Was the constitution written by the founding fathers?

Answer 1

I'm not an American history buff so you should probably do a bit of research yourself. I believe the term "Founding Fathers" can be taken three ways: the gentlemen that signed the Declaration of Independence, all of the men that were involved in the making and signing of the Declaration and the Constitution or Richard B. Morris's definition.

If taken the first way then no, the Constitution was not written by the Founding Fathers. Of the 56 that signed the Declaration of Independence, only 6 (i think) signed the Constitution as well.

By Richard B. Morris's (historian, former chairman of history department at Columbia University) definition the "Founding Fathers" are Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. AKA the ones you keep hearing about, who's faces you see everyday on our bills and loose change or see occasionally on those collectible dollar coins.

Answer 2

The convention in Philadelphia (Constitutional Convention), at which the Constitution was written, began on 25 May 1787. In September, a committee was assigned to write the final document. On September 17, 1787, forty-two of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention held their final meeting. It was signed on Monday, 17 September 1787.

Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania was put in charge of the committee to draft the final copy of the United States Constitution.

The other men who had much to do with writing the new Constitution included John Dickinson, Edmund Randolph, Roger Sherman, James Wilson, and George Wythe. Morris was given the task of putting all the convention's resolutions and decisions into polished form. Morris actually "wrote" the Constitution. The original copy of the document is preserved in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C.

Jacob Shallus, assistant clerk of the Pennsylvania State Assemble, was given the task of engrossing the Constitution prior to the signing of the document. His office was in the same building in which the Convention was held.