Jonah Patel
The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates, and is considered a history-changing document that put governance in the hands of the people. The US Constitution is not the only one handwritten; the original Indian Constitution was also handwritten by Prem Behari Narain Raizada, a noted calligrapher, in a flowing italic style.
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was scribed by Jacob Shallus
The US Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The signing of the United States Constitution occurred on September 17, 1787, when 39 delegates endorsed the constitution. The US Constitution was scribed by Jacob Shallus, a 37-year-old assistant clerk of the Pennsylvania Assembly at the time. Shallus was a merchant in Philadelphia and a veteran of the Revolutionary War, having served as a quartermaster in the First Pennsylvania Battalion. He was the son of German immigrants and was married to Elizabeth Melchior, with whom he had eight children. Shallus was likely recommended for the job of transcribing the Constitution by Thomas Mifflin, a Pennsylvania Convention delegate. Shallus was an experienced scribe, having engrossed many acts for the Pennsylvania Assembly, and he was conveniently available since the Assembly was meeting upstairs in the same building as the Constitutional Convention.
Shallus was paid $30 for transcribing the Constitution onto four sheets of parchment measuring 28-3/4 inches by 23-5/8 inches. Using a goose quill and black ink made from iron filings in oak gall, he wrote over 25,000 letters in nearly 4,500 words, completing the task in a single day. Shallus' name does not appear on the document, and his identity as the scribe was only discovered in 1937 during an investigation into the 150th anniversary of the Constitution. Shallus died at the age of 46, just six years after all 13 states fully ratified the Constitution. His son became a skilled engraver and was called up for service in the War of 1812.
While Shallus played a crucial role in transcribing the Constitution, it is important to recognize the contributions of other individuals as well. James Madison, often referred to as the "Father of the Constitution," had many of his ideas incorporated into the final document. Other key figures include James Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington, who all participated in the Constitutional Convention. The final draft of the Constitution was approved by the delegates, and it was their ideas and deliberations that Shallus skillfully engrossed onto parchment.
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Shallus was paid $30 for his work
The scribe behind the handwritten United States Constitution was Jacob Shallus, who was paid $30 for his work. This amount was considered a considerable sum at the time, and when adjusted for inflation, it would be worth around $900 today. Shallus' penmanship was exceptional, and he is believed to have completed the entire document in a single day on September 16, 1787, which is an impressive feat. The document consisted of approximately 4,000 words across four sheets of parchment, each measuring 28 by 23 inches. It is speculated that he used a goose quill to achieve this remarkable task.
The choice to use a clerk like Shallus for the job ensured a well-written and legible document. This was crucial, as any mistakes or misinterpretations could change the meaning of clauses and deviate from the framers' intentions. By using a professional scribe, the delegates could also avoid the physical task of writing and focus on the content of the Constitution. Shallus' role as a scribe also allowed all those involved in creating the document to add their names and state their roles without being elevated above others by physically writing it out.
Shallus' work extended beyond the four pages of the Constitution to include a fifth sheet, known as the Resolution of the Constitutional Convention or the transmittal page of the Constitution. This additional document is not part of the Constitution directly but holds significant importance. Shallus' penmanship and attention to detail across these crucial documents helped ensure their accuracy and longevity, making his contribution all the more valuable.
The $30 compensation that Shallus received for his efforts was a substantial sum in the 18th century. Considering the scope and importance of the task, the payment reflects the value placed on the creation of the United States Constitution. The inflation-adjusted equivalent of $900 in today's money underscores the significance of Shallus' contribution to the founding document of the nation.
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The document is kept in the Rotunda of the National Archives
The handwritten Constitution of the United States is available for viewing behind glass in the Rotunda of the National Archives. The document is kept in the upper level of the Rotunda, along with other Charters of Freedom, including the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. The Rotunda provides the perfect setting for these crucial documents, with additional murals depicting historical scenes. The National Archives is the ideal place for history enthusiasts to admire the words of the Constitution with their own eyes.
The Constitution was handwritten by Jacob Shallus, who completed the document in a single day on September 16, 1787. Shallus's exceptional handwriting covered four sheets of parchment, each measuring 28 by 23 inches, amounting to around 4,000 words. It is believed that he used a goose quill and received $30 for his work, a considerable amount at the time. Shallus's penmanship ensured that the document was well-written and legible, allowing for a clear interpretation of the framers' intended meaning.
In addition to the four pages of the Constitution, Shallus also penned the Resolution of the Constitutional Convention, also known as the transmittal page. This fifth page is not part of the Constitution directly but is nonetheless an important document. The delegates' choice to use a clerk like Shallus ensured the accuracy and legibility of the text, reducing the risk of misinterpretation or criticism of the document's intelligence and professionalism.
The original Constitution of India, which came into force on January 26, 1950, was also handwritten. Prem Behari Narain Raizada, a noted calligrapher, was chosen by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to write the document in a flowing italic style. Raizada, who was born in a family of calligraphers, did not charge any fee for his work. Instead, he wrote his name and his grandfather's name at the bottom of every page of the Constitution. The original copies of the Indian Constitution are preserved in special helium-filled cases in the Parliament's library.
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James Madison is known as the 'Father of the Constitution'
James Madison, born on March 16, 1751, was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. He is popularly known as the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting, promoting, and influencing the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
Madison was born into a prominent slave-owning planter family in Virginia. In 1774, he joined the Patriots, dissatisfied with British taxation and the weak national government established by the Articles of Confederation. He helped organize the Constitutional Convention, which produced a new constitution designed to strengthen the republican government against democratic assembly. Madison's extensive work on creating and promoting this document earned him the title "Father of the Constitution."
Madison's Virginia Plan, which he largely authored, served as the basis for the Constitutional Convention's deliberations. The plan proposed a three-branch federal government and a two-house legislature, giving the national government the power to veto state laws. Madison spoke over 200 times during the convention, and his fellow delegates held him in high esteem. He was a driving force throughout the summer of 1787, and his notes on the deliberations have provided valuable insights into the proceedings.
In addition to his work on the Constitution, Madison joined Alexander Hamilton and John Jay in writing The Federalist Papers, a series of pro-ratification essays that became one of the most influential works of political science in American history. He also introduced a series of Constitutional amendments in the House of Representatives and played a role in the debates over the extension of slavery into the West during the Missouri crisis of 1819-1821.
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The Indian Constitution was handwritten by Prem Bihari Narain Raizada
The Indian Constitution, a 251-page long manuscript, was handwritten by Prem Bihari Narain Raizada, a master calligrapher. Raizada was born on December 16, 1901, into a family of renowned calligraphers. His mother and father both passed away when he was young, so he was raised by his grandfather, Ram Parshadji (or Prasad) Saxena, a scholar of English and Persian, who taught him the art of calligraphy. After graduating from St. Stephen's College in Delhi, Raizada went on to become a master in the art of calligraphy.
When the Constituent Assembly of India finalised the draft of the Constitution in the late 1940s, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wanted the world's longest legal document to be handwritten and approached Raizada for the task. Raizada agreed to do it for free, with one condition: that he be allowed to write his name on every page of the Constitution and his name along with his grandfather's name on the last page. His request was granted, and he set to work.
Raizada worked in a room in the Constitution Hall of India (now known as the Constitution Club of India) for six months, using 432 pen-holder nibs brought from England and Czechoslovakia to inscribe each letter beautifully on the leaves of the manuscript. The document consisted of 395 articles, 8 schedules, and a preamble, all of which were written in a flowing italic style. The final copy, which came into effect on January 26, 1950, was a masterpiece, with not a single misplaced word or blotch of ink.
Raizada's name and that of his grandfather are immortalised in the Constitution, and their names can be seen in the document. The original manuscript now lies safely in a vault-like room in the library of the Parliament of India, preserved in a helium-filled case.
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Frequently asked questions
James Madison is widely known as 'The Father of the Constitution'.
It is believed that a clerk by the name of Jacob Shallus wrote out the US Constitution in a single day on September 16, 1787. He was paid $30 for his work, which was a considerable amount at the time.
The original US Constitution is kept behind glass in the upper level of the National Archives in the Rotunda.
The original Indian Constitution was handwritten by Prem Behari Narain Raizada (Saxena), a noted calligrapher.
The Indian Constitution was enacted on November 26, 1949, and came into full force on January 26, 1950.
