Joshua Bennett
Charles Carroll, also known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention, which acted as Maryland's revolutionary government before the Declaration of Independence. Carroll was also a member of the Annapolis Committee of Correspondence and Council Safety in 1775. He was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, dying 56 years after its signing at the age of 95.
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What You'll Learn
Charles Carroll was the only Catholic signatory
Charles Carroll, known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention, which acted as Maryland's revolutionary government before the Declaration of Independence. Carroll was also a member of Annapolis' first committee of safety, known as the "Annapolis Committee of Correspondence and Council Safety" in 1775. He was elected as a Maryland representative to the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and remained a delegate until 1778.
Carroll was present to sign the Declaration of Independence, although he arrived too late to vote in favour of it. He signed his name as "Charles Carroll", but then added "of Carrollton" to his name to distinguish himself from the various other Charles Carrolls who lived in Maryland at the time. All of these men were his relatives. Carroll was the richest man in the colonies at the time, and he was also one of the most formally educated of the signers. He received a Jesuit education in France and spoke five languages fluently.
Carroll was a key player in various efforts to bring about the revolution, and he helped secure Maryland's support for the Declaration of Independence. He also helped create the Maryland Constitution and Declaration of Rights and introduced the Electoral College. Because of his participation, Maryland later lifted the ban on Catholics holding public office. Carroll served in the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1778 and, after independence, in the Maryland state Senate. He retired from public office in 1800 and was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence when he died in 1832 at the age of 95.
Today, Charles Carroll is honoured throughout the United States as a Founding Father, an intellectual, and a patriot. He is remembered for breaking down barriers for Catholics and other religious minorities in the United States during a period when they were regarded with great suspicion.
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He was also the last surviving signatory
Charles Carroll, known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton or Charles Carroll III, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was also the last surviving signatory, dying 56 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, at the age of 95 in 1832. Carroll was an American politician, planter, and delegate to the Continental Congress and Confederation Congress. He later served as the first United States Senator for Maryland.
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 educated in France, where he studied for 17 years and became fluent in five languages. He was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention, which functioned as Maryland's revolutionary government before the Declaration of Independence. In 1776, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Quebec to seek assistance from French Canadians in the confrontation with Great Britain. Carroll played a key role in securing Maryland's support for the Declaration of Independence.
Carroll is known for his distinctive signature on the Declaration of Independence. When he signed the document, another member of the Continental Congress, who was prejudiced against him due to his Catholicism, commented that Carroll risked nothing by signing with a common name like "Charles Carroll." In response, Carroll immediately added "of Carrollton" to his signature, a suffix he had been using for over a decade.
Carroll's signature on the Declaration of Independence, along with those of his fellow signatories, carried significant weight and consequence. Each signatory became a criminal, guilty of sedition against King George III. Despite the risks, Carroll and the other signatories courageously put their names to the document, paving the way for the independence and freedom of the United States.
Carroll's contributions extended beyond the Declaration of Independence. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and was known as the "First Citizen" of the American colonies due to his influential writings in the Maryland Gazette. Carroll's statue stands in the National Statuary Hall Collection at the United States Capitol, honouring his legacy as the last surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence and his significant contributions to the founding of the nation.
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Carroll was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention
Charles Carroll, born in Annapolis, Maryland, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was also a delegate to the Annapolis Convention, which functioned as Maryland's revolutionary government before the Declaration of Independence. The Annapolis Convention was held from September 11 to 14, 1786, in the old Senate Chamber of the Maryland State House in Annapolis, Maryland. Twelve delegates from five U.S. states (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia) gathered to discuss and develop a consensus on reversing the protectionist trade barriers that had been erected by each state. At the time, under the Articles of Confederation, each state was largely independent of the others, and the national government had no authority to regulate trade between and among the states.
Carroll was also a delegate to the Continental Congress and the Confederation Congress. He later served as the first United States Senator for Maryland. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and was known as the "First Citizen" of the American colonies due to his signing of articles in the Maryland Gazette with that pen name. Carroll was one of the wealthiest and most formally educated of all the signers of the Declaration of Independence, having received a Jesuit education in France and speaking five languages fluently. He was also the longest-surviving signatory of the Declaration, dying 56 years after its signing in 1832 at the age of 95.
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He was a supporter of early American revolutionaries
Charles Carroll, also known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. Carroll was a firm believer in religious liberty and an American Catholic pioneer. He was a key player in various efforts to bring about the American Revolution, and he helped secure Maryland's support for the Declaration of Independence. Carroll was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention, which functioned as Maryland's revolutionary government before the Declaration of Independence. He represented the colony in most of the pre-revolutionary groups, including the Annapolis Committee of Correspondence and Council Safety in 1775. Carroll was also a member of Maryland's committee of correspondence, beginning in 1774.
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 to seek assistance from French Canadians in the coming confrontation with Great Britain. Carroll, who was fluent in French, was a good choice for this mission. However, his efforts ultimately failed, partly because Britain had granted the French Canadians religious rights, while the rebellious colonies were considered anti-Catholic.
Carroll was elected as a Maryland representative to the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and he remained a delegate until 1778. Although he arrived too late to vote in favour of the Declaration of Independence, he was present to sign the official document. By signing the Declaration, Carroll was putting his entire fortune on the line, as he was the richest man in the colonies at the time. He also faced prejudice due to his Catholicism, with one member of the Continental Congress commenting that Carroll risked nothing by signing the document, as there were many men with the same name in the colonies. In response, Carroll added "of Carrollton" to his signature to distinguish himself from his relatives with the same name.
After the signing, Carroll remained active in politics. He helped create the Maryland Constitution and Declaration of Rights and introduced the Electoral College. Maryland later lifted the ban on Catholics holding public office, and Carroll served in the Maryland state Senate after independence. Carroll's signature on the Declaration of Independence broke down barriers for Catholics and other religious minorities in the United States during a period when they were regarded with great suspicion.
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Carroll was the only Catholic to hold office in the newly independent country
Charles Carroll, also known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was the only Catholic signatory of the Declaration of Independence. Carroll was a delegate to the Annapolis Convention, which served as Maryland's revolutionary government before the Declaration of Independence. He was also a member of Annapolis' first committee of safety, known as the "Annapolis Committee of Correspondence and Council Safety" in 1775. Carroll was elected as a Maryland representative to the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and remained a delegate until 1778.
Carroll played a significant role in the American Revolution. He helped secure Maryland's support for the Declaration of Independence and was a key player in various efforts to bring about the revolution. Carroll also helped create the Maryland Constitution and Declaration of Rights, and introduced the Electoral College, which was later adopted at the federal level.
Despite his late arrival at the Second Continental Congress, Carroll was able to sign the copy of the Declaration of Independence that exists today. He signed his name as “Charles Carroll of Carrollton" to distinguish himself from other Charles Carrolls in Maryland, who were his relatives. By signing with his full name, Carroll put his entire fortune and life at risk, as he was the richest man in the colonies at the time.
After the signing, Carroll remained active in politics. He served in the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1778 and, after independence, in the Maryland State Senate. Carroll's participation in the Declaration of Independence helped break down barriers for Catholics and other religious minorities in the United States. His actions led to Maryland lifting the ban on Catholics holding public office, making Maryland Catholics some of the most vocal supporters for independence from Great Britain.
Carroll retired from public office in 1800 and was the last surviving signatory of the Declaration of Independence when he died in Baltimore at the age of 95 in 1832. He is remembered as a Founding Father, an intellectual, and a patriot.
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Frequently asked questions
Only one Catholic is believed to have signed the Declaration of Independence: Charles Carroll of Carrollton.
Charles Carroll was an American politician, planter, and signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and was known as the "First Citizen" of the American colonies. Carroll was also the longest surviving signatory, dying 56 years after the signing, at the age of 95.
Charles Carroll initially signed the document as "Charles Carroll", but later added "of Carrollton" to his name to distinguish himself from other men with the same name. He had been appending "of Carrollton" to his signature for over a decade before signing the Declaration of Independence.
Charles Carroll played a key role in various efforts to bring about the revolution and helped secure Maryland's support for the Declaration of Independence. After the signing, he remained active in politics, helping to create the Maryland Constitution and Declaration of Rights, and introducing the Electoral College. He served in the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1778 and later in the Maryland state Senate.
