Malcolm Rivera
The US Constitution was penned by hand by Jacob Shallus, a clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and there was never a font set created for it. However, the distinctive calligraphy of the document has inspired several typefaces, such as 'We The People Font' and '1791 Constitution Regular'. These fonts mimic the style of the original document, including the elegant swagger of the wavy t, h and l, and the simpler Schwabacher-style W.
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was handwritten, not typed
The US Constitution was handwritten by Jacob Shallus, the Assistant Clerk to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Shallus inscribed the document on four pieces of parchment made from animal skin, using iron gall ink and a quill, likely from a goose. The font used is called "Roundhand", which is known for its quintessential line variance. This style of handwriting is challenging to replicate with most contemporary non-flexible writing instruments.
The document's calligraphic headings, such as "We the People" and "Article", may have been written by Shallus's 14-year-old trainee son, Francis. This theory is supported by the inconsistent structure of certain letters and the unconventional backslant of the headings. The elegant swagger of the wavy t, h, and l, which also extend to the b, f, and k, is particularly noteworthy.
The "We the People" font has been digitised and is available for use. It includes some Alternates, such as a Bickham-style W and the letters t, h, and n with added flourishes. The original, backslanted version is free for personal use and can be freely used by students, teachers, and educational institutions.
While the US Constitution was handwritten, the "We the People" font is now accessible for anyone to use with OpenType-aware applications, providing an opportunity to emulate the style of this historic document.
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Jacob Shallus wrote the original copy
The US Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the country's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the president and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III).
The original copy of the US Constitution was written by Jacob Shallus, a clerk for the Constitutional Convention and Pennsylvania General Assembly. Shallus was chosen for his "fine penmanship," and he is believed to have written the entire document in just a few days. The font used in the original copy is believed to be a form of calligraphy, with elegant flourishes on certain letters. The calligraphic headings, such as "We the People" and "Article," may have been inserted by Shallus' 14-year-old trainee son, Francis. The unconventional backslant of these headings and inconsistencies in the structure of certain letters suggest the work of a novice.
The original document, written on parchment, consists of four pages and is on permanent display at the National Archives. It has undergone several amendments since its adoption in 1787, with the focus of each article remaining largely the same. Amendments 1-10 constitute what is known as the Bill of Rights. The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article Five, which allows for two methods of proposing and ratifying amendments.
The US Constitution has been described as a colossal merger, uniting states with diverse interests, laws, and cultures under a single national government. It has been praised by Thomas Jefferson, who called the Federalist Papers, a series of essays defending the Constitution, the "best commentary on the principles of government ever written." The document has also faced opposition, with anti-Federalist rioters in Carlisle burning a copy of the Constitution in effigy in 1787.
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Shallus' 14-year-old trainee son, Francis, may have written the headings
The US Constitution was penned by Jacob Shallus, who was the engrosser or penman of the original copy. Shallus's name does not appear on the document, and his identity was only revealed in 1937 during the 150th-anniversary celebrations of the Constitution. Shallus was the son of German immigrants and served as Assistant Clerk to the Pennsylvania General Assembly during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
It is believed that Shallus's 14-year-old trainee son, Francis, may have written the calligraphic headings of the document. The unconventional backslant of the headings and the inconsistent structure of the letter "n" at the end of the document suggest that these elements were written by a novice hand. Francis Shallus, born in 1774, later became an engraver and apprenticed under Robert Scot, the first Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint.
The distinctive style of the "We the People" font, with its elegant wavy t, h, and l, and simpler Schwabacher-style W, has been digitised and is available for use by students, teachers, and educational institutions. The font includes some alternates, such as a Bickham-style W, ornamental flourishes, and two additional fonts with a vertical aspect for graphic design layouts.
The original, backslanted "We the People" font is also available for free personal use and can be downloaded from various font websites. While there is no official "US Constitution" font, several suggested fonts have been put forward by font enthusiasts, including 1791 Constitution Regular by GLC Foundry and Declaration by P22.
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The font We The People is available for personal use
The font used in the US Constitution is called "We The People". This distinctive font is available for free personal use and can be downloaded from DaFont.com. It is suitable for students, teachers, and educational institutions.
The "We The People" font has a unique style, with a backslant and elegant swagger to the wavy t, h, and l, which is also extended to the b, f, and k. There are also two upright variations: "We The People Upright" and "We The People Upright Bold", which retain the distinctive style but with a heavier weight.
The font includes some alternates, such as a Bickham-style W, and the letters t, h, and n with added flourishes. There are also two simpler forms of the letter A, and some Roman numerals for numbering articles. The punctuation marks are drawn in a square, calligraphic style, but an alternative round period/full stop is available for use with currency and numerals.
When a font is designated as "for personal use only", it means that the purchaser has the right to use the font for their own needs, but not for business or profit. It does not refer to how or where the font is printed, but rather how the files are controlled.
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Fonts exist that mimic the US Constitution's calligraphy
The US Constitution was penned by hand and was not created using any font. However, fonts do exist that mimic the calligraphy of the US Constitution. One such font is "We The People", which is available for free for personal use and can be used freely by students and teachers at academic institutions. The font includes some alternates, such as a Bickham-style W, the letters t, h, and n with added flourishes, two simpler forms of the letter A, and some ornamental flourishes. The "We The People Upright" and "We The People Upright Bold" variants retain the distinctive style, with a heavier weight that adds a bit of punch.
Another font that is similar to the lettering in the US Constitution is "Declaration Pro" by P22 Type Foundry, which is derived from the calligraphy in the Declaration of Independence. Additionally, there are fonts similar to the 1791 Constitution available for purchase, such as the 1809 Homer GLC Foundry, Austin Pen Three Islands Press, Whitechapel Blambot, and 1634 Rene Descartes GLC Foundry.
It is worth noting that the calligraphy of the US Constitution may have been the work of Jacob Shallus, a clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, or possibly his 14-year-old trainee son, Francis. The unique backslant of the headings and the inconsistent structure of certain letters suggest that multiple people may have been involved in the writing process.
While the US Constitution was not created using a font, the availability of similar fonts today allows designers and enthusiasts to replicate the distinctive calligraphy style in their own work.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was written by hand and no font was used in its creation. However, you can now find fonts designed to mimic the writing on the document, such as 'We The People Font'.
Jacob Shallus, a clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, penned the original copy of the US Constitution.
Fonts similar to the one used in the US Constitution include 1791 Constitution Regular, Austin Pen Three Islands Press, and Pushkin ParaType.
