Simone Lawson
The Founding Fathers of the United States include those who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. The Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 1787, at the Constitutional Convention, which was held in the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. Of the 41 men in attendance, 39 signed the document, with George Read signing on behalf of John Dickinson, who was absent. The Founding Fathers who signed the Constitution included George Washington, James Madison, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, and Benjamin Franklin.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Philadelphia |
| Date | May to September 1787 |
| Number of Delegates | 55 |
| Number of Signatories | 39 |
| Age of Youngest Delegate | 26 (Jonathan Dayton) |
| Age of Oldest Delegate | 81 (Benjamin Franklin) |
| Meeting Place | Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) |
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What You'll Learn
- The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787
- delegates attended the convention, but only 39 signed the Constitution
- George Washington was unanimously elected president of the convention
- The delegates created a powerful central government, replacing a weak central government
- The Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, concluding the convention
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787
The convention was held in the Pennsylvania State House, later named Independence Hall. The building witnessed intense debates and the careful crafting of a document that would shape the future of the nation. The delegates represented a range of interests and views, and among them were prominent figures who would be remembered as the Founding Fathers of the United States.
The Founding Fathers included individuals with extensive political experience, such as John Adams, who had served in the Continental Congress and played a significant role in the early stages of the American Revolution. Benjamin Franklin, another Founding Father present at the convention, brought his scientific and diplomatic expertise to the proceedings. At 81 years of age, Franklin was the oldest delegate and played a crucial role in making the final motion to sign the document.
The Constitutional Convention addressed concerns about the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which had given the Confederation Congress rule-making and funding powers but lacked enforcement and regulatory capabilities. The delegates grappled with issues of centralized power and state loyalties, and the need for a stronger central government. They also debated the inclusion of a Bill of Rights, with anti-Federalists arguing for its importance and James Wilson countering that it was unnecessary.
The final document, signed by 39 delegates on September 17, 1787, reflected compromises and careful considerations. The Constitution of the United States, born out of the Philadelphia convention, laid the foundation for a new government and remains one of the most enduring and influential constitutions in the world.
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55 delegates attended the convention, but only 39 signed the Constitution
The Founding Fathers of the United States include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution was written and signed in the colonial capital of Philadelphia. The Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787.
The Constitutional Convention assembled 55 delegates, considered the Framers of the Constitution, but only 39 delegates signed it. The states had initially appointed 70 representatives to the convention, but a number of them did not accept or could not attend, resulting in 55 attendees. The delegates 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 sessions in a sedan chair. Of the 55 delegates, 28 were Anglicans, 21 were other Protestants, and three were Catholics. Eight were Presbyterians, seven were Congregationalists, two were Lutherans, two were Dutch Reformed, and two were Methodists.
Several prominent Founding Fathers did not participate in the Constitutional Convention. Thomas Jefferson was serving as the minister to France, John Adams was in Britain as a minister, Patrick Henry refused to participate because he "smelt a rat in Philadelphia, tending toward the monarchy," and John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and John Jay were also absent. Many of the states' older and more experienced leaders may have been too busy with local affairs to attend.
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George Washington was unanimously elected president of the convention
The Founding Fathers of the United States include those who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. The Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, and George Washington was unanimously elected president of the convention. Washington was the commanding general in the American Revolution and went on to become the nation's first president. He is the single person most identified as the "Father" of the United States.
The Constitutional Convention was held in the Pennsylvania State House, later named Independence Hall. The delegates came from all the original states except Rhode Island, which did not send any delegates. In total, 55 delegates attended the sessions, ranging in age from 26 to 81. The delegates represented a variety of religious backgrounds, with Anglicans, other Protestants, and Catholics all present.
The convention was tasked with revising the existing government under the Articles of Confederation, which had no enforcement powers and could not regulate commerce or print money. The delegates ended up creating a powerful central government, crafting compromises to represent their wildly differing interests and views.
The Constitution was first read to the group on September 17, 1787, and Benjamin Franklin, in poor health at the age of 81, wrote a speech in support of it, which was read by James Wilson. Franklin argued that it was unlikely that any other convention could create a better Constitution and that the delegates should sign it. Following this, a motion was made to destroy all the journals documenting the convention or to place them in George Washington's possession, and it was agreed that Washington should keep them until a new Congress was formed.
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The delegates created a powerful central government, replacing a weak central government
The Founding Fathers of the United States include those who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, at the Pennsylvania State House, later named Independence Hall.
The delegates who wrote the Constitution created a powerful central government, replacing a weak central government. This was in response to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, and couldn't print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. The Confederation government also failed to prevent the landing of convicts that the British government continued to export to its former colonies.
The delegates, led by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, believed that a more powerful central government was necessary to address these issues. Madison, in particular, was convinced that the Articles of Confederation, in force since 1781, were inadequate due to the states retaining considerable power. He believed that the central government needed the power to regulate commerce, tax, and set commercial policy effectively. Madison and Hamilton proposed that the Continental Congress be given the power to regulate commerce throughout the Confederation, and they helped organize a convention of state delegates to revise the Articles.
The Constitutional Convention, which took place in Philadelphia in May 1787, resulted in the creation of a new government. The delegates, representing different interests and views, crafted compromises and created a powerful central government, bypassing the state legislatures and calling for special ratifying conventions in each state. This new government was ratified by 9 of the 13 states.
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The Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, concluding the convention
The Constitution of the United States was signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787, concluding the Constitutional Convention. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with 55 delegates in attendance, although only 39 signed the Constitution. The delegates ranged in age from Jonathan Dayton, the youngest at 26, to Benjamin Franklin, the oldest at 81. Franklin was in poor health and too weak to read the speech he had prepared, 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 that he may approve of them in the future. He also argued that a new convention may not be able to create a better Constitution.
The Constitutional Convention was held in the Pennsylvania State House, later named Independence Hall. The Constitutional Convention was tasked with revising the existing government, but the delegates ended up creating a new system of government. The delegates represented a variety of interests and views, and they crafted compromises to address the disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. The Constitution was sent to the Confederation Congress in New York, and the ratification process began with the states. By January 9, 1788, five states had approved the Constitution: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. By December 15, 1791, three-fourths of the states had ratified the 10 amendments now known as the Bill of Rights.
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Frequently asked questions
The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution in the Pennsylvania State House, now called Independence Hall.
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. Some scholars regard all 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention as Founding Fathers, whether they approved the Constitution or not.
The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution in 1787. The Constitutional Convention started in May 1787 and concluded on September 17, 1787, when 38 delegates signed the Constitution.
