Eleanor Finch
The United States Constitution, the supreme law of the land, was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing of the four-page document by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states, established the government of the United States. The Constitution lays out the framework of the nation's federal government and delineates how its three branches—the legislative, executive, and judicial—are to function. It is the oldest national constitution in the world and has been an inspiration that changed the trajectory of world history.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | September 17, 1787 |
| Location | Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, Philadelphia |
| Number of signatures | 39 |
| Number of signatories | 38 |
| Age of youngest signatory | 26 (Jonathan Dayton) |
| Age of oldest signatory | 81 (Benjamin Franklin) |
| Number of states represented | 12 |
| Number of states not represented | 1 (Rhode Island) |
| Number of delegates who refused to sign | 3 |
| Name of convention secretary | William Jackson |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
The Constitutional Convention started in May 1787 in Pennsylvania's State House, now known as Independence Hall. The convention was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had established a weak central government. However, it became clear by mid-June that the convention would instead draft an entirely new form of government. During four months of deliberations, the delegates, including some of the greatest minds of the day, such as James Madison, James Wilson, and Alexander Hamilton, drew up a plan for a new republican government.
The final draft of the Constitution, presented to the convention on September 12, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. The document was first read to the group, and then Benjamin Franklin, in his last great speech, made a motion to sign it. Franklin, who was 81 years old and in poor health, was unable to read his speech himself, so he asked James Wilson to read it for him. In his speech, Franklin acknowledged that there were parts of the Constitution that he did not approve of but expressed his hope that a better one could be created. He argued for the new Constitution and made a powerful plea for all the delegates to sign it.
Several delegates were disappointed in the final document, and three refused to sign it. However, the majority of delegates hoped that this practical, workable constitution would meet the immediate needs of the thirteen states and their approximately four million inhabitants. Within three days of its signing, the Constitution was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation, then sitting in New York City, the nation's temporary capital. The Constitution did not go into effect immediately but had to be ratified by the states. It continues to be the supreme law of the land and has played a significant role in American history and the spread of democratic ideals worldwide.
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39 delegates signed the Constitution
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This hall is now the permanent home of the United States Constitution. The signing occurred when 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states (all but Rhode Island, which declined to send delegates), endorsed the Constitution.
The 39 delegates who signed the Constitution were from a group of 55 delegates who participated in the convention. The remaining 16 either dropped out for personal reasons or in protest of decisions made during the convention. Of the 39 who signed, 30 had served on active military duty, and seven had signed the Declaration of Independence. The youngest signer was 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton, and the oldest was 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin.
The convention was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, which established the first national government. However, it became clear that a new frame of government was needed, and so the Constitution was drafted. The delegates who signed the Constitution did so as individual witnesses to what was done in the convention, rather than on behalf of their respective states.
The 39 signatures appear in the Constitution's closing endorsement, which also includes a brief declaration that the delegates' work was successfully completed and that those who signed the document agreed with its final form. The convention's secretary, William Jackson, also signed the document to authenticate some corrections.
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Three delegates refused to sign the Constitution
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing occurred when 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states (all but Rhode Island, which declined to send delegates), endorsed the Constitution. The Federal Convention was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, but it became clear that an entirely new frame of government was required.
The final draft of the Constitution was presented to the convention on September 12, 1787, and several delegates were disappointed by the numerous compromises contained in the document. Despite this, many delegates who did not agree with the final product signed the Constitution, anticipating vigorous debates within their states. However, three delegates refused to sign: Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, George Mason of Virginia, and Randolph. These delegates, dubbed "Anti-Federalists" by their opponents, preferred the decentralised nature of the Articles of Confederation as a check on the power of the central government.
The advocates of the new frame of government sought to obtain unanimous support from the delegations from each state. To achieve this, the formula "Done in convention by the unanimous consent of the states present" was devised and included in the closing endorsement of the Constitution. This intentionally ambiguous language was crafted by Gouverneur Morris to make the Constitution seem unanimous, even though there were dissenting delegates.
The original signed, handwritten Constitution is housed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. It is a four-page document that established the government of the United States and continues to be the supreme law of the land. The signing of the Constitution marked the culmination of the Constitutional Convention, which began on May 25, 1787 and lasted for four months.
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The signing took place at Independence Hall, Philadelphia
The signing of the US 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 and Independence National Historical Park. It is located on 3rd Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is open to the public daily from 9 am to 5 pm, with guided tours available every 20 minutes between 10 am and 4:20 pm. Tickets are required for entry outside of January and February.
The building was constructed in the mid-18th century and was originally known as the Pennsylvania State House. It was here, in the Assembly Room, that the Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4, 1776, and where the Second Continental Congress met for its final sessions from July 2, 1778, to March 1, 1781. The Continental Congress was forced to abandon the building twice, in 1776 and 1777, due to the British occupation of Philadelphia during the American Revolution.
The Federal Convention convened in Independence Hall on May 14, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation. However, it soon became clear that a new framework of government would need to be established. A committee, including Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, was appointed to create a final draft constitution. The final document was signed by 39 framers, with Benjamin Franklin providing an influential endorsement.
The Constitution was not immediately effective upon signing; it needed to be ratified by the states. It was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City, then the nation's temporary capital, within three days of its signing. The original signed copy is held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
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The Constitution was drafted in secret
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 goal of revising the Articles of Confederation. However, it soon became clear that the convention would need to draft an entirely new framework for the government.
The Constitutional Convention was conducted under an oath of secrecy. The delegates, including George Washington, James Madison, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, and Alexander Hamilton, deliberated for four months. They worked to create a new form of republican government to replace the weak central government established by the Articles of Confederation.
During this time, the delegates met in closed-door sessions and kept their discussions confidential. They wanted to ensure that their deliberations would not be influenced by outside pressures or interests. This secrecy allowed them to focus on creating a document that reflected the best interests of the nation as a whole.
The final draft of the Constitution, presented on September 12, 1787, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. On September 17, 1787, the delegates gathered to sign the document, making it the supreme law of the land. The signing took place in a closed meeting room in Independence Hall, Philadelphia.
The Constitution was signed by 39 delegates, representing 12 states. The three dissenters, Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, and Edmund Randolph, refused to sign the document despite the arguments of their fellow delegates. The signatures on the Constitution served as an endorsement of the document and a commitment to the new form of government it established.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787.
The US Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall.
Of the 41 men in the room, 39 signed the US Constitution, with George Read signing for an absent John Dickinson. William Jackson, the group's secretary, also signed the document to attest to its authenticity.
The US Constitution is a four-page document that established the government of the United States. It lays out the framework for the nation's federal government and delineates how its three branches (legislative, executive, and judicial) are to function.
