Nathaniel Gorham-Signer of the Constitution

Nathaniel Gorham was born on May 27, 1938 in Charlestown, Massachusetts and he died on June 11, 1796 in the same city.  Gorham started out in a respectable family, but he soon made his name as a self-made merchant.  Towards the beginning of the Revolutionary War, Nathaniel Gorham served in the Massachusetts legislature.  He served, during the war against England, on the Massachusetts War Board.  As a member of the war board he helped in the obtaining of manpower and the organization of Massachusetts' military.  He also served as the President of the Continental Congress for a short time.

As a delegate to the Constitutional Congress in Philadelphia, Gorham like fellow Federalists in Congress pushed for a strong federal government.  From his aspect as a businessmen he pushed for a strong enough national government to promote international trade and regulation on the use of paper money.  However, when Nathaniel Gorham returned to his home state, he helped gain Massachusetts' ratification to the Constitution by promising the inclusion of a Bill of Rights (as were many other delegates with their states).  Massachusetts was convinced and they voted to ratify the Constitution.  Gorham was a little bit pessimistic about the endurance of the newly formed nation, but because of his help towards the establishment of the United States our county has had the longest standing Constitution in world history.