There were 55 delegates who attended at least part of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, although only 39 ultimately signed the Constitution.

Quick Scoop

  • A total of 55 men served as delegates at the Constitutional Convention.
  • They came from 12 of the 13 states; Rhode Island chose not to send any delegates.
  • Due to absences, usually only about 30–40 delegates were present on any given day.

A Bit More Detail

  • The original states appointed about 70 individuals, but several declined or were unable to attend, leaving 55 who actually took part in the sessions at some point.
  • When the final document was ready on September 17, 1787, only 39 of the 55 delegates signed the Constitution, as some had left early and others refused to sign.

In forum and history discussions, when people ask “how many delegates were at the Constitutional Convention,” the standard accepted answer is 55 delegates attended, 39 signed.

TL;DR: 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention; 39 of them signed the U.S. Constitution.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.