The United States Constitution was signed at Independence Hall, a landmark in America250’s founding story.
The signing took place in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787, at the building then known as the Pennsylvania State House. The Constitutional Convention had met there during the summer to design a stronger federal system after the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation became apparent.
Thirty-nine delegates signed the document on the final day of the convention. George Washington, who presided over the convention, signed first. Rhode Island did not send delegates, and several delegates who attended the convention declined to sign the finished Constitution.
The building had already been important during the Revolutionary era because the Second Continental Congress met there and adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Its later name, Independence Hall, reflects that broader history. It is sometimes confused with Congress Hall, another Philadelphia building where the federal government later met.