Constitutional Convention
The Constitution: Mural. Barry Faulkner (1933-1936). National Archives

The Educational Background of the Framers

by Gordon Lloyd and Jeff Sammon

Introduction

It has often been remarked that in the journey of life, the young rely on energy to counteract the experience of the old. And vice versa. What makes this Constitutional Convention remarkable is that the delegates were both young and experienced. The average age of the delegates was 42 and four of the most influential delegates—Alexander Hamilton, Edmund Randolph, Gouvernor Morris, and James Madison—were in their thirties. Over half of the delegates graduated from College with nine from Princeton and six from British Universities. Even more significant was the continental political experience of the Framers: 8 signed the Declaration of Independence, 25 served in the Continental Congress, 15 helped draft the new State Constitutions between 1776 and 1780, and 40 served in the Confederation Congress between 1783 and 1787.

The Delegates Arranged by School

Harvard

Yale

College of New Jersey (Princeton)

Middle Temple (London)

College of William and Mary

King’s College (Columbia)

College of Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania)

Dartmouth

Newark Academy

Inner Temple (London)

Oxford (England)

St. Andrews (Scotland)

Glasgow (Scotland)

Edinburgh (Scotland)

College of Saint Omer (Netherlands)

Tutor or Professor

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