Eleanor Finch
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states, endorsed the Constitution, which was created during a four-month-long convention. George Washington, as president of the Convention, was the first to sign the Constitution, followed by the other delegates, grouped by states in progression from north to south.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | September 17, 1787 |
| Location | Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Number of delegates | 39 |
| Age of the youngest delegate | 26 (Jonathan Dayton) |
| Age of the oldest delegate | 81 (Benjamin Franklin) |
| First delegate to sign | George Washington |
| Last delegate to die | James Madison |
| States represented | 12 (all except Rhode Island) |
| Number of delegates who had served in the Continental Congress or fought the British during the American Revolution | Virtually all |
| Number of delegates who had signed the Declaration of Independence | 7 |
| Number of delegates who had served on active military duty | 30 |
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What You'll Learn
George Washington was the first to sign the Constitution
George Washington was the first person to sign the United States Constitution. He signed the document in his capacity as president of the Constitutional Convention, which took place on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Washington's signature was the first of 39 endorsements from delegates to the convention, representing 12 states (all except Rhode Island, which declined to send delegates). The signatures were arranged in a north-to-south progression, with Washington's signature near the right margin of the page. When the first column filled up, the delegates began a second column of signatures to the left.
The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of a four-month-long convention that debated and ultimately overhauled the existing Articles of Confederation, which had established the first national government six years earlier. The Articles had been deemed insufficient, as they failed to empower the central government to carry out essential functions, such as raising revenue, conducting diplomatic relations, and effectively managing western territories.
The delegates to the convention, many of whom had served in the Continental Congress or fought in the American Revolution, grappled with competing proposals and sharp disagreements. Ultimately, they produced a document that expanded the power of the central government while protecting the prerogatives of the states.
The Constitution laid out a new framework for the nation's federal government, delineating the functions of its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The document also included a brief declaration that the delegates' work had been successfully completed and that those whose signatures appeared on it subscribed to the final document.
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39 delegates signed the Constitution
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states (all except Rhode Island, which declined to send delegates), endorsed the Constitution. The endorsement included signatures, a declaration that the delegates' work had been completed, and a statement of the document's adoption by the states present.
The 39 delegates who signed the Constitution were part of a larger group of 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention sessions. The remaining 16 delegates either did not accept or could not attend, or they left before the signing ceremony. Three delegates—Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, George Mason of Virginia, and Randolph—did not sign the Constitution at all.
The delegates who signed the Constitution ranged in age from Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, to Benjamin Franklin, aged 81. Franklin, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair, summed up the sentiments of those who signed the Constitution despite their reservations. He stated:
> "There are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them." I will accept the Constitution, "because I expect no better and because I am not sure that it is not the best".
The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of a four-month-long convention and marked the endorsement of the document by the delegates. The convention's secretary, William Jackson, added a note to verify four amendments made by hand and signed to authenticate its validity.
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70 individuals were appointed to the convention
The original states, except Rhode Island, collectively appointed 70 individuals to the Constitutional Convention. However, a number of these individuals did not accept or could not attend, including Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. This left 55 delegates who attended the sessions of the convention, and of these, 39 actually signed the Constitution. The delegates ranged in age from Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, to Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair. Franklin summed up the sentiments of those who did sign, stating:
> "There are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them." He would accept the Constitution, "because I expect no better and because I am not sure that it is not the best".
The Signing of the United States Constitution occurred on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states, endorsed the Constitution created during the four-month-long convention. The convention's secretary, William Jackson, added a note to verify four amendments made by hand to the final document, and signed the note to authenticate its validity.
The convention's delegates debated for months over what would be included in the Constitution. Some states were in favour of a strong central government, while others were opposed. Large states felt they should have more representation in Congress, while small states wanted equal representation with larger ones. One of the legacies of the Continental and Confederation Congresses was the convening of the Federal Convention of 1787. Six years after the ratification of the Articles of Confederation, which established the first national government, a majority of Delegates to Congress agreed that the Articles needed significant revisions. The Articles' failure to empower the central government to carry out essential functions was their primary weakness. The central government lacked the power to raise revenue or conduct diplomatic relations, and it could not manage the western territories effectively.
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55 delegates attended the convention
The signing of the United States Constitution occurred on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 55 delegates attended the convention sessions, but only 39 actually signed the Constitution. The original states, except Rhode Island, collectively appointed 70 individuals to the Constitutional Convention. A number of these individuals did not accept or could not attend, including Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. The average age of the delegates was 42, with the youngest being 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton, and the oldest being 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin.
The convention was called to make revisions to the Articles of Confederation, which established the first national government. The Articles needed significant revisions, as they failed to empower the central government to carry out essential functions. They protected the sovereignty of the states, but this was at the expense of the central government, which lacked the power to raise revenue or conduct diplomatic relations. The central government also could not manage the western territories effectively.
The delegates debated competing proposals from May to July 1787 before turning over plans to a Grand Committee to hash out an agreement. The committee's report, dubbed the Great Compromise, resolved many contentious points and prescribed a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal state representation in the Senate. After two more months of intense debates and revisions, the delegates produced the document we now know as the Constitution, which expanded the power of the central government while protecting the prerogatives of the states.
Not all of the delegates agreed with the final product. Some expressed reservations but signed the Constitution, anticipating vigorous debates within their states. Three delegates, Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, George Mason of Virginia, and Randolph, did not sign it at all. Critics who shared the views of these delegates preferred the decentralised nature of the Articles of Confederation as a check on the power of the central government.
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12 states were represented at the convention (excluding Rhode Island)
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The signing was the culmination of a four-month-long convention, during which 55 delegates from 12 states (excluding Rhode Island, which did not send any representatives) debated and ultimately endorsed the Constitution.
The 39 delegates who signed the document represented the following 12 states: Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and New Hampshire. The delegates from New Hampshire did not arrive until July 23, 1787, and two of the three deputies from New York left on July 10, 1787, meaning that there was never a vote with more than 11 states represented.
The delegates from the 12 states were appointed by their respective legislatures, and their task was to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had established the first national government. However, the convention ultimately resulted in the creation of a new frame of government rather than revisions to the existing one. The delegates recognized the need for a different way of amending the Constitution, as the Articles' requirement for unanimous approval from the states was a major flaw.
The final document was a mixture of Madison's original "national" constitution and the desired "federal" Constitution sought by many delegates. It expanded the power of the central government while protecting the prerogatives of the states. The delegates spent much time debating slavery-related issues, including the insertion of a fugitive slave clause, the potential abolition of the slave trade, and whether slaves would be counted in proportional representation.
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Frequently asked questions
George Washington, as president of the Convention, signed the United States Constitution first.
Some of the key players at the Constitutional Convention were James Madison, George Mason, James Wilson, and Roger Sherman.
55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention sessions, but only 39 actually signed the Constitution.
