Malcolm Rivera
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing of the Constitution occurred during the Constitutional Convention, which had convened on May 25, 1787, with the aim of amending the Articles of Confederation. However, the Convention ultimately resulted in the creation of a new form of government, outlined in a four-page document signed by 39 delegates representing 12 states. The Constitution established the federal government of the United States and delineated the functions of its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 17th of September, 1787 |
| Location | Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Number of Signatures | 39 |
| Number of Delegates Present | 41 or 42 |
| Number of Delegates Who Refused to Sign | 3 |
| Number of States Represented | 12 |
| Number of States Needed to Ratify | 9 |
| First State to Ratify | Delaware |
| Date of Ratification by Ninth State | 21st of June, 1788 |
| Date Submitted to Congress | Within three days of signing |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
The document was signed by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states (all but Rhode Island, which declined to send delegates). The signatures were gathered during the convention's final session, and the endorsement included a brief declaration that the delegates' work had been completed and that those who signed it subscribed to the final document. The convention's secretary, William Jackson, added a note to verify four amendments made by hand to the final document, and signed it to authenticate its validity.
The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of a four-month-long convention that began on May 25, 1787. The convention was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, but it became clear by mid-June that the delegates would instead be drafting an entirely new form of government. The final draft of the Constitution was presented to the convention on September 12 and contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement.
The Constitution was not immediately put into effect after it was signed. It needed to be ratified by nine of the 13 existing states, per Article VII of the document. The first state to ratify was Delaware on December 7, 1787, and New Hampshire became the ninth and final state needed to ratify on June 21, 1788.
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39 delegates signed the document
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This four-page document established the government of the United States and was signed by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states (all but Rhode Island, which declined to send delegates). The 39 signatories endorsed the Constitution, which was created during the four-month-long convention. The endorsement included a brief declaration stating that the delegates' work had been successfully completed and that those whose signatures appear on it agreed to the final document.
The 39 delegates whose names are inscribed upon the proposed constitution include John Dickinson, who, due to illness, authorised George Read to sign on his behalf. The convention's secretary, William Jackson, also signed the document to authenticate some corrections. The signatures of the 39 framers are included in the Constitution's closing endorsement, which serves as an authentication function. It neither assigns powers to the federal government nor provides specific limitations on government action.
The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of a four-month-long convention that began on May 25, 1787, with representatives from all 13 states gathering in Philadelphia to participate. The initial purpose of the convention was to amend the Articles of Confederation, but it ultimately resulted in the proposal and creation of a completely new form of government. The convention was conducted under an oath of secrecy, and the final document was a series of compromises that left several delegates disappointed. Some left before the signing ceremony, and three of the remaining delegates refused to sign.
The Constitution was not immediately effective upon signing and required ratification by the people. It was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City within three days of its signing. New Hampshire became the ninth and final state needed to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788. The Confederation Congress established March 4, 1789, as the date to begin operating under the new government.
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The signing took place at Independence Hall, Philadelphia
The signing of the United States Constitution took place at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, on September 17, 1787. Independence Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of the US National Park Service's Independence National Historical Park. The building is open to the public for visits and tours.
The Federal Convention convened in the State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, with the initial purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. However, the delegates ultimately drafted a new frame of government, which became the US Constitution. The final draft of the Constitution was presented to the convention on September 12, 1787, and it was signed during the convention's final session five days later.
Independence Hall has been the site of several other significant events in US history. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved in what is now Independence Hall. The Declaration was read aloud to the public in the area now known as Independence Square. The Congress continued to meet in the Pennsylvania State House until December 12, 1776, when the British occupation of Philadelphia forced them to evacuate the city. The Second Continental Congress met in Independence Hall again for its final meetings from July 2, 1778, to March 1, 1781.
In 1915, former US President William Howard Taft presided over a convention at Independence Hall, which led to the formation of the League of Nations in 1920 and the United Nations in 1945. Independence Hall is also home to the Liberty Bell, an international symbol of civil rights. The bell was housed in the building from the 1850s until 1976 and is now on display across the street in the Liberty Bell Center.
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The document was drafted in secret during the summer of 1787
The United States Constitution was drafted in secret during the summer of 1787. The Federal Convention convened in the State House (now known as Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, with the initial purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. However, it soon became clear that the convention would instead draft an entirely new form of government. The delegates to the convention, representing 12 states (all but Rhode Island, which declined to send delegates), worked on the document for four months.
The final draft of the Constitution, presented to the convention on September 12, 1787, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. The document was engrossed by Jacob Shallus and taken up at the convention's final session on September 17, 1787. On this day, 39 of the 42 delegates present endorsed the Constitution, with three refusing to sign. The signing took place in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall—the same place the Declaration of Independence was signed.
The signing of the Constitution was conducted under an oath of secrecy. The public first saw the Constitution when it was published in a newspaper, The Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser, on September 19, 1787—two days after it was signed. The original signed, handwritten Constitution is now housed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
The Constitution includes four sections: an introductory paragraph titled "Preamble," a list of seven articles that define the government's framework, an untitled closing endorsement with the signatures of the framers, and 27 amendments that have been adopted under Article V. The Preamble lays out the purposes of the new government, beginning with the words, "We the People," which represented a new idea: that the people, not the states, were the source of the government's legitimacy.
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The Constitution was ratified by the states and is the supreme law of the land
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 of the 55 delegates present at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The Constitution was then submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City within three days of its signing.
The document was ratified by the states as per Article VII, which stated that the Constitution would not be binding until ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth and final state needed to ratify the Constitution, making it the supreme law of the land.
The process of ratification was not without its challenges, as some states voiced opposition to the Constitution due to the lack of protection for certain rights, including freedom of speech, religion, and press. This was addressed through the Massachusetts Compromise, which resulted in the proposal of amendments that would become the Bill of Rights.
The Constitution, as the supreme law of the land, established the government of the United States and outlined its framework. It also defined the relationship between the states, requiring them to give "full faith and credit" to each other's laws, records, contracts, and judicial proceedings. The Constitution has been amended 27 times since its ratification to address the needs of a growing and evolving nation.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787.
39 delegates signed the US Constitution, including Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton.
The US Constitution was signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
