Eleanor Finch
Connecticut, also known as The Constitution State, has a long and complex constitutional history. The state's first constitution, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, was adopted in 1638 or 1639 and is considered by many to be the world's first written constitution. In 1787, delegates from Connecticut, along with delegates from other states, gathered in Philadelphia to draft the United States Constitution. Three distinguished men represented Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Oliver Ellsworth, and William Samuel Johnson. These delegates played a crucial role in breaking a deadlock between larger and smaller states, leading to the two-house legislative system we know today. On January 9, 1788, Connecticut ratified the US Constitution, becoming the fifth state to do so. The state's constitution has since undergone several revisions, with the most recent one being approved by referendum in 1965.
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What You'll Learn
- Roger Sherman, Oliver Ellsworth, and William Samuel Johnson signed the US Constitution on behalf of Connecticut
- Sherman was New Haven's first mayor and signed the Declaration of Independence
- Oliver Ellsworth was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a state judge
- William Samuel Johnson was a former militia officer and representative to the Congress of the Confederation
- The state of Connecticut is nicknamed The Constitution State
Roger Sherman, Oliver Ellsworth, and William Samuel Johnson signed the US Constitution on behalf of Connecticut
In 1787, delegates from all states except Rhode Island convened in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. Instead, they drafted a new governing document, the U.S. Constitution. Roger Sherman, Oliver Ellsworth, and William Samuel Johnson represented Connecticut and signed the Constitution.
Roger Sherman, the first mayor of New Haven, had also signed the Declaration of Independence. Oliver Ellsworth, a delegate to the Continental Congress during the Revolution and a state judge, later became one of the first two U.S. Senators from Connecticut. William Samuel Johnson, a former militia officer and representative to the Congress of the Confederation, served as Connecticut's first U.S. Senator until his resignation in 1791.
These three men played a crucial role in the adoption of the new Constitution. They proposed a compromise, known as the "Connecticut Compromise," which resolved a deadlock between larger and smaller states regarding legislative representation. This compromise resulted in the two-house legislative system that remains in place today.
After the Philadelphia convention, the next step was to secure ratification from the state legislatures. This proved challenging, as residents of Connecticut were divided. Merchants and those from wealthier social strata generally supported the Constitution, while farmers and those from rural areas were sceptical due to concerns about federal taxation. Despite this opposition, Connecticut ratified the Constitution on January 9, 1788, becoming the fifth state to do so.
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Sherman was New Haven's first mayor and signed the Declaration of Independence
Roger Sherman, the first mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, was a key figure in the early history of the United States. He was born in 1721 and is known for signing four of the country's most significant founding documents: the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution.
Sherman began his political career during the American Revolution, serving on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. After the colonies gained independence, he played a role in shaping the new nation's government by serving on the committee that produced the Articles of Confederation, which outlined the United States' first national government.
In 1784, Sherman was elected as the first mayor of New Haven, which had just incorporated itself as a city. He was a rare colonial leader who combined local and national leadership, as he continued to serve as mayor while participating in national affairs. During his tenure as mayor, New Haven flourished, and he is credited with helming the city during one of its most prosperous and expansive eras.
In addition to his role as mayor, Sherman also represented Connecticut at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where he was instrumental in breaking a "deadlock" and advocating for the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. He was one of three distinguished delegates from Connecticut, along with Oliver Ellsworth and William Samuel Johnson, who played a crucial role in the Constitution's ratification.
Sherman's political career extended beyond his role as mayor and included serving in Congress from 1789 to 1791 and later as a Senator from 1791 until his death in 1793. Despite his reserved nature and awkward public speaking style, he was highly trusted and respected, leaving a lasting legacy in both Connecticut and the young United States.
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Oliver Ellsworth was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a state judge
Oliver Ellsworth was a prominent figure in the early days of the American Republic. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a state judge in Connecticut, playing a pivotal role in the creation and adoption of the U.S. Constitution.
In 1773, Ellsworth was commissioned as a captain of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment of the Connecticut militia, and he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1774. During the American Revolution, he led three regiments of light cavalry in support of the Continental Army in New York. Ellsworth's political career began in 1777 when he became Connecticut's state attorney for Hartford County. That same year, he was chosen as one of Connecticut's representatives in the Continental Congress, serving until 1780. He also served in various committees, including the Marine Committee, the Board of Treasury, and the Committee of Appeals, which laid the groundwork for the Federal Supreme Court.
In 1779, Ellsworth's responsibilities grew as he became a member of the Council of Safety, which, alongside the governor, oversaw all military measures for Connecticut. He continued to serve in the Continental Congress from 1781 to 1783, and during this period, he also served on the Committee of the Pay Table, managing Connecticut's war expenditures. Ellsworth's legal expertise and experience as a judge made him a valuable asset in the political arena.
In 1787, Ellsworth participated in the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia as a delegate from Connecticut, along with Roger Sherman and William Samuel Johnson. He actively contributed to the proceedings, proposing the retention of the phrase "the United States" to emphasize a federation rather than a single national entity. This proposal was accepted, and it shaped the official title of the government under the Constitution. Ellsworth also played a pivotal role in breaking the deadlock over representation in Congress, proposing a bicameral Congress with two senators elected by each state legislature. This proposal became known as the Connecticut Compromise and was adopted on July 16, 1787.
Following the Constitutional Convention, Ellsworth returned to Connecticut and worked to ensure the ratification of the Constitution in his state. He was then elected as one of Connecticut's first U.S. Senators, serving from 1789 to 1796. During his time in the Senate, he authored the Judiciary Act of 1789, which established the structure and jurisdiction of the federal court system and empowered the Supreme Court to overturn state supreme court decisions that conflicted with the U.S. Constitution. Ellsworth's legislative accomplishments and influence in the early years of the American Republic are testament to his significant role in shaping the nation's political landscape.
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William Samuel Johnson was a former militia officer and representative to the Congress of the Confederation
William Samuel Johnson, born in Stratford, Connecticut, was an American Founding Father and statesman. Johnson was a colonel in the Connecticut militia, a state legislator, and a judge. He was also a lawyer and a self-educated man of the law, with a significant and important clientele. Johnson was a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress in 1765, where he served on the committee that argued for the right of the colonies to decide their own tax policies. He also opposed the Townshend Acts and supported the non-importation agreements to protest taxation without representation. Johnson was a former representative to the Congress of the Confederation from 1785 to 1787, and he attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where he was chairman of the Committee of Style that drafted the final version of the United States Constitution.
Johnson's influence was recognised by his contemporaries, with Jeremiah Wadsworth writing, "Dr. Johnson has, I believe, much more influence than either you or myself. The Southern Delegates are vastly fond of him." Johnson was a strong supporter of the Connecticut Compromise, which foreshadowed the final Great Compromise, providing for a national legislature with a Senate that gave equal representation to all states and a House of Representatives based on population. He served on and chaired the five-member Committee of Style, which framed the final form of the document.
Johnson's role in the adoption of the Constitution was significant. He was one of three delegates from Connecticut, alongside Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, who advocated for the adoption of the Constitution in their home state. Connecticut, at the time, was divided, with merchants and those from urban areas supporting the Constitution, while farmers and those from rural areas were opposed due to concerns over federal taxation. Johnson and his fellow delegates offered a compromise that broke the deadlock, leading to the adoption of the Constitution.
After the Constitution was ratified, Johnson served as one of Connecticut's first U.S. Senators from 1789 to 1791. He resigned from the Senate on March 3, 1791, preferring to devote his energies to the presidency of Columbia College (now Columbia University), a position he held until 1800. Johnson passed away at the age of 92 on November 14, 1819.
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The state of Connecticut is nicknamed The Constitution State
Connecticut, officially known as "The Constitution State", has a rich history when it comes to its role in shaping the American political system. The state's government has been guided by five separate constitutional documents throughout its history, with the most recent one, the Constitution of 1965, being the supreme authority in the state today.
The nickname "The Constitution State" is assumed to refer to the Fundamental Orders of 1638-1639, which laid the framework for the first formal government written by a representative body in Connecticut. The Connecticut Colony at Hartford was governed by these Fundamental Orders, which have been referred to as the world's first written constitution. The Fundamental Orders were adopted on January 14, 1639, a year after the founding of the state, and were based on a sermon by Rev. Thomas Hooker, which called for "an orderly and decent government according to God" and the pursuit of "the liberty and purity of the gospel of our Lord Jesus".
The Fundamental Orders also formalised the relationship between the first three towns founded on the Connecticut River in Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford. At the time, the New Haven Colony was separate and governed by its own constitution, the Fundamental Agreement of the New Haven Colony, signed on June 4, 1639. In 1662, King Charles II of England granted governmental authority and a royal charter to the Connecticut colonies, further solidifying their governmental structure.
Fast forward to the late 18th century, and Connecticut played a pivotal role in the adoption of the United States Constitution. In 1787, Connecticut sent three distinguished delegates, Roger Sherman, Oliver Ellsworth, and William Samuel Johnson, to Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had proven ineffective as the nation's first governing document. Instead, a new governing document, the United States Constitution, was drafted and later ratified by the attendees, including the three delegates from Connecticut. Backed by their experience and influence, these delegates were instrumental in breaking a deadlock and securing the adoption of the new constitution in their home state.
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Frequently asked questions
Oliver Ellsworth, William Samuel Johnson, and Roger Sherman signed the US Constitution from Connecticut.
Oliver Ellsworth was a delegate to the Continental Congress during the Revolution and a state judge. William Samuel Johnson was a former militia officer and representative to the Congress of the Confederation. Roger Sherman was New Haven's first mayor and had signed the Declaration of Independence.
The three delegates played an instrumental role in the adoption of the new constitution. They broke a "deadlock" between larger states, which favored proportional legislative representation based on population size, and smaller ones, which advocated that all states have but one vote each. Their "Connecticut Compromise" led to the two-house legislative system still in place today.
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