Founding Fathers: Their Fates After Signing The Constitution

The United States Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention sessions. The delegates represented 12 states and ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin. Two delegates from North Carolina, William Richardson Davie and Alexander Martin, were notably absent from the list of signatories. The Constitution was signed in 1787, and a memorial to the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence was dedicated on July 4, 1984, 208 years later.

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55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention, 39 signed

The Constitutional Convention, which took place in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787, was attended by 55 delegates, all considered Framers of the Constitution. However, only 39 of them signed the final draft of the U.S. Constitution. The states had initially appointed 70 representatives, but 15 appointees did not accept or could not attend. The delegates who crafted the document had diverse backgrounds and experiences. Almost all of them had participated in the Revolution, with many holding positions of command in the Continental forces. A significant number had served in colonial or state government, with several having been state governors.

The delegates who attended the convention but did not sign the Constitution included Edmund J. Randolph, Elbridge Gerry, and George Mason. Randolph and Mason, along with Gerry, were the only three present in Philadelphia at the time who refused to sign. Several other prominent figures, including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock, were also absent from the convention. Jefferson and Adams were serving as ministers in France and Britain, respectively, while others may have been occupied with local affairs in their states.

The 39 delegates who signed the Constitution included Roger Sherman and Robert Morris, the only two delegates to sign all three of the nation's founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution. The signatories ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to the sessions in a sedan chair. The final version of the Constitution was voted on by the delegates, inscribed by Jacob Shallus, and signed on September 17, 1787.

The Constitutional Convention was a significant event in American history, as it led to the creation of a new frame of government rather than a revision of the existing system of federal government under the Articles of Confederation. The completed proposed Constitution was printed in newspapers and copies for review, initiating the debates and ratification process.

Rhode Island didn't send any delegates

The United States Constitution was signed by 56 delegates in 1787. However, Rhode Island was the only state that did not send any delegates to the Constitutional Convention. This decision stemmed from several concerns and resulted in Rhode Island earning the nickname "Rogue Island."

Rhode Island's absence at the Constitutional Convention was influenced by multiple factors. One of the primary issues was the state's opposition to a central government. Rhode Island valued its autonomy and feared that the Constitution would grant too much power to the central government at the expense of the states. The state wanted to retain its independence in decision-making and sought to limit federal authority. Additionally, Rhode Island had a unique economic situation. The state had been issuing its own paper money, known as ""Rhode Island pounds," since 1786. This practice would have been illegal under the new Constitution, which sought to establish a uniform currency for interstate trade. The issue of currency caused division, with merchants advocating for the new Constitution to simplify trade, while farmers and rural residents were less concerned about interstate trade and wished to maintain their existing practices.

Rhode Island's resistance to the Constitution also stemmed from a desire to protect religious freedom. The absence of explicit guarantees for religious liberty in the original document concerned the state, as religious freedom was a core principle for Rhode Island. Furthermore, Rhode Island sought further amendments to the Constitution, including the abolition of the slave trade. The state wanted to ensure that the rights of its people were protected and that the government's powers could be reassumed by the people if necessary.

Despite its initial resistance, Rhode Island eventually ratified the Constitution in 1790. This decision was influenced by threats of secession from neighbouring towns and the fear of reprisals from the other ratifying states. Additionally, the United States Senate passed a bill that would ban all trade with Rhode Island if it did not comply, isolating the small state. Faced with these pressures, Rhode Island capitulated and became the last state to ratify the Constitution, more than a year after it went into effect.

The delegates' ages ranged from 26 to 81

The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 of the 55 delegates who attended the sessions of the Constitutional Convention. The delegates' ages ranged from 26 to 81. Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, was the youngest signer, while Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, was the oldest. Franklin was so infirm that he had to be carried to the sessions in a sedan chair.

The Constitutional Convention was attended by delegates from all the original states except Rhode Island. These states collectively appointed 70 individuals to the convention, but a number of them did not accept or could not attend, including Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock.

The signers of the Constitution, often referred to as the Founding Fathers, were the leaders of the American Revolution and the birth of the United States as a sovereign republic. Many of them were also delegates to the Continental Congress, which was the group of leaders primarily responsible for running the colonial government and leading the resistance to the British during the first two years of the revolution.

The Memorial to the 56 Signers, located in the Constitution Gardens on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., commemorates the 56 signatories of the United States Declaration of Independence, which was approved by Congress on July 4, 1776.

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Two North Carolinian delegates didn't sign

On September 17, 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the US Constitution, which replaced the Articles of Confederation. Of the 56 signers, two North Carolinian delegates, William Blount and Richard Dobbs Spaight Sr., did not immediately sign the document.

Blount was absent for more than a month during the Constitutional Convention because he chose to attend the Continental Congress, where he represented his state. He was relatively silent during the debates and eventually signed the Constitution reluctantly, stating that he did so only to make it "the unanimous act of the States in Convention." Despite his reluctance, Blount favored North Carolina's ratification of the Constitution and hoped to be elected to the first US Senate.

Spaight, on the other hand, actively participated in the Constitutional Convention, speaking on several occasions and attending every session. He then worked in his home state to gain acceptance of the Constitution. Spaight sought the governorship in 1787 and a seat in the US Senate two years later but was unsuccessful in both bids. He retired from public life due to illness until 1792, when he became governor.

The resistance to the Constitution in North Carolina was fueled by fears of losing independence and concerns about the strength of the new government. North Carolinians, particularly those in the western part of the state, had a history of opposing high taxes, corrupt officials appointed by the British governor, and the dominance of wealthy eastern planters. These factors contributed to the state's initial reluctance to ratify the Constitution.

It is worth noting that North Carolina eventually played a crucial role in the ratification process. After witnessing the smooth transition of other states to government under the Constitution and with the promise of a bill of rights, North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the Constitution during the second convention held in Fayetteville in November 1789.

The delegates created a new government

The United States was governed under the Articles of Confederation from 1781 to 1789. However, many believed that the Articles were inadequate as they left the federal government weak and underfunded. Thus, 55 delegates from 12 states met at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787 to discuss improvements to the Articles of Confederation.

The delegates, who ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, ultimately concluded that a new system was needed instead of repairing the current one. They created a new American government, making decisions and compromises on issues such as how to elect a president, how people could be fairly represented in Congress, and how slaves would factor into the population.

Of the 55 delegates who attended the sessions, only 39 actually signed the Constitution. Two delegates from North Carolina, William Richardson Davie and Alexander Martin, were among those who did not sign. Davie, an early governor and founder of the University of North Carolina, favoured a strong central government and voted in favour of the Great Compromise. Martin, a merchant and two-time governor of North Carolina, was the weakest Federalist among his state's delegates and did not take part in the proceedings, leaving the Convention in August.

The delegates' creation of a new government was a significant step in the development of the United States, laying the foundation for the country's political system and addressing the shortcomings of the previous government structure.

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