The Constitution: Not Signed By All, Here's Why

The United States Constitution, which outlines the framework of the nation's federal government and its three branches, was signed by 39 delegates on September 17, 1787. This document was the culmination of a four-month-long Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where 55 delegates from 12 states debated, compromised, and drafted a document that would challenge and change the political world. However, not all of the delegates chose to sign the Constitution, with a few vocal opponents expressing their concerns about its lack of a Bill of Rights and other issues. The reasons for not signing varied, and some delegates even left before the signing ceremony. This introduction will explore the reasons why not everyone signed the Constitution and the impact of their decisions.

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Rhode Island refused to send delegates

The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the 74 delegates chosen, 55 attended, and 39 signed the document. The remaining 15 delegates either dropped out or refused to sign. The 39 delegates who did sign the Constitution represented 12 states, with Rhode Island being the only state that refused to send delegates.

Rhode Island was the only state not to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The state had a reputation for opposing a closer union with the other former British colonies that had formed the United States of America. Rhode Island vetoed an act of the Congress of the Confederation, which earned it nicknames like "Rogue Island" and "the Perverse Sister". This press war lasted for nearly 10 years, from 1781 to 1787, when the Constitutional Convention began.

Rhode Island's opposition to the Constitution was due to several reasons. Firstly, the Constitution would have made the state's practice of printing paper money illegal. The state had been issuing paper money in Rhode Island pounds since 1786, which caused rampant inflation and made the state a symbol of what was wrong with the Confederation for many Americans. Secondly, Rhode Island was concerned that the Constitution gave too much power to the central government at the expense of the states. The issue of religious freedom was also important to the state, as the Constitution in its original form did not explicitly protect it.

Rhode Island eventually ratified the Constitution in 1790, after the United States threatened a trade embargo against the state for non-compliance. The state played a key role in advancing the Constitution, despite its strong opposition.

Some delegates left before the signing ceremony

The signing of the United States Constitution occurred on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the 55 delegates who attended the convention, only 39 signed the document. This means that 14 men were not present for the signing, having already left Philadelphia.

Some delegates left the Constitutional Convention early for personal or business reasons. For example, Oliver Ellsworth (CT) and Virginia delegate George Wythe, who returned home due to his wife's poor health, both later became advocates for the Constitution. Similarly, while Edmund Randolph (VA) initially refused to sign the Constitution, he ultimately changed his mind and supported it.

Other delegates left the convention early in protest, fearing that the national government being created was too powerful and that states' rights were not being sufficiently protected. This group included New York delegates John Lansing and Robert Yates, as well as John Mercer and Luther Martin of Maryland. Martin also believed that the Constitution should take a harder line on slavery.

Additionally, two of New York's three delegates, left in opposition to the proceedings, depriving the state of a quorum to vote.

Three attendees refused to sign

The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the 55 delegates present at the convention, 39 signed the document. Three attendees, Edmund Randolph, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry, refused to sign the final draft.

Edmund Randolph, a delegate from Virginia, refused to sign the Constitution, stating that his conscience dictated his decision. He believed that the Constitution lacked a bill of rights to specifically outline and protect the freedoms of the states and the people. Similarly, Elbridge Gerry from Massachusetts felt that the Constitution combined the negative aspects of democracy and extreme violence in the opposite direction. George Mason, also from Virginia, shared their concerns about the Constitution's power without a Bill of Rights.

These three individuals remained engaged in the work of the convention until its completion but ultimately chose not to endorse the document. Their refusal to sign highlights the significance of the debates and compromises that took place during the Constitutional Convention. Despite their concerns, the Constitution was sent to the states for ratification, and it became the law of the land when nine of the thirteen states ratified it.

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Some disagreed with the document's contents

The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states. The signing took place at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, not everyone was in agreement with the document's contents.

The Constitution was created during a four-month-long convention, and while it was meant to address concerns with the Articles of Confederation, some delegates felt that it did not go far enough. They wanted a stronger central government, and some even proposed abolishing individual state governments. This idea was so radical that even fellow delegates from smaller states could not support it.

Additionally, some delegates, such as Benjamin Franklin, expressed reservations about certain parts of the Constitution. Franklin, who was 81 years old at the time, summed up the sentiments of those who did sign, stating that while he did not approve of every part of the document, he accepted it because he did not expect anything better. He and other delegates hoped that the Constitution would be a workable solution to meet the immediate needs of the thirteen states.

Some delegates, including Edmund Randolph, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry, refused to sign the Constitution because it lacked a Bill of Rights. They believed that the document did not adequately protect individual freedoms and wanted specific amendments to be included. Gerry, in particular, held the view that the Constitution combined the worst aspects of democracy and its opposite extreme, and thus, would never succeed.

The absence of signatures on the Constitution was not due to a lack of attendance. Of the 74 individuals selected to attend the Constitutional Convention, 55 delegates participated, and 39 signed. Several attendees left before the signing ceremony, and three of the 42 who remained refused to sign.

The Constitution lacked a Bill of Rights

The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states. Of the 74 delegates who were chosen, 55 attended, and 39 signed. The Constitution lacked a Bill of Rights, which was a significant concern for some delegates, who refused to sign the document as a result.

Edmund Randolph and George Mason from Virginia, and Elbridge Gerry from Massachusetts, were the most vocal opponents of the Constitution and refused to sign. They believed that the Constitution did not adequately protect individual liberties and lacked a clear outline of the limits on government power. George Mason wrote a pamphlet outlining his opposition, which influenced many Americans to oppose the new government.

The Constitution's supporters, including James Madison, initially argued that a Bill of Rights was unnecessary, stating that "the government can only exert the powers specified by the Constitution." However, they later acknowledged the importance of addressing these concerns to secure ratification. Madison, once a vocal opponent of the Bill of Rights, introduced a list of amendments to the Constitution in 1789, which eventually became the Bill of Rights.

The absence of a Bill of Rights was a significant obstacle to the Constitution's ratification by the states. The American people, having recently freed themselves from the English monarchy, wanted strong guarantees that the new government would not infringe upon their freedoms of speech, press, and religion, as well as their right to be free from warrantless searches and seizures. Thomas Jefferson, a strong advocate for a Bill of Rights, stated, "A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference."

The Bill of Rights, influenced by Jefferson and drafted by Madison, was adopted, and in 1791, the Constitution's first ten amendments became the law of the land. These amendments aimed to limit government power and protect individual liberties, such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms.

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