Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of the United States Constitution.
Franklin was 81 when he signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787. He represented Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention and was one of the most experienced public figures in the room. His age and reputation made him a prominent symbol of continuity between the Revolutionary generation and the new constitutional government.
Franklin was also the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence, although he was 70 in 1776. That distinction can cause confusion because the two documents had different signers, dates, and political purposes. Franklin’s presence links the declaration, the Revolution, and the later constitutional settlement.
The youngest Constitution signer was Jonathan Dayton, who was 26. George Washington presided over the convention and signed first, but he was not the oldest delegate. The Constitution was endorsed by 39 signers, with Franklin among the three delegates who signed from Pennsylvania after the convention’s debates concluded.