Who was the first person to sign the U.S. Constitution?

While most will misread the question and think of the Declaration of Independence instead of the U.S. Constitution, the initial signature was that of George Washington in his capacity of president of the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Benjamin Franklin, at age 81, was the oldest to sign. Neither John Adams nor John Hancock, both of Massachusetts, was a delegate to the convention. While Franklin, Hancock, and Adams were all part of the Declaration of Independence, Washington was fighting the British. As to the Constitution, Washington signed first in his role of president, followed by signers of twelve of the original thirteen colonies.

The original signers, listed by the individual states are in order from north to south. Absent was Rhode Island which had abstained from sending any delegate to the convention. Only signer James Madison of Virginia followed Washington into the presidency as the fourth elected president--1809 to 1817.