Who was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence connected with America250?

Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence connected with America250, signing at age 70.

Franklin represented Pennsylvania in the Second Continental Congress and served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration. He was already internationally known as a printer, scientist, diplomat, and political thinker.

Franklin’s age is often compared with that of Edward Rutledge, who was the youngest signer at 26. The contrast illustrates the wide age range among the delegates who committed themselves to independence.

Franklin had a major role in the revolutionary cause beyond the Declaration. He helped secure the French alliance during the Revolutionary War and later participated in the Constitutional Convention. He was also the only person to sign the Declaration, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and the U.S. Constitution.