosen to attend the Convention, 55 attended, and 39 signed the Constitution. The signatories included Washington, who signed first, and Benjamin Franklin, who delivered an address strongly endorsing the Constitution. Franklin, aged 81, was the oldest signer, while Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, was the youngest. The signatories also included Robert Morris of Pennsylvania, the "financier" of the Revolution, and James Wilson, a distinguished lawyer from the same state.
The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island, the thirteenth state, finally approved the document.
IRS Constitution Mandate for Nonprofits: Signature Requirements?
You may want to see also
The convention's secretary, William Jackson, signed to authenticate corrections
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the 74 delegates chosen to attend the Constitutional Convention, only 55 attended, and 39 signed. The youngest signer was 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton, and the oldest was 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin.
The convention's secretary, William Jackson, also signed the document. Jackson was born in Cumberland, England, in 1759. He moved to Charleston, South Carolina, as a child, and joined the Continental Army at just 16 years old. During the Revolutionary War, he served in the Southern Department and was eventually chosen as the secretary to Major General Benjamin Lincoln. After the war, Jackson returned to the United States and studied law. He applied for the post of secretary to the Philadelphia Convention and was nominated by Alexander Hamilton. Despite his lack of experience, the delegates chose him over Benjamin Franklin's grandson, William Temple Franklin, who had served as his grandfather's secretary during the Treaty of Paris negotiations.
As the convention secretary, Jackson was responsible for maintaining the secrecy of the proceedings, keeping official minutes, and destroying records. He signed the Constitution to authenticate four corrections that had been made to the document. He was the 40th signer of the Constitution and was then tasked with carrying the document to New York City to read the outline of the new government to the Continental Congress.
After the Constitutional Convention, Jackson went on to serve as George Washington's personal secretary during his first two years as President. He also started a Federalist newspaper, the Political and Commercial Register, in Philadelphia, and edited it until 1815. Jackson died in 1828 and was interred in Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia.
The Constitution's Signing Date: A Historical Perspective
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![Constitution of the Rhode Island historical society 1871 [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61IX47b4r9L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer at 81
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing ceremony concluded a four-month-long convention that had been convened to draft the Constitution. The document was signed by 39 delegates, representing 12 of the 13 states, with Rhode Island being the only state that did not send a delegate.
Benjamin Franklin, at 81, was the oldest signer of the Constitution. Franklin, despite being crippled by gout, played an important role in the lead-up to the signing of the Constitution. On the final day of the Constitutional Convention, he delivered an address endorsing the Constitution, despite its perceived imperfections. Franklin's address, read by James Wilson, helped create a sense of common accord and encouraged the delegates to sign the document as individual witnesses of the unanimous consent of the states present.
Franklin summed up the sentiments of those who signed the Constitution, acknowledging that while there were parts of the document he did not approve of, he accepted it because he "expected no better" and believed "it might be the best". Franklin's signature, along with those of the other delegates, served as an essential authentication of the Constitution's validity.
Franklin was a man of many talents and pursuits, including printing, storekeeping, publishing, science, public service, philosophy, and diplomacy. He was also known for his wit, as exemplified by his famous exchange with John Hancock regarding the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Franklin's contributions to the formation of the United States are significant, and his role in the signing of the Constitution underscores his commitment to the nation's founding principles.
The US Constitution Signatories: A Historical Overview
You may want to see also
The first state to ratify was Delaware
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the 13 colonies, 12 were represented at the signing, with Rhode Island refusing to send delegates. The document was signed by 39 delegates, with George Washington signing first.
The Constitution required ratification by nine of the 13 existing states. The first state to ratify was Delaware on December 7, 1787. This was followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. By January 9, 1788, these five states, along with Delaware, had approved the Constitution.
The eventual outcome remained uncertain in pivotal states such as Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. However, Massachusetts eventually ratified the Constitution on February 6, 1788, with the recommendation of a bill of rights.
The remaining states gradually ratified the Constitution, with North Carolina doing so on November 21, 1789. The last state to ratify the Constitution was Rhode Island on May 29, 1790.
Who Didn't Sign the Constitution and Why?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Rhode Island did not sign the US Constitution.
No, three of the 42 delegates who remained refused to sign the Constitution.
Rhode Island ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790.
