Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of the United States Constitution.
Franklin was 81 when he signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. He represented Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention and was one of the most internationally famous American statesmen of the period.
Franklin's age and health made his participation especially notable. During the convention's final session, James Wilson read an address for Franklin, who then proposed wording for the document's closing endorsement. The endorsement expressed the unanimous consent of the states present, a phrase intended to project unity despite disagreements among delegates.
Thirty-nine delegates signed the Constitution. Rhode Island did not send delegates to the convention, and several attendees declined to sign. Franklin's role should not be confused with that of George Washington, who presided over the convention, or James Madison, who is often called the Constitution's principal architect. Franklin was also the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence.