The Constitutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia

12/11/2024

On this day in history in 1725, American Founding Father George Mason was born. Mason is known as the Father of the Bill of Rights.
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Mason was the primary author of the 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights that was influential in helping to shape the Declaration of Independence shortly afterward and was even drawn from by other governments around the world, including France's Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. ⠀
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Mason was a member of the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia where he played a significant role and clashed with fellow Virginian James Madison, while ultimately refusing to sign the Constitution due to its lack of a Bill of Rights for citizens. Mason's vocal leadership on the issue would eventually lead to our current Bill of Rights, amended to the Constitution shortly after its ratification. ⠀
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While not a signer of the Constitution, The recognizes Mason's important role in the creation of the Constitution by placing him in Signer's Hall where there are life sized statues of all signers of the Constitution. He stands in the corner, with two other dissenters, Elbridge Gerry and Edmund Randolph. His statue is pictured. ⠀
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You can learn more about Mason in our blog: https://buff.ly/3yltspV
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12/05/2024

On this day in history in 1735, American Founding Father Hugh Williamson was born. Born in Pennsylvania, Williamson attended the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania) and graduated from the school's very first class in 1757. Williamson taught Mathematics at UPenn following his graduation, before shifting to medicine and becoming a doctor.

During the Revolutionary War Williamson served as a military physician. After the war, Williamson settled in North Carolina and became the state's Surgeon General.

Williamson attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787 as a representative of North Carolina and helped to debate, draft and sign the United States Constitution.

Pictured is a statue of Williamson's statue (left) located in the .

You can learn more about Williamson in our blog: https://buff.ly/3orGrTU
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12/03/2024

On this day in history in 1726, American Founding Father George Wythe was born. Wythe taught Thomas Jefferson at the College of William and Mary and became a lifelong friend and mentor of Jefferson.

Wythe was a member of the Second Continental Congress along with Jefferson and would sign Jefferson's Declaration of Independence.

After signing the Declaration, Wythe returned to Virginia where he became a judge on Virginia's High Court of Chancery. Wythe owned slaves for the majority of his life and benefited from the institution of slavery, but in his later years, Wythe freed his slaves and became an outspoken abolitionist. While sitting on Virginia's high court, Wythe made a ruling in the 1806 case Hudgins v. Wright, that held that based on Virginia's Declaration of Independence, "all men were presumptively free in Virginia." This ruling had broad implications that could have ended slavery in Virginia through judicial interpretation. In appeal however, the Virginia Supreme Court overruled Wythe's interpretation of the Virginia Declaration of Independence and slavery continued in Virginia for over half a century.

To learn more about Wythe, head to our blog: https://buff.ly/3lvTdim

12/02/2024

On this day in history in 1729, American Founding Father Josiah Bartlett was born. Born in Massachusetts, Bartlett eventually moved to New Hampshire where he served as the State's first Governor. Bartlett also served in the Second Continental Congress representing New Hampshire and signed the Declaration of Independence.

Bartlett may however be most famous though for his role in the fictional political drama, The West Wing. Josiah Bartlett is the ancestor of the fictional character Jed Bartlett, portrayed by Martin Sheen (pictured), who is the President of the United States on The West Wing.

You can learn more about Bartlett in our blog: https://buff.ly/3XmiqwX
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12/02/2024

Thank you for a great season! Remember we offer private tours all year round! Book your tour now: buff.ly/312kB0m

The Constitutional Walking Tour provides an overview of Historic Philadelphia. Sightseeing tour visits more than 20 sites including the Liberty Bell & Independence Hall.

11/30/2024

On this day in history in 1723, American Founding Father William Livingston was born. Born in New York, Livingston attended Yale University and became a lawyer in New York City before moving to New Jersey where he was elected to represent New Jersey in the First and Second Continental Congresses.

Livingston was recalled by the New Jersey Legislature in June of 1776 because he thought declaring independence was premature at that time and replaced by a representative that supported Independence. Livingston nonetheless fought for Independence in the American Revolutionary War.

Livingston also served as New Jersey's first Governor and attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787 where he helped to debate, draft and sign the United States Constitution.

Pictured is a statue of Livingston located in the .

You can learn more about Livingston in our blog: https://buff.ly/3pcH0A8
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11/29/2024

Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday! Support a small business and join us on a tour of historic Philadelphia! Tomorrow is our final day of tours for the 2024 season. If you can’t attend tomorrow, we also have giftcards available for the 2025 season. A giftcard to The Constitutional makes the perfect holiday gift for the history lover in your life! Get your tickets and giftcards now: TheConstitutional.com

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at The Constitutional Walking Tour!

11/23/2024

On this day in history in 1749, American Founding Father Edward Rutledge was born.
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As a representative of South Carolina, Rutledge served in the First and Second Continental Congresses where he voted for Independence and was a signatory to the Declaration of Independence. Only 26 years old at the time of his signing, Rutledge was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence, 44 years younger than the oldest signer, Benjamin Franklin.

Rutledge served in the South Carolina Militia during the Revolution and was taken as a prisoner of war following the siege of Charleston.
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After the war, Rutledge would go on to serve as governor of South Carolina. You can learn more about Rutledge in our blog: https://buff.ly/3cCp9fU
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11/23/2024

On this day in history in 1754, American Founding Father Abraham Baldwin was born. Born in Connecticut, Baldwin attended Yale where he studied to be a minister.

During the American Revolution Baldwin joined the Continental Army as a Chaplain and served throughout the Revolution. When the Revolution ended Baldwin settled in Georgia and was later chosen to represent the state at the Constitutional Convention where Baldwin signed the Constitution.
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Baldwin would also go on to be the first President of the University of Georgia, and to serve in the House of Representatives and the Senate where he held the role of Pro Tempore. Pictured is a statue of Baldwin located in the .

You can learn more about Baldwin in our blog: https://buff.ly/3CJjDTh
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11/22/2024

On this day in 1744, American Founding Mother Abigail Adams was born in Massachusetts.

Adams was an influential advisor and confidant to husband and founding father John Adams. Abigail and John exchanged countless letters while John was absent for over a decade due to activities related to the founding of America. In her letters Abigail was a tireless advocate for ending slavery and the rights of women.

Adams would also serve as the second First Lady of the United States. You can learn more about Adams in our blog: https://buff.ly/3CGZxZM

11/22/2024

On the 61st Anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, we honor this great president with memories of happier times when President Kennedy spoke at the Independence Day celebration at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on July 4, 1962. In his speech, President Kennedy praised the American democratic system which encourages differences and allows for dissent, discussed the enduring relevance of the Constitution of the United States and The Declaration of Independence, and addressed the role of the United States of America in relation to the then emerging European nations in 1962.

You can learn more about Kennedy's 1962 visit to Philadelphia in our blog: https://buff.ly/366EQZx

11/21/2024

The First Thanksgiving parade, sponsored by Gimbel Brothers Department Store, was held in 1920 in Philadelphia. The parade would conclude with Santa Claus ceremoniously arriving at the Gimbel's flagship store on Market Street. Santa would then climb up the ladder of a Philadelphia Fire Department hook and ladder truck and enter the Gimbel's toy department from a window.

The Gimbel's Thanksgiving Day parade actually pre-dated the Macy's parade by four years, as the famous New York City Thanksgiving Day Parade started in 1924. While Gimbel's no longer exists, the Philadelphia parade has been an annual tradition since 1920 and continues as the Dunkin Donuts' Thanksgiving Day Parade.

11/20/2024

On this day in history in 1726, American Founding Father Oliver Wolcott was born. Born in Connecticut, Wolcott's father was the influential governor of the colony while it was under British rule. ⠀
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Wolcott served in the Connecticut Militia during the French and Indian War and again during the American Revolution. In 1776, Wolcott served in the Second Continental Congress where he voted for Independence and was a signatory to the Declaration of Independence. Wolcott then returned to fighting and served in the Continental Army.⠀
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Wolcott would go to serve as Connecticut's governor after independence. You can learn more about Wolcott in our blog: https://buff.ly/3CGRwV2
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11/19/2024

On this day in 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (143 miles West of Independence Hall in Philadelphia).

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Background: The beginning of the Gettysburg Address (four score and seven years ago...) refers back to the year 1776 when our Founding Fathers signed The Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. President Lincoln's speech occurred four and a half months after the Union armies defeated General Robert E. Lee and his Confederate States of America forces at the Battle of Gettysburg; the Battle marked a turning point in the Civil War.

11/17/2024

On this day in history Congress moved to Washington D.C. in 1800.

After spending time in nine different cities over the course of its first 24 years of history, including Philadelphia for the last ten years and 16 years overall, the United States Capital moved for the final time on this date in 1800.

Read more in our blog : https://buff.ly/3oFQ1kD
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11/16/2024

On this day in history in 1753, American Founding Father James McHenry was born. Born in Ireland, McHenry immigrated to Philadelphia at the age of 18 and studied to become a surgeon. During the Revolutionary War, McHenry served as a surgeon in the Continental Army and was taken as a prisoner of war by the British.

After the Revolution, McHenry moved to Maryland and was chosen to represent the state at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, where he was one of seven immigrants to sign the United States Constitution.

Learn more about McHenry who also served as Secretary of War under George Washington in our blog: https://buff.ly/3Ckeilg

11/15/2024

On this day in 1777, the Articles of Confederation were adopted in York, Pennsylvania. The Articles provided domestic and international legitimacy for the Continental Congress to lead America during the Revolutionary War. Those who created the Articles were very reticent to give too much power to a central federal government, thus in the Articles of Confederation, the states maintained most of the power. However, the Articles of Confederation proved too weak to hold the nation together after the Revolution ended and the failure of the Articles led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia in 1787. ⠀
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Read more in our blog: https://buff.ly/3DoOxl6
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