List of U.S. Presidents Who Signed the U.S. Constitution or Declaration of Independence
When we think about the Founding Fathers who built the United States, we often picture them sitting in the hot assembly room in Philadelphia, dipping goose quill pens into inkwells to sign our country's great charters of freedom.
We might assume that because these men started the country, almost all of them went on to become president. But history has a surprising statistic: out of all the dozens of men who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the U.S. Constitution in 1787, only four individual men went on to achieve the office of the presidency.
Many of the other signers grew old, lost their fortunes during the Revolutionary War, or chose to serve as judges, governors, and senators instead. Here is the exclusive list of the only four U.S. presidents who personally signed these foundational documents.
Presidents Who Signed the Declaration of Independence (1776)
Out of the 56 brave patriots who risked everything to sign the Declaration of Independence, only two went on to live in the White House. Remarkably, both of them were part of the tiny "Committee of Five" chosen to actually write the document!
1. John Adams (2nd President)
John Adams was one of the fiercest champions for American independence. Representing Massachusetts at the Second Continental Congress, he spoke with massive energy to convince the other delegates that breaking away from Great Britain was the only choice. Because of his great arguments, he was a clear pick to sign his name right near the top of the document under John Hancock's famous signature.
2. Thomas Jefferson (3rd President)
Thomas Jefferson holds a special place in history because he didn't just sign the Declaration—he was its primary author! At just 33 years old, Jefferson locked himself in his rented room in Philadelphia for days, using a portable writing desk he designed himself to write the famous words: "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." He proudly signed the document alongside his Virginia teammates.
The Historic Coincidence: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson started as close friends, became bitter political rivals, and finally became deep friends again in old age. In one of the most unbelievable coincidences in world history, both men passed away on the exact same day: July 4, 1826. This was the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence!
Presidents Who Signed the U.S. Constitution (1787)
Eleven years after the Declaration, a new group of leaders gathered to write the ultimate "rule book" for how the government would run. Out of the 39 men who signed the finalized U.S. Constitution, only two became president.
1. George Washington (1st President)
You might be surprised to learn that George Washington did not sign the Declaration of Independence. In the summer of 1776, he wasn't at the meetings in Philadelphia; he was already out in the field leading the Continental Army as General! However, by 1787, he was chosen to lead the Constitutional Convention. As the president of the convention, his signature sits prominently at the very bottom of the document, endorsing the new government he would soon be chosen to lead.
2. James Madison (4th President)
James Madison is widely celebrated as the "Father of the Constitution." He was a quiet, short, and studious man from Virginia who prepared for the convention by reading dozens of books about ancient governments. He arrived with a brilliant blueprint called the "Virginia Plan," which formed the three branches of government we use today. He kept meticulous, handwritten notes during the debates and proudly signed his name to the final document.
At-a-Glance Founding Document Matrix
| President | Document Signed | Role in Creating the Document |
| John Adams | Declaration of Independence | The passionate debater who convinced delegates to vote for independence. |
| Thomas Jefferson | Declaration of Independence | The primary author who drafted the famous text with a goose quill pen. |
| George Washington | U.S. Constitution | The leader of the convention whose presence gave the document authority. |
| James Madison | U.S. Constitution | The master architect who designed our system of checks and balances. |
Summary for Kids: Quality Over Quantity
While it might seem like a small list, these four men represent the absolute powerhouse leaders of early America. By looking at this list, we can see that the men who were brave enough to sign the papers declaring our freedom were the exact same men who had the wisdom to build the laws keeping us free. They didn't just talk about leadership; they personally signed their names to a dangerous promise and spent the rest of their lives working to keep it.
What do you think?
- If you had to write a brand-new declaration for your schoolroom, what is the most important value you would want everyone to sign their name to?
