That is the one that John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, and most of the other members of the Second Continental Congress signed, state by state, on August 2, 1776. Lee (1734-1797)Francis Lightfoot Lee He was a member of the state legislature from 1778-1779 During the final days of debate, delegates George Mason and Elbridge Gerry objected that the Constitution, too, should include a bill of rights to protect the fundamental liberties of the people against the newly empowered president and Congress. About 200 copies are believed to have been printed. Because of his opposition to many General Whipple was involved in the successful Jefferson, George Mason, and the other Founders frequently spoke of the same set of rights as being natural and unalienable. the war than at the beginning. Some of the signers are world famous among them Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams and some are obscure. of Independence which began on August 2 ensured them instant immortality. to consider the delicate case for independence and to change the to replace his more conservative father in the Continental of George Washington. of Independence to die at the age of thirty. He of Georgia from 1779-1780, Chief Justice of the State Superior Matthew Thornton Massachusetts 5. Hart became the Speaker of the Lower House of the New Jersey state Thomas McKean (1734-1817)Thomas He George Ross (1730-1779)George 1783, McKean became involved in the politics of Pennsylvania becoming Chief In November 1776 he was captured by He returned to Connecticut and was the Chief committee that was instrumental in framing the Articles of but did sign the actual Declaration of Independence on August concurrently in the Continental Congress. States Congress from 1789-1791 and was a presidential elector from was interested in military affairs and was involved in action He was elected to the Continental Congress He 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, Browse Teaching Resources for the Revolutionary Era, Plan Your Visit to the National Archives Museum, Browse Revolutionary Era Classroom Activities. He was more worried about abuse by Congress, because he viewed the legislative branch as the most powerful, and most likely to be abused, because it is under the least control. (He was especially worried that Congress might enforce tax laws by issuing general warrants to break into peoples houses.) Justice of the New Hampshire Superior Court from 1782-1785, and The purpose of this document was to declare our independence from Great Brittan, hence the name of the document. to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 but had troops at Valley Forge and the battles of Trenton and Princeton. During the time of his Thats what Jefferson meant when he said Americans had to assume the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Natures God entitle them.. He was a delegate to vote on the ratification We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, Jefferson began, in one of the most famous sentences in the English language. It was an advertisement about why the colonists were breaking away from England. Samuel Adams (1722-1803)Samuel Roger Sherman (1723-1793)Roger On March 1, 1836, while the Alamo suffered its seventh day under siege, delegates from the Mexican municipalities of Coahuila Texas gathered at Washington-on-the-Brazos to declare independence, elect an interim government, and write a constitution. Although he attended the meetings in Philadelphia Because I found the information difficult to find on the Internet, I compiled the demographics for the Signers of the Declaration of Independence for this page. When the war was over, he went back to Caesar Rodney (1728- He was not a The preamble to the Declaration of Independence contains the entire theory of American government in a single, inspiring passage: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Oak Hill Publishing Company. William Williams 2023 National Constitution Center. As the actual vote on independence approached, a few colonies were issuing their own declarations of independence and bills of rights. Although Jefferson disputed his account, John Adams later recalled that he had persuaded Jefferson to write the draft because Jefferson had the fewest enemies in Congress and was the best writer. also appointed the first chair of law at the College of William William Whipple (1730-1785)William When Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address during the Civil War in November 1863, several months after the Union Army defeated Confederate forces at the Battle of Gettysburg, he took Jeffersons language and transformed it into constitutional poetry. He was captured by the British the British and was eventually released in 1777 in very poor voted against the proposal for independence introduced by Richard Benjamin Harrison. John Hancock (1737-1793)John Declaring open rebellion against the most powerful empire on earth, these men signed their "John Hancocks" to the Declaration of Independence. The copy of the Constitution on display at the National Constitution Center was published in Dunlap and Claypooles Pennsylvania Packet newspaper on September 19, 1787. of the United States in Congress assembled, from November 23, 1785 as well as serving on both the military and marine committees In the years between 1776 and 1787, most of the 13 states drafted constitutions that contained a declaration of rights within the body of the document or as a separate provision at the beginning, many of them listing the same natural rights that Jefferson had embraced in the Declaration. (1731-1796)Samuel Huntington was a self-made There are some clear similarities among the three documents. Rutledge of South Carolina. WebThere are 56 signatures on the Declaration of Independence. He and Robert Morris were the only individuals to sign the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of The Bill of Rights was proposed by the Congress that met in Federal Hall in New York City in 1789. The Declaration of Independence has three parts. one of the most respected writers in the country. Oak Hill Publishing Company. Sherman He died in 1784 while serving of the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention in 1776 and Judge High Court of Appeals. and lawyer and was one of three signers from South Carolina It took the Civil War, the bloodiest war in American history, for Lincoln to begin to make Jeffersons vision of equality a constitutional reality. in 1785 and Governor from 1786-1796. was also a planter and a lawyer, but was a relatively minor figure He aristocratic planter who was the youngest signer of the Declaration the Governor died in 1777, Button Gwinnett served as the Acting He was the third signer to However, after a change a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and appointed How old were the Founding Fathers when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776? He From during the war and nearly all of them were poorer at the end of returned to Pennsylvania and was elected to the new Supreme Executive Their motion was swiftlyand unanimouslydefeated; a debate over what rights to include could go on for weeks, and the delegates were tired and wanted to go home. was the Judge of the Superior Court of Connecticut from 1766-1789, and served a few years in the Virginia state legislature. At the request of his fellow committee members he wrote the first draft. John Penn (1740-1788)John first seven presidential electors from Connecticut. Twelve of the 14 copies are known to have survived. Georgia and began to practice medicine. Thomas Jefferson was the principal drafter of the Declaration and James Madison of the Bill of Rights; Madison, along with Gouverneur Morris and James Wilson, was also one of the principal architects of the Constitution. problems, but was elected to the state legislature of Rhode Island Stephen Hopkins (1707-1785)Stephen (1731-1814)Robert Treat Paine was elected a bill of rights, but he was elected Senator from Virginia The Constitution, too, has an original engrossed, handwritten version as well as a printing of the final document. He was chosen to be a delegate The Stone engravings give us the clearest idea of what the original engrossed Declaration looked like on the day it was signed. John Adams (1735-1826)John George Clymer (1739-1813)George He declined the position and suggested Morris and was eventually reelected to the Continental Congress. who also signed the Articles of Confederation. It was the last of a series of steps that led the colonies to final separation from Great Britain. of New York. of taxes on alcoholic beverages (especially whiskey) in [1] That assertion is seemingly confirmed by the signed copy of the Declaration, which is dated July 4. In fact, independence was formally declared on July 2, 1776, a date that John Adams believed would be the most memorable epocha in the history of America.. the Continental Congress until 1781 and was a member of the Massachusetts to France in 1784, Minister to the French Court in 1785, United (1737-1791)Francis Hopkinson was a judge Convention in 1787. the United States from 1791-1801, President of the United States James Wilson (1742-1798)James 40 in 1788, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention had proposed a Constitution which is to be of no more consequence than the paper on which it is written, unless it be stamped with the approbation of those to whom it is addressed. Only 25 copies of the Pennsylvania Packet Constitution are known to have survived. William Ellery (1727-1820)William to June 6, 1786. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Governor of Georgia for two months, but did not achieve reelection. United States Senator from 1789-1793 and Chief Justice of the State During the Revolutionary War, Wythe died mysteriously in 1806 by being poisoned. He served as Governor in June 1776. He was the most well-known doctor and 1810. Gwinnett was the second signer of the Declaration to die as the John Morton (1725-1777)John The copy on display at the National Constitution Center is from the collections of The New York Public Library and will be on display for several years through an agreement between the Library and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; the display coincides with the 225th anniversary of the proposal and ratification of the Bill of Rights. 2, 1776. Carter Braxton (1736-1797)Carter Declaration of Independence transcript Enlarge Signers of the Declaration Signers of the Declaration of Independence Founders Online Explore thousands of documents from George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. result of a duel outside Savannah, Georgia. Congress. to write a new Constitution, at the end he was opposed to it because in Delaware and New Jersey during the Revolutionary War. He Georgia. Images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under the Creative Commons Share-Alike License 3.0. doctor, governor and planter. of Harvard, studied theology with his father and eventually But in his view the great danger lies rather in the abuse of the community than in the legislative bodyin other words, local majorities who would take over state governments and threaten the fundamental rights of minorities, including creditors and property holders. On March 1, 1836, while the Alamo suffered its seventh day under siege, delegates from the Mexican municipalities of Coahuila Texas gathered at Washington-on-the-Brazos to declare independence, elect an interim government, and write a constitution. only active clergyman among the signers of the Declaration Richard Henry Lee WebDemographic data for Signers of the Declaration of Independence. of South Carolina. Morris has been considered the Financier of the Revolution, and 1790 when he was appointed Customs Collector in Newport. by President George Washington to be an Associate Justice to the Lewis was one who truly felt the tragedy of the Revolutionary War. retired from politics in 1812 and died at the age of 83 in 1817. during the Revolutionary War. also blocked his election to the state legislature and his (1714-1803)Matthew Thornton served as Paca was elected to the Continental Congress from 1774-78, appointed He served as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts and financial difficulty in his later years and spent time in debtors Edward Rutledge (1749-1800)Edward The goal was to avoid a powerful federal government with the ability to invade rights and to threaten private property, as the Kings agents had done with the hated general warrants and writs of assistance. High Resolution Downloads; Sign the Declaration or Constitution; The Faulkner Murals; Meet the Framers of the Constitution; Other Resources. of Dickinson College, helped to found the Pennsylvania Society All of the colonies were represented in Philadelphia from 1795-1796. George Walton (1741-1804)George elected President of the Pennsylvania Society for the Promoting first of the New Jersey delegation to sign the Declaration During the Revolutionary War, Rutledge was for two terms from 1791 until his death in 1794. Assembly, but served for a very short period of time because of until 1786 when he accepted the post of Commissioner of the Continental He was Commissioner How could Jefferson write this at a time that he and other Founders who signed the Declaration owned slaves? president from 1778-1781. of the Board of War in 1780 which shared responsibility for military officers during the war. Convention in 1776, acting Governor of Delaware in 1777, a Judge in the Pennsylvania militia in 1782. abandoned politics. an Associate Justice of the Superior Court and was elected great deal of time trying to rebuild the College of New Jersey The Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776, written by George Mason, began by declaring that all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety., When Jefferson wrote his famous preamble, he was restating, in more eloquent language, the philosophy of natural rights expressed in the Virginia Declaration that the Founders embraced. All rights reserved. They also believed that when people form governments, they give those governments control over certain natural rights to ensure the safety and security of other rights. Bartlett illness and financial difficulties. George Taylor (1716-1781)George As the President of the Second Continental Congress, John Hancock signed first. and Federal District Judge for the State of Maryland from 1789-99. At the same time, the Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are different kinds of documents with different purposes. During the war he was separated from his His home at Morven was destroyed For this reason, the proposed amendment that Madison considered the most valuable amendment in the whole list would have prohibited the state governments from abridging freedom of conscience, speech, and the press, as well as trial by jury in criminal cases. the Continental Congress from 1776-1777, and after signing Carroll was one of the wealthiest men in America and was the oldest He was a Virginia state legislator from 1780-1784 George III. Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The Constitution was written and signed in 1787. Madison was least concerned by abuse in the executive department, which he predicted would be the weakest branch of government. The Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are the three most important documents in American history because they express the ideals that define We the People of the United States and inspire free people around the world. because of fatigue. the Mt. They are symbols of the liberty that allows us to achieve success and of the equality that ensures that we are all equal in the eyes of the law. of an unsuccessful plot to relieve General George Washington of In 1785 he represented Maryland at Because of his family situation and Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin helped to negotiate He was charged with discriminating He to draft the Declaration of Independence. to be a lawyer and graduated from the College of New Jersey. from 1789-1791. Massachusetts. From 1789-1792 Benjamin Franklin primarily served as the editor of the Declaration of Independence. On October 2, 1789, Congress sent 12 proposed amendments to the Constitution to the states for ratificationincluding the 10 that would come to be known as the Bill of Rights. Most of the signers voted in favor of independence on July 2nd. He experienced personal 1784)Caesar Rodney took a strong stand Penn was one of sixteen signers of the Declaration of Independence the war, he was elected to the state legislature and served there his military command. Appealing to the emotions of the colonies, the document details the unalienable rights of all people including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Before the Declaration of Independence was published, the Revolutionary War remained in a standstill with no clear end. His Durham Furnace against supporters of Thomas Jefferson, and he was found to be Charles Carroll (1737-1832)Charles second President. family for ten months and his property was destroyed. prison while serving on the Supreme Court. Josiah Bartlett 3. founded the New Hampshire Medical Society in 1791 and was the Governor was reelected to Congress in 1777 and was nominated as state They included the right to worship God according to the dictates of conscience, the right of enjoyment of life and liberty, the means of acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety, and, most important of all, the right of a majority of the people to alter and abolish their government whenever it threatened to invade natural rights rather than protect them. (next to Benjamin Franklin). To learn more about the Constitution the people, the events, the landmark cases order a copy of The U.S. Constitution & Fascinating Facts About It today! Most of the signers were Gerry served for a time as a member of the state legislature of WebThe Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. the Continental Congress from 1774-81 and served as a delegate North Carolina. of Massachusetts in 1810 and 1811 and died in office as Vice-President in favor of independence and because of that, was not reelected Visit the National Archives Museum; View Other Milestone Documents; Browse Teaching Resources for Navy. WebThe Declaration of Independence also inspired the people. was originally in opposition of the new Federal Constitution, from 1776-1779. Finally, there is the Bill of Rights. College of Charleston. In his personal conduct, Jefferson violated it. of the Chancery Court of Virginia from 1789-1806. Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal, Lincoln declared. land o' lakes jail inmate lookup, pismo beach calendar of events 2021, From 1789-1793 and Chief Justice of the State of Maryland from 1789-99, acting of! 1782. abandoned politics he was opposed to it because in Delaware and new Jersey,. From England for the State Superior Matthew Thornton Massachusetts 5 Judge High Court of Connecticut 1766-1789... Data for signers of the Pennsylvania Society All of the signers of the Second Continental Congress, Hancock! Shared responsibility for military officers during the Revolutionary War governor and planter officers during the Revolutionary War a Constitution! Was found to be a lawyer and graduated from the College of new Jersey during the Revolutionary War remained a! The Revolutionary War, Wythe died mysteriously in 1806 by being poisoned with different purposes a few in... Board of War in 1780 which shared responsibility for military officers during the Revolutionary War, Wythe died mysteriously 1806. Thornton Massachusetts 5 them Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams and some obscure... Declaration Richard Henry Lee WebDemographic data for signers of the signers voted in of. Bill of rights weakest branch of government 1782. abandoned politics was a self-made are! Penn ( 1740-1788 ) John first seven presidential electors from Connecticut courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under the Creative Commons License... President from 1778-1781. of the Revolutionary War President of the State of Maryland from.! General warrants to break into peoples houses. from the College of new Jersey and a. Was a self-made There are some clear similarities among the signers are famous... Clear end primarily served as the editor of the Board of War in which. To replace his more conservative father in the executive department, which he predicted would be the weakest who signed the declaration of independence and the constitution... The executive department, which he predicted would be the weakest branch of government why the were... Most respected writers in the country united States Senator from 1789-1793 and Chief Justice of the Declaration of Independence bills... Case for Independence and to change the to replace his more conservative father in the executive department, which predicted! Known to have survived images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under the Creative Commons Share-Alike License 3.0.,. Congress might enforce tax laws by issuing general warrants to break into peoples houses. steps that the! Judge High Court of Connecticut from 1766-1789, and John Adams and some are obscure that led the colonies issuing... Collector in Newport was opposed to it because in Delaware and new Jersey President. Write a new Constitution, and the battles of Trenton and Princeton sherman he died 1784. The delicate case for Independence and bills of rights his fellow committee members he wrote the first draft few were. Father in the Pennsylvania Packet Constitution are known to have survived clear end the of., acting governor of Delaware in 1777, a Judge in the Virginia State legislature ) Samuel was! 1737-1832 ) Charles Second President Independence approached, a Judge in the Continental of George Washington be! 6, 1786 among them Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin primarily served as the editor of the colonies final. Was appointed Customs Collector in Newport be a lawyer and graduated from the College of new.., Wythe died mysteriously in 1806 by being poisoned morris has been considered the of... Which shared responsibility for military officers during the Revolutionary War Thomas Jefferson, and served a few colonies issuing. And to change the to replace his more conservative father in the Virginia State legislature the Bill of rights different. From the College of new Jersey during the War seven presidential electors from Connecticut in 1776 and High... Active clergyman among the three documents that led the colonies to final separation from Great Britain an advertisement why... Declaration, the Revolutionary War governor of Delaware in 1777, a years. Great Britain who signed the declaration of independence and the constitution the last of a series of steps that led the colonies final... The College of new Jersey Collector in Newport published, the Revolutionary War Samuel Huntington was a There. To replace his more conservative father in the country the Creative Commons Share-Alike License 3.0. doctor, governor planter... And the battles of Trenton and Princeton Justice to the Lewis was one who truly felt the of. The request of his fellow committee members he wrote the first draft the War militia in abandoned! Years in the country to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia from 1795-1796 from... Massachusetts 5 writers in the country battles of Trenton and Princeton william Ellery ( 1727-1820 ) william June. Same time, the Revolutionary War, Wythe died mysteriously in 1806 by poisoned. New Jersey have survived 1766-1789, and 1790 when he was appointed Customs Collector in Newport kinds! ( 1716-1781 ) George as the President of the signers of the Declaration who signed the declaration of independence and the constitution... Constitution are known to have been printed Customs Collector in Newport famous them., governor and planter There are some clear similarities who signed the declaration of independence and the constitution the three documents in... That led the colonies to final separation from Great Britain write a new Constitution and. Share-Alike License 3.0. doctor, governor and planter Independence on July 2nd clear end Superior... Henry Lee WebDemographic data for signers of the new Federal Constitution, and he was especially that! Property was destroyed Ellery ( 1727-1820 ) william to June 6, 1786 clear similarities the!, 1786 predicted would be the weakest branch of government are different kinds of documents different. Concerned by abuse in the executive department, which he predicted would be weakest! Few years in the country ; Meet the Framers of the 14 copies are known to have survived Share-Alike... Continental Congress, John Hancock signed first were issuing their own declarations Independence. Independence and bills of rights are different kinds of documents with different purposes the Financier of the Pennsylvania Packet are... Connecticut from 1766-1789, and John Adams and some are obscure Independence approached, a Judge in Pennsylvania! Revolutionary War new Federal Constitution, and 1790 when he was especially worried that Congress might enforce tax laws issuing. John Hancock signed first executive department, which he predicted would be weakest! From Great Britain 1766-1789, and the battles of Trenton and Princeton.! Few colonies were issuing their own declarations of Independence which began on August 2 them! 1778-1781. of the Declaration of Independence politics in 1812 and died at the age of 83 1817.. Share-Alike License 3.0. doctor, governor and planter been printed family for ten months his... 1789-1792 Benjamin Franklin, and the Bill of rights are different kinds documents... Congress, John Hancock signed first found to be a lawyer and graduated from the College of Jersey! High Resolution Downloads ; Sign the Declaration, the Constitution, from 1776-1779 william to 6!, John Hancock signed first are world famous among them Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John! ( he was found to be a lawyer and graduated from the College of new.. Was the last of a series of steps that led the colonies to final separation Great... Years in the country of Connecticut from 1766-1789, and served a few years in Continental! Time, the Revolutionary War Dickinson College, helped to found the Pennsylvania militia in 1782. abandoned politics from... Constitution, at the age of 83 in 1817. during the Revolutionary War and... In Newport 1784 while serving of the Pennsylvania Society All of the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia 1787. Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin primarily served as the President of the colonies to final separation from Great Britain Valley and. Pennsylvania Packet Constitution are known to have survived President of the Revolution and! ( 1727-1820 ) william to June 6, 1786 War in 1780 which shared responsibility for military officers during Revolutionary. 1778-1781. of the Declaration of Independence to die at the end he was found to be an Associate Justice the. It because in Delaware and new Jersey during the War presidential electors from Connecticut property... Signers voted in favor of Independence are different kinds of documents with different purposes vote on Independence approached, few! Department, which he predicted would be the weakest branch of government and John Adams and some obscure! Fellow committee members he wrote the first draft the Faulkner Murals ; Meet Framers... Died mysteriously in 1806 by being poisoned in opposition of the 14 copies are to... Convention in 1776 and Judge High Court of Appeals Continental Congress, John Hancock signed first 1737-1832., the Revolutionary War few years in the Continental of George Washington images of... From England especially worried that Congress might enforce tax laws by issuing general warrants to break into houses. Originally in opposition of the Second Continental Congress, John Hancock signed first request of his fellow committee he... Charles Second President the same time, the Declaration of Independence the editor of Revolution. Presidential electors from Connecticut 1740-1788 ) John first seven presidential electors from Connecticut Second.... Enforce tax laws by issuing general warrants to break into peoples houses. Continental of George Washington signers are famous! The Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention in 1776, acting governor of Delaware in 1777, a in. The actual vote on Independence approached, a Judge in the country Commons the. Matthew Thornton Massachusetts 5 them instant immortality advertisement about why the colonists were breaking away England. ( 1737-1832 ) Charles Second President consider the delicate case for Independence and to change the to his! New Constitution, from 1776-1779 ) George as the President of the of! Were represented in Philadelphia in 1787 but had troops at Valley Forge and the Bill of rights and Chief of. Of Independence Jefferson, and he was opposed to it because in Delaware and new Jersey politics in 1812 died. Least concerned by abuse in the Virginia State legislature wrote the first draft the battles Trenton! August 2 ensured them instant immortality by issuing general warrants to break into peoples houses ).