Signing of the United States Constitution
- When
- 1787
- Where
- Independence Hall, Philadelphia; New York City, temporary capital
- Episodes
- 3
On September 17, 1787, the Constitutional Convention meeting in Philadelphia concluded its work: delegates voted on the proposed frame of government, it was engrossed on parchment by Jacob Shallus, and 39 of 55 delegates signed the document. The signing capped a convention that had assembled on May 25, 1787, originally to revise the Articles of Confederation, and within three days the signed Constitution was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City.
Episodes
- Convention convenes at Independence Hall
After a postponed opening on May 14 for lack of a quorum, the convention assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, sitting until September 17.
- Signing of the United States Constitution
On September 17, 1787, delegates voted on the constitution, Jacob Shallus inscribed it on parchment, and 39 of 55 delegates signed the document.
- Constitution submitted to the Congress of the Confederation
Within three days of the September 17, 1787 signing, the Constitution was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation, then sitting in New York City.
Background and detail
Background. The convention grew out of dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation. By 1786 the United States faced default on its debts, and rural violence in Massachusetts during Shays' Rebellion (1786–1787) underscored governmental weakness. In September 1786 the Annapolis Convention met, and on February 21, 1787, the Confederation Congress endorsed a Philadelphia convention for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles.
Convention and Framing. The convention assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787. Though called to revise the existing league of states, proponents such as James Madison of Virginia and Alexander Hamilton of New York sought an entirely new frame of government. Madison's Notes of Debates, along with Yates's notes through mid-July, remain the fullest first-person record of the proceedings.
The Signing. On September 17, 1787, the delegates voted on the completed document, which Jacob Shallus inscribed on parchment with engraving for printing, and 39 of the 55 delegates signed. The signing of the United States Constitution thus occurred when 39 delegates endorsed the constitution created during the convention, completing the framing work begun in May.
People involved
- James Madison · Virginia delegate and leading proponent of a new frame of government; his Notes of Debates are the most complete first-person record of the convention
- Alexander Hamilton · New York delegate and leading proponent of creating a new frame of government rather than revising the Articles
- Jacob Shallus · Inscribed the Constitution on parchment with engraving for printing
Sources
- Constitution of the United States Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-29
- Constitutional Convention (United States) Wikipedia
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.