The U.S. Constitution

James Madison Biography

James Madison was born into a prosperous Virginia family on March 16, 1751, at Belle Grove plantation. His upbringing afforded him educational opportunities that many of his contemporaries lacked. From the age of 11, under private tutors, Madison embarked on rigorous studies that spanned subjects...

John Hancock Biography

John Hancock was born on January 23, 1737, in Braintree, Massachusetts. After the death of his father, young John moved in with his uncle Thomas Hancock, a prosperous merchant in Boston. Under the guidance of his uncle, John attended the Boston Latin School and later Harvard College, where he...

John Jay Biography

John Jay was born on December 12, 1745, in New York City to a prosperous merchant family of French Huguenot roots. He received his early education from private tutors and entered King's College (later renamed Columbia University) at the age of 14. At King's College, Jay studied a wide range of...

Gouverneur Morris Childhood

Gouverneur Morris was born in 1752 at Morrisania estate, now part of modern-day Bronx. His father was a judge and his grandfather a colonial governor. Morris enrolled in King's College (present-day Columbia University) at the age of 12. Early education during this colonial era typically prepared...

Roger Sherman Childhood

Roger Sherman was born in Newton, Massachusetts and later lived in Stoughton. Despite sparse formal schooling, he pursued a rigorous self-education with support from his father's well-stocked library. This ignited his intellectual curiosity from a young age. Though his days were predominantly...

Alexander Hamilton was born in Charlestown, Nevis, an island in the West Indies, between 1755 and 1757. His father, James Hamilton, was a Scottish merchant, and his mother, Rachel Fawcett, was of French Huguenot descent. They were not legally married due to Rachel's prior unresolved marital status,...

John Adams Childhood

John Adams, born to John Adams Sr. and Susanna Boylston, hailed from a lineage deeply rooted in the Puritan tradition that pervaded Massachusetts in the 18th century. The Adams family commanded respect within their community due to their religious and moral values. Deacon John Adams Sr., John's...

Richard Henry Lee Biography

Richard Henry Lee was born on January 20, 1732, in Stratford, Virginia, to the wealthy and influential Lee family. Following the early deaths of both his parents during his adolescence, Lee's education was entrusted to the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Despite...

Charles Carroll Biography

Born on September 19, 1737, in Annapolis, Maryland, Charles Carroll was immersed from birth into a family where Catholic faith and prosperous society intertwined. At age ten, Charles began his schooling at the Jesuit school at Bohemia Manor, learning under the discreet but vigilant eye of his...

John Marshall Biography

John Marshall was born on September 24, 1755, near Germantown, Virginia. As the eldest of 15 children, he experienced a childhood of rugged frontier living which influenced his later views on life and law. His father, Thomas Marshall, was a land surveyor and engaged in local politics. Marshall's...

Benjamin Franklin Biography

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1706, to Josiah Franklin and Abiah Folger. He was the fifteenth of seventeen children in a family of modest means. Franklin's formal education was brief, lasting only until the age of ten due to financial constraints. However, his...

George Washington Biography

Born in 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, George Washington was introduced early to the expectations and challenges of the Virginia planter elite. His family had notable connections, with his father, Augustine Washington, involved in agriculture and iron mining, and his mother, Mary Ball...

Also see the Constitutional Topics Page for this document, a comparison of the Articles and the Constitution , and a table with demographic data for the signers of the Articles . Images of the Articles are available . Contents Preamble Article I – Style Article II – States Rights Article III...

John Adams Biography

John Adams, born on October 30, 1735, in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, grew up in modest surroundings, which instilled in him a strong work ethic. The eldest of three sons to farmer and cobbler John Adams Sr. and Susanna Boylston Adams, John's intellectual talents quickly became apparent...

The Albany Plan In late 1753, the London Board of Trade wrote to New York Governor James DeLancey. The Board supervised provincial affairs in the Americas. It was concerned about the French courting of the Iroquois (the Six Nations) and with the actions of some colonies which were antagonizing the...

The Report of the Annapolis Conference In September 1786, a conference was called in Annapolis, Maryland to discuss the state of commerce in the fledgling nation. The national government had no authority to regulate trade between and among the states. The conference was called to discuss ways to...

U.S. Constitution

U.S. Constitution – Signatories Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth. In Witness whereof We have...

U.S. Constitution

U.S. Constitution – Preamble We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility , provide for the common defence , promote the general Welfare , and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity , do ordain...

The Constitution for Kids (8th-12th Grade)

This file is intended for students in grades 8 through 12. Other versions of this page are available: The Constitution for Kids: Kindergarten through 3rd Grade The Constitution for Kids: 4th through 7th Grade Pictures of the Constitution The main site Want to change this page’s colors? Choose a...

The Constitution for Kids (4th-7th Grade)

This file is intended for students in grades 4 through 7. Other versions of this page are available: The Constitution for Kids: Kindergarten through 3rd Grade The Constitution for Kids: 8th through 12th Grade Pictures of the Constitution The main site Want to change this page’s colors? Choose a...