Contents
George Washington, for example, presided over the Convention. James Madison, also present, wrote the document that formed the model for the Constitution. Other U.S. Founding Fathers were not there, but made significant contributions in other ways.
On September 17, 1787, a group of men gathered in a closed meeting room to sign the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. And it was Benjamin Franklin who made the motion to sign the document in his last great speech.
Of the 55 Framers, only 39 were signers of the Constitution.
James Madison, America’s fourth President (1809-1817), made a major contribution to the ratification of the Constitution by writing The Federalist Papers, along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. In later years, he was referred to as the “Father of the Constitution.”
With this in mind the framers wrote the Constitution to provide for a separation of powers, or three separate branches of government. Each has its own responsibilities and at the same time they work together to make the country run smoothly and to assure that the rights of citizens are not ignored or disallowed.
The Constitutional Convention made many drafts and many revisions to the Constitution. Better, perhaps, to note when the Convention started, May 25, 1787; and when it adjourned, September 17, 1787, or 116 days.
Only six Founders signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution: George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, George Read, James Wilson, and Roger Sherman.
George Washington was the first President of the USA and served in the position between 1789 and 1797. … George Washington played a key role in drafting the Constitution of the United States in the year 1787. As president, he set up protocols in the new government’s executive department.
Many of the major Founding Fathers owned numerous slaves, such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. Others owned only a few slaves, such as Benjamin Franklin. And still others married into large slave-owning families, such as Alexander Hamilton.
The men who wrote the Constitution were Christians who knew the Bible. Our idea of individual rights comes from the Bible.
Constitution of the United States | |
---|---|
Commissioned by | Congress of the Confederation |
Author(s) | Philadelphia Convention |
Signatories | 39 of the 55 delegates |
Media type | Parchment |
The U.S. Constitution brought together, in one remarkable document, ideas from many people and several existing documents, including the Articles of Confederation and Declaration of Independence. Those who made significant intellectual contributions to the Constitution are called the “Founding Fathers” of our country.
Prem Behari Narain Raizada | |
---|---|
Born | December 17, 1901 |
Died | 1966 (aged 64–65) |
Occupation | Calligrapher |
Known for | Hand-writing the Constitution of India |
Thomas Jefferson, a spokesman for democracy, was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and the third President of the United States (1801–1809).
Madison played a central role in drafting, explaining, and ratifying the Constitution; after it was ratified he sought to reassure its critics by adding guarantees of fundamental liberties.
Form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty.
George Washington and James Madison were the only presidents who signed the Constitution.
No official language is mentioned or contemplated in the Constitution. Many people are surprised to learn that the United States has no official language. As one of the major centers of commerce and trade, and a major English-speaking country, many assume that English is the country’s official language.
The Constitution of San Marino might be the world’s oldest active written constitution, since some of its core documents have been in operation since 1600, while the Constitution of the United States is the oldest active codified constitution.
# | Location | Owner |
---|---|---|
1 | New Haven, Connecticut | Beinecke Library, Yale University |
2 | Bloomington, Indiana | Lilly Library, Indiana University |
3 | Portland, Maine | Maine Historical Society |
4 | Chicago, Illinois | Chicago Historical Society |
July 4, 1776
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)—After the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin helped to negotiate the Treaty of Alliance with France in 1778 and the Treaty of Paris which ended the Revolutionary War in 1783.
NARRATOR: President George Washington has been labeled “Father of His Country” because of the great role he played in the founding of the United States. He commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolution, led the convention that wrote the U.S. Constitution, and served as the country’s first president.
The Framers of the Constitution were delegates to the Constitutional Convention and helped draft the Constitution of the United States. … The main Founding Fathers were: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.