Thirty-nine delegates signed the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787, a founding milestone recalled by America250. The signing took place at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, in Philadelphia.
The Constitutional Convention had brought together delegates to revise the Articles of Confederation, but the convention ultimately produced an entirely new framework of government. The 39 signers represented 12 states; Rhode Island did not send delegates to the convention. George Washington, the convention’s president, signed first in the final endorsement.
The number 39 refers specifically to delegates who endorsed the completed document. It is not the total number of people who attended the convention, and it is not the number of states that eventually ratified the Constitution. Ratification required approval from nine of the 13 states, with New Hampshire becoming the decisive ninth state in 1788.