- The word “democracy” never appears in the Constitution; it instead establishes a republic.
- James Madison’s detailed notes on the Constitutional Convention were kept secret until he died and were later purchased by the government for $30,000 in 1837.
- Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer at 81, needing assistance, while Jonathan Dayton was the youngest at 26.
- Thomas Jefferson and John Adams did not sign the Constitution, as they were serving as ministers in France and Great Britain, respectively.
- Jacob Shallus, an assistant clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, penned the document and was paid $30.
- After the Pearl Harbor bombing, the Constitution was moved to Fort Knox for safekeeping.
- Delegates initially gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 only to revise the Articles of Confederation, not to write a new constitution.
- Patrick Henry “smelled a rat” and refused to attend the convention, fearing a strong central government.
- At roughly 4,400 words in the original text, it is one of the shortest written constitutions of any major nation.
- George Washington was unanimously elected president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, but he rarely spoke during the debates, choosing instead to preside with restraint while the delegates shaped the Constitution.
More Top 10 “Did You Know” Facts About the U.S. Constitution
Discover surprising facts about the U.S. Constitution, from its authors and signers to little-known historical details that shaped America’s founding document.
April 27, 2026
6 Responses
Thank you for educating us on the finer details of the important documents of our Great USA! If our schools don’t bother to educate our kids sufficiently, it’s essential we find an another way to do this. Children are the foundation of our great Nation in the future. What ever happened to saying the Lord’s Prayer, the Pledge allegiance to our Flag in schools today? Did this lead to the George Soros riots, like the one against Israel that happened in Manhattan this week? This MUST be taken control of and fast!
You have duplicated the Pearl Harbor comment.
“Delegates initially gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 only to revise the Articles of Confederation, not to write a new constitution.” This is a myth. New York and Massachusetts did issue commissions that restricted their commissioners to revising the Articles of Confederation, but the convention as a whole was not so restricted.
Every member attending the Philadelphia 1787 convention followed their instructions given to them by their states.
It was Virginia that issued the call on November 23, 1786, without restricting the convention to revising the Articles of Confederation. Virginia called the Philadelphia meeting after agreement could not be reached at the Annapolis Convention in the prior year.
The purpose of Virginia’s call to Philadelphia was for “devising and discussing all such alterations and further provisions, as may be necessary to render the Federal Constitution adequate to the exigencies of the Union. [meet Second Monday in May 1787 in Philadelphia]”
By the time the Continental Congress gave it’s “support”, six states had already agreed to meet. In fact, the Articles of Confederation did not grant the Confederation Congress the power to call a Convention of the States.
You put after the Pearl Harbor Bombing TWICE in this article. Very unprofessional. I hope that was an AI mistake (Artificial Ignorance). Otherwise a Great Article.
After the Pearl Harbor bombing, the Constitution was moved to Fort Knox for safekeeping.
I like the Insite to the constitution.
The GREATEST document ever created by man with the hand of God. It was not created for the time it was created to last for all time. [hat tip Charlie Kirk] It represents the perfect balance of 3 branches at its core but sadly the 3rd branch JUDICIAL has rotted and molded the core. We must bring the original document back to its full meaning and intent. Repeal the 16th, 17th Amendments and prohibit the creation of rules by an Administrative branches that were never a part of the original.