Nathaniel Gorham
A pragmatic Massachusetts merchant who served as President of the Continental Congress and helped draft the U.S. Constitution, championing a strong central government.
1738–1796 (age 58)·American Founding Father, businessman, and politician·Birthday: May 27
Biography
Nathaniel Gorham was the embodiment of the practical, commercially minded Founders who built the American republic. A successful merchant from Charlestown, Massachusetts, his entry into politics was driven by the economic turmoil of the revolutionary period. He served in the provincial congress and, crucially, on the Board of War, where he managed the logistical nightmare of supplying the Continental Army. His peers recognized his administrative competence, electing him President of the Continental Congress under the failing Articles of Confederation in 1786. That frustrating experience convinced him of the need for radical reform. At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Gorham was a steady, influential voice for a robust national government, serving on the critical Committee of Detail that shaped the first draft of the document. He later led the ratification fight in Massachusetts, using his commercial credibility to sway skeptical delegates toward a new framework for union.
#1 When Nathaniel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1738
Nathaniel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1738Born
1743Started school
1751Became a teenager
1754Could drive
1756Could vote
1759Turned 21
1768Turned 30
1778Turned 40
1788Turned 50
1796Died at 58
Key Achievements
- Served as the presiding officer (President) of the Continental Congress from June 1786 to November 1786.
- Signed the United States Constitution as a delegate from Massachusetts.
- Served on the Constitutional Convention's Committee of Detail, which produced the first draft of the Constitution.
- Played a key role in securing Massachusetts' ratification of the Constitution in 1788.
Did You Know?
He was involved in a massive, failed land speculation scheme in western New York with Oliver Phelps, which eventually ruined him financially.
Gorham's son, also named Nathaniel, was a prominent Boston banker.
He initially opposed the Constitution's clause forbidding taxes on exports but ultimately signed the document.
“A government without the power of taxation is a government not worth having.”
