Sarah Mitchell
Charles Carroll, also known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was a wealthy planter and politician from Maryland, and a cousin to America's first Catholic bishop, John Carroll. Carroll's signature on the Declaration of Independence was an enormous achievement at a time when anti-Catholic sentiment was widespread among American colonists. He was the last surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence, dying 56 years after its signing in 1832.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholics who signed the Declaration of Independence | 1 |
| Name of the Catholic signatory | Charles Carroll (of Carrollton) |
| Year of signing | 1776 |
| Date of signing | 4th of July |
| Position | Delegate to the Continental Congress |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Residence | Maryland |
| Profession | Planter |
| Education | Jesuit |
| Languages spoken | 5 |
| Year of death | 1832 |
| Age at death | 95 |
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What You'll Learn
Charles Carroll was the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence
Charles Carroll, known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence. He was a wealthy planter and politician from Maryland, and a delegate to the Continental Congress. Carroll was a key figure in the American Revolution, advocating for separation from Britain and helping to secure Maryland's support for the Declaration of Independence. He was also a cousin to America's first Catholic bishop, John Carroll of Baltimore.
Carroll's signature on the Declaration of Independence was particularly significant given the anti-Catholic sentiment prevalent among American colonists at the time. He was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration and the longest-surviving, dying 56 years after its signing in 1832. Carroll is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and was known as the "First Citizen" of the American colonies.
Carroll's Catholicism played a strategic role in his diplomatic missions. In 1776, he was part of a four-man diplomatic mission to Quebec, seeking assistance from French Canadians in the confrontation with Great Britain. Carroll's fluency in French and shared Catholic faith with the Quebecois made him an excellent choice for this mission. However, the mission ultimately failed, partly due to the religious rights granted to French Canadians by Britain, while the rebellious colonies were considered virulently anti-Catholic.
Carroll's signature on the Declaration of Independence was not without risk. As the richest man in the colonies, he put his entire fortune on the line. Additionally, his Catholic faith made him a target for prejudice. When Carroll signed the Declaration, a member of the Continental Congress commented that he risked nothing as there were likely many men with the same name, making it difficult for the King to order his arrest. In response, Carroll added "`of Carrollton`" to his signature, a distinction he had been using for over a decade to differentiate himself from his relatives with the same name.
Despite his Catholicism, Carroll's complex legacy includes his failure to advocate for the abolition of slavery and his ownership of over 1,000 slaves, whom he did not free. Nonetheless, Carroll's signature on the Declaration of Independence remains a significant milestone for Catholics and religious minorities in the United States, breaking down barriers and paving the way for greater inclusion in the country's political landscape.
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Carroll was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention
Charles Carroll, also known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. Carroll was a product of a notable Catholic family from Annapolis, Maryland, and was a cousin to America's first bishop, John Carroll of Baltimore. Carroll was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention, which functioned as Maryland's revolutionary government before the Declaration of Independence.
Carroll was a member of Annapolis' first committee of safety, known as the "Annapolis Committee of Correspondence and Council Safety" in 1775. He was also a delegate to the Continental Congress and was elected as a Maryland representative to the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, remaining a delegate until 1778. Carroll arrived at the Second Continental Congress too late to vote in favour of the Declaration of Independence but was present to sign the official document that survives today.
Carroll's Catholicism was thought to appeal to the French-speaking populace, who were also majority Catholic. In early 1776, Congress sent him on a diplomatic mission to Quebec, along with Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase, and his cousin John Carroll, to seek assistance from French Canadians in the coming confrontation with Great Britain. Carroll was an excellent choice for such a mission, being fluent in French and a Catholic, and therefore well-suited to negotiations with the French-speaking Catholics of Quebec. However, the mission ultimately failed, partially due to the religious rights granted to French Canadians by Britain, while the rebellious colonies were considered virulently anti-Catholic.
Carroll was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and was known contemporaneously as the "First Citizen" of the American colonies. He was also the last surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence, dying 56 years after its signing in 1832 at the age of 95.
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He was a member of the Continental Congress
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was a member of the Continental Congress, serving as a delegate from 1776 to 1778. Carroll was a wealthy planter and politician from Maryland, known contemporaneously as the "First Citizen" of the American colonies. He was a product of a 17-year Jesuit education in France and could speak five languages fluently. Carroll was also a delegate to the Annapolis Convention, which functioned as Maryland's revolutionary government before the Declaration of Independence.
Carroll played a key role in the American Revolution, advocating for separation from the British crown. In early 1776, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Quebec, along with Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase, and his cousin John Carroll, to seek assistance from French Canadians in the confrontation with Great Britain. Carroll's Catholic faith and fluency in French made him well-suited for negotiations with the French-speaking Catholics of Quebec. However, the mission ultimately failed, and Carroll returned to Maryland.
Carroll was elected as a Maryland representative to the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the same day the Declaration of Independence was signed. Although he arrived too late to vote in favour of the Declaration, he was present to sign the official document. He was the only Catholic to do so, putting his life and fortune at risk in a period of strong anti-Catholic sentiment among the American colonists.
After the signing, Carroll remained active in politics. He helped create the Maryland Constitution and Declaration of Rights and introduced the Electoral College. He served as the first United States Senator for Maryland and advocated for the gradual abolition of slavery, although he did not free his own slaves. Carroll retired from public office in 1800 and was the last surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence when he died in 1832.
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Carroll was the last surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence
Charles Carroll, also known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was also the last surviving signatory, dying 56 years after signing the document, at the age of 95 in 1832. Carroll was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention, which functioned as Maryland's revolutionary government before the Declaration of Independence. In 1776, he was sent to the Second Continental Congress representing Maryland. Although he arrived late and thus missed the vote on the Declaration of Independence, he was able to sign the copy that exists today.
Carroll was a wealthy planter and politician, and is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was also the richest man in the colonies at the time of signing, and his signature on the Declaration put his entire fortune and life at risk. Carroll was a product of a 17-year Jesuit education in France and spoke five languages fluently. He was also a delegate to the Continental Congress and Confederation Congress, and served as the first United States Senator for Maryland.
Carroll was a key figure in the American Revolution, helping to secure Maryland's support for the Declaration of Independence. He also played a role in creating the Maryland Constitution and Declaration of Rights, and introduced the Electoral College. His Catholicism was thought to appeal to the French-speaking populace, who were also mostly Catholic. In 1776, he was part of a diplomatic mission to Quebec seeking assistance from French Canadians in the confrontation with Great Britain. However, this mission ultimately failed.
Carroll's signature on the Declaration of Independence was significant in breaking down barriers for Catholics and other religious minorities in the United States, during a time when anti-Catholic sentiment was prevalent among American colonists. His signature and subsequent holding of office in the newly established country served as a stepping stone towards greater integration for Catholics in American society.
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He advocated for the abolition of slavery
Charles Carroll, also known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was a wealthy planter and politician from Maryland, and a cousin to America's first bishop, John Carroll of Baltimore. Carroll advocated for the gradual abolition of slavery, referring to it as "a great evil". However, he did not free his own slaves, owning over a thousand people.
Carroll's views on slavery were complicated. While he personally opposed the institution, he did not take any concrete action to abolish it. He favoured a gradual approach, which meant that he did not issue any declarative statements or advocate strongly for immediate emancipation in the founding documents of the United States. This complicates his legacy, as it indicates a discrepancy between his beliefs and his actions.
Carroll's position on slavery may have been influenced by the social and political context of his time. During the American Revolution, slavery was a complex and divisive issue. While some revolutionaries recognised the inherent injustice of slavery and sought to abolish it, others were hesitant to challenge the economic and social structures that depended on it. Carroll, as a wealthy planter, may have had economic interests tied to the continuation of slavery.
Despite his complicated legacy, Carroll played a significant role in the founding of the United States. He was a key figure in the revolutionary movement, helping to secure Maryland's support for the Declaration of Independence. Carroll also served in various political roles, including as a delegate to the Continental Congress and as the first United States Senator for Maryland. He was the last surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence, dying in 1832 at the age of 95.
In conclusion, while Charles Carroll advocated for the abolition of slavery, his personal ownership of slaves and lack of concrete action complicate his legacy. Nonetheless, his contributions to the founding of the nation and his role as the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence remain significant.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Charles Carroll, also known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence. He was a wealthy planter and politician from Maryland.
Charles Carroll was the only Catholic signatory on a document that declared 13 British colonies independent from Britain. This was an enormous achievement in a period of strong anti-Catholic sentiment among American colonists. Carroll also risked his entire fortune and his life by signing the document.
Charles Carroll was the last surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence, dying in 1832, 56 years after signing the document. He went on to serve as the first United States Senator for Maryland. He also advocated for the gradual abolition of slavery, though he did not free his own slaves.
