The Constitution Writers: Their Ages And Insights

The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, established the United States of America, and crafted a framework of government for the new nation. The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States. The average age of the Founding Fathers was 43, with Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706, being the oldest at 81. The youngest was Jonathan Dayton, aged 26.

Explore related products

The Constitution of the United States of America: The Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights

$9.99 $9.99

What Is the Constitution? (What Was?)

$3.89 $5.99

Constitution of the United States (Books of American Wisdom)

$9.25 $9.95

The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence: The Constitution of the United States of America

$9.99 $9.99

The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth

$27.99 $25.19

We the People: The Story of Our Constitution

$9.49 $9.99

The average age of the delegates was 42

The writers of the US Constitution, also known as the Founding Fathers, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, and established the United States of America. The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the US Constitution.

The average age of the Founding Fathers was 42, with four of the most influential delegates—Alexander Hamilton, Edmund Randolph, Gouvernor Morris, and James Madison—being in their thirties. The delegates' ages ranged from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair.

The Founding Fathers were a diverse group in terms of their ages and backgrounds. Nearly half were lawyers, while the remainder were primarily businessmen and planter-farmers. Some were experienced in national and state-level politics, while others were young and energetic. Benjamin Franklin, for example, was a successful printer and publisher, as well as an accomplished scientist and inventor. He retired at age 42 to focus on scientific pursuits and then politics and diplomacy. George Washington, on the other hand, was a Virginia planter and a land surveyor before becoming a colonel in the Virginia Regiment. He went on to become the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and the first president of the United States.

The Constitutional Convention in 1787 brought together 55 delegates from the original states, except Rhode Island. Of these delegates, 39 actually signed the Constitution. The diversity of the Founding Fathers' ages and experiences contributed to the richness and robustness of the US Constitution, which has endured and evolved over the years.

The youngest signer was 26

The writers of the US Constitution, also known as the Founding Fathers, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, and established the United States of America. The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the US Constitution.

The average age of the Founding Fathers was 43, with Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706, being the oldest at 81. Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, was the youngest signer of the Constitution. Dayton was a junior delegate who occasionally spoke and debated at the convention. He actively supported the efforts of the more respected Paterson and Livingston.

The Constitutional Convention in 1787 was remarkable in that the delegates were both young and experienced. The average age of the 55 delegates was 42, with four of the most influential delegates—Alexander Hamilton, Edmund Randolph, Gouvernor Morris, and James Madison—being in their thirties. Over half of the delegates were college graduates, with nine from Princeton and six from British universities.

The Founding Fathers had extensive political experience at the national and state levels. They were primarily lawyers, businessmen, and planter-farmers. Some were also physicians, like Josiah Bartlett, Lyman Hall, and Benjamin Rush, while John Witherspoon was the only minister.

Benjamin Franklin was the oldest at 81

The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who crafted a framework of government for the new nation. The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States. Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706, was the oldest of the Founding Fathers at 81 when the Constitution was signed.

Benjamin Franklin was a successful printer, publisher, scientist, and inventor in Philadelphia. He retired at age 42 to focus on scientific pursuits, politics, and diplomacy. He served as a member of the Continental Congress, first postmaster general, minister to Great Britain, France, and Sweden, and governor of Pennsylvania. Franklin was also a member of the Committee of Five, which was charged with drafting the Declaration of Independence. He, along with John Adams and John Jay, negotiated the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which established American independence and ended the American Revolutionary War.

The Constitutional Convention in 1787 was attended by 55 delegates, with only 39 signing the Constitution. The average age of the delegates was 42, with the youngest signer of the Constitution, Jonathan Dayton, being 26. Benjamin Franklin, at 81, was so infirm that he had to be carried to the sessions in a sedan chair.

The Founding Fathers had extensive political experience at the national and state levels. They were also well-educated, with over half of the delegates having graduated from college, including nine from Princeton and six from British universities. The Founding Fathers came from diverse professional backgrounds, with nearly half being lawyers, while the remainder were primarily businessmen and planter-farmers.

Explore related products

The Making of America: The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution

$20.33 $29.95

What Is the Declaration of Independence? (What Was?)

$3.99 $5.99

Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto

$1.99 $16.99

It's the Law! The U.S. Constitution from A to Z

$18.24

A Discourse on the English Constitution, Extracted from a Late Eminent Writer, and Applicable to the Present Times 1776 Leather Bound

$19.95

Common Sense

$3.95 $14.95

Four influential delegates were in their 30s

The writers of the US Constitution, also known as the Founding Fathers, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, and established the United States of America. The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States. The average age of the Founding Fathers was 43, with Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706, being the oldest at 81.

The Constitutional Convention in 1787 saw 55 delegates in attendance, with an average age of 42. Four influential delegates—Alexander Hamilton, Edmund Randolph, Gouvernor Morris, and James Madison—were in their thirties. Hamilton, for instance, was 21 when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Rufus King, who graduated from Harvard and served as an aide to a General during the American Revolution, represented Massachusetts at the Continental Congress from 1784 to 1786. In 1787, at the age of 32, he was sent to the Constitutional Convention. William Blount, who dedicated his life to public office, also served as a delegate to the convention at the age of 38.

The Founding Fathers were 18th-century leaders

The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, established the United States of America, and crafted a framework of government for the new nation. The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States. The single person most identified as the ""Father" of the United States is George Washington, a general in the American Revolution and the nation's first president.

The Founding Fathers were not only writers and thinkers but also military personnel who fought in the American Revolutionary War. They were also involved in other professions, with nearly half being lawyers, and the remainder primarily businessmen and planter-farmers. Ten of the Founding Fathers were physicians, and one, John Witherspoon, was a minister.

The average age of the Founding Fathers was 43, with some being older, like Thomas Jefferson, who was 33, John Hancock, who was 39, or Benjamin Franklin, who was 70. Others were surprisingly young, even teenagers, like James Monroe, who was 18, and Alexander Hamilton, who was 21. The youngest signer of the Constitution was Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, and the oldest was Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, who had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair due to his infirmity.

The Constitutional Convention, which played a crucial role in shaping the nation's government, also had delegates ranging in age. The average age of the delegates was 42, and some of the most influential delegates, including Alexander Hamilton, Edmund Randolph, Gouvernor Morris, and James Madison, were in their thirties. The delegates came from diverse educational backgrounds, with over half being college graduates, including nine from Princeton and six from British universities.

Frequently asked questions