
Daniel Carroll (1730-1796) was a Founding Father of the United States of America and a politician. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which met at Independence Hall in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation and produce the Constitution. Carroll was a delegate from Maryland, and he helped to draft and sign the Constitution. He was one of only two Roman Catholics to sign the Constitution, and he also signed the Articles of Confederation. Carroll played a key role in formulating the limitation of the powers of the federal government, and he strongly believed in a strong central government that was accountable to its people.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 22 July 1730 |
| Place of Birth | Upper Marlboro, Maryland |
| Education | College of St. Omer in France |
| Occupation | Plantation Owner, Politician |
| Political Beliefs | Strong central government, religious freedom, government accountability |
| Achievements | Signed the US Constitution, served as US Congressman representing Maryland, helped draft the Constitution |
| Death | 7 May 1796 |
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Daniel Carroll was a Founding Father
Daniel Carroll, born on July 22, 1730, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was a Founding Father of the United States of America. He was a politician and a prominent member of one of the United States' great colonial Catholic families. Carroll was educated abroad in Flanders and France at the College of St. Omer (today Stonyhurst College) from 1742 to 1748 and then returned to Maryland. He was a close friend of James Madison of Virginia.
Carroll was a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention in 1787, which produced the Constitution. He was a strong advocate for a central government to regulate commerce among the states and with other nations. He also opposed the payment of members of Congress by the states, arguing that it would compromise the strength of the new government. Carroll and Thomas Fitzsimons were the only Roman Catholics to sign the Constitution, a significant step forward for religious freedom in America. Carroll played a crucial role in formulating the limitation of federal government powers, ensuring that any powers not specifically delegated to the federal government were reserved for the states or the people.
Carroll was a regular attendee of the Constitutional Convention debates, speaking approximately 20 times. He served on the Committee on Postponed Matters and, along with James Wilson, moved to replace the words "by the legislature" with "by the people" in the Constitution. After the convention, Carroll returned to Maryland and campaigned for ratification of the Constitution. He played a key role in the Maryland ratification struggle, defending the Constitution in the "Maryland Journal".
Carroll was elected as a representative ("congressman") to the Sixth Congressional District of Maryland in the First Congress of 1789. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1789 to 1791, representing his district in Maryland. Carroll was also one of three commissioners appointed to survey the District of Columbia. However, due to declining health, he retired in 1795 and passed away in 1796.
Today, Daniel Carroll is commemorated for his role in the creation of the United States Constitution. A statue in his honour can be found in the Signers' Hall exhibit of the National Constitution Center.
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He signed the US Constitution
Daniel Carroll, a Founding Father from the State of Maryland, signed the US Constitution. He was a prominent member of one of the United States' great colonial Catholic families. Born in 1730, he was the son of a wealthy Roman Catholic family and was educated abroad in Flanders and France at the College of St. Omer (today Stonyhurst College).
Carroll was a strong supporter of the Revolution and believed that a solid primary government was required to handle all the commerce between states and other countries. He was also against the payment of members of the US Congress, arguing that this would compromise the strength of the new government. Carroll was a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention in 1787, which produced the Constitution. He was a regular attendee of the Constitutional Convention debates, speaking around 20 times and serving on the Committee on Postponed Matters.
Carroll played an essential role in formulating the limitation of the powers of the federal government. He was the author of the presumption enshrined in the Constitution that powers not specifically delegated to the federal government were reserved for the states or the people. Carroll was one of only two Roman Catholics to sign the Constitution, a sign of the continued advancement of religious freedom in America.
After the convention, Carroll returned to Maryland, where he campaigned for ratification of the Constitution. He was not a delegate to the Maryland state convention for ratification, but he played a key role in the Maryland ratification struggle, defending the Constitution publicly in the "Maryland Journal". Carroll was then elected as a representative ("congressman") to the Sixth Congressional District of Maryland in the First Congress of 1789.
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He was a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention
Daniel Carroll was a Founding Father of the United States of America and a politician. He was born on July 22, 1730, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and died on July 5, 1796, at the age of 65. Carroll was a member of a prominent Maryland family of Irish descent. He was a planter and supported the cause of American independence, risking his social and economic position for the Patriot cause.
In 1787, Carroll was named a Maryland delegate to the Philadelphia Convention, which convened to revise the Articles of Confederation and produced the Constitution. Carroll was convinced that a strong central government was needed to regulate commerce among the states and with other nations. He also spoke out repeatedly in opposition to the payment of members of the United States Congress by the states, reasoning that such compensation would sabotage the strength of the new government. Carroll worked hard in service of the Committee on Postponed Matters and spoke during the debates, up to 20 times.
Carroll played an essential role in formulating the limitation of the powers of the federal or central government. He was the author of the presumption—enshrined in the Constitution as a closing article—that powers not specifically delegated to the federal government were reserved to the states or to the people. Carroll and Thomas Fitzsimons were the only Roman Catholics to sign the Constitution, but their presence was a sign of the continued advancement of religious freedom in America.
Carroll was a friend and staunch ally of George Washington, and he worked for a strong central government that could secure the achievements and fulfill the hopes of the Revolution. He believed that the government should be accountable to its people and he fought during the Convention to achieve this.
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He was a Maryland state representative
Daniel Carroll was a Founding Father from the State of Maryland. He was born on July 22, 1730, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and died on July 5, 1796, at the age of 65. Carroll came from a prominent Maryland family of Irish descent. He was a member of one of the United States' great colonial Catholic families, and his family included his younger brother, Archbishop John Carroll, who was the first Catholic bishop in the United States and the founder of Georgetown University. Another notable family member was his cousin, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Carroll was educated abroad in Flanders and France at the College of St. Omer (now Stonyhurst College) from 1742 to 1748. He then returned to Maryland and, after a tour of Europe, married Eleanor Carroll, his first cousin. In the 1770s, Carroll gradually joined the Patriot cause, despite initial concerns about the economic implications of the Revolution for his wealthy family. At the time, Maryland had laws excluding Roman Catholics from holding public office. However, when Maryland declared its independence from Britain and enacted its first constitution in 1776, these laws were nullified, allowing Carroll to enter politics.
Carroll was elected to the Maryland Senate in 1777 and served until 1781. During this time, he helped the state assemble its military and raise funds to support the war effort. In 1781, he became a member of the Continental Congress and signed the Articles of Confederation on behalf of Maryland. In 1787, Carroll was named a Maryland delegate to the Philadelphia Convention, which produced the Constitution. He played a key role in formulating the limitation of the powers of the federal government, arguing for a strong central government to regulate commerce among the states and with other nations. Carroll also spoke out against the payment of members of Congress by the states, believing that such compensation would compromise the strength of the new government.
After the Constitutional Convention, Carroll returned to Maryland and continued his involvement in state and national affairs. He played a crucial role in the Maryland ratification struggle, defending the Constitution in the "Maryland Journal." In 1789, Carroll was elected as a representative ("congressman") to the Sixth Congressional District of Maryland in the First Congress, meeting in New York City. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1789 to 1791, representing his district in Maryland. Carroll's contributions to the creation of the United States Constitution are commemorated with a statue in the Signers' Hall exhibit of the National Constitution Center.
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He was a Roman Catholic
Daniel Carroll was a Roman Catholic. He was born in 1730 in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, into a wealthy Irish-Catholic family. Carroll was educated at the College of St. Omer in Flanders, France, which was established for the education of English Catholics. He studied under the Jesuits from 1742 to 1748.
Upon his return to the United States, Carroll faced legal barriers due to his religious affiliation. At that time, Maryland and the other Thirteen Colonies had laws excluding Roman Catholics from holding public office. However, when Maryland declared its independence and enacted its first constitution in 1776, these restrictions were lifted, allowing Carroll to pursue a political career.
Carroll played a significant role in the American Revolution and gradually became a prominent Patriot. He was elected to the Maryland Senate and served from 1777 to 1781, contributing to the state's war efforts. In 1781, he became a member of the Continental Congress, representing Maryland. Carroll was a strong advocate for a central government and believed it was necessary to regulate commerce between states and other countries. He also firmly opposed the payment of members of Congress by the states, arguing that it would compromise the strength of the new government.
Carroll was one of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention and actively participated in the debates. He and Thomas Fitzsimons were the only Roman Catholics to sign the United States Constitution. Their inclusion marked a significant step forward in America's religious freedom. Carroll made a lasting impact by formulating the limitation of the powers of the federal government in the Constitution. He proposed that any powers not specifically delegated to the federal government should be reserved for the states or the people.
Carroll continued to be involved in state and national affairs after the Constitutional Convention. He was elected as a representative to the Sixth Congressional District of Maryland in the First Congress of 1789. Additionally, he served as one of three commissioners appointed to survey the District of Columbia and played a key role in acquiring land for the new federal capital. Carroll remained active in politics until his retirement in 1795 due to declining health. He died in 1796 and was buried in St. John's Catholic Cemetery in Maryland.
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Frequently asked questions
Daniel Carroll (1730-1796) was a Founding Father of the United States and a politician from Maryland.
Yes, Daniel Carroll signed the US Constitution. He was one of only five men to sign both the Articles of Confederation and the US Constitution.
Daniel Carroll believed that a strong central government was needed to regulate commerce among the states and with other nations. He also opposed the payment of members of Congress by the states, arguing that it would compromise the strength of the new government.
Daniel Carroll was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation and produce the Constitution. He spoke about 20 times during the debates and served on the Committee on Postponed Matters.
Daniel Carroll was born into a prominent and wealthy Roman Catholic family in Maryland. His brother, John Carroll, was the first Catholic bishop in the United States, and his cousin, Charles Carroll, signed the Declaration of Independence.

















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