The Signers (Part 2)

The 13 Freemasons Who Signed the Constitution

In the sweltering summer of 1787 men from all over the new American nation traveled to Philadelphia to help forge a new system of governent. Amoung the fifty-five delegates were at least thirteen Freemasons. This course examines the critical transition from the failing Articles of Confederation to a durable framework of national governance. More specifically, it highlights the thirteen Brother Masons who utilized their shared philosophical values and a common language of duty to bridge massive regional and professional divides.

In this course learn about:

1.     The Road to Philadelphia: Understand the economic collapse, inflation, and interstate disputes that doomed the Articles of Confederation.
2.     Compromise and Creation: Review the fierce debates over representation, the Virginia and New Jersey Plans, and the compromises that ultimately saved the convention from total failure.
3.     The Challenge of Ratification: Track the challenging state by state battle for ratification and the necessary creation of the Bill of Rights to appease anti-federalists.
4.     The Masonic Signers: Study the biographies and contributions of thirteen specific Brothers, including heavyweights like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, as well as crucial figures like Jacob Broom and Daniel Carroll.
5.     Fraternal Foundations: Discover how the Masonic network intertwined with the military and political circles of the early American republic to help build a new nation

This course is a required course for the Americanism Suite of Courses.