He represented the unionist side, and came very well prepared to Eidsvoll, bringing his own constitution draft.

[2][3] The son Henrik Wergeland is often characterized as Norway's national poet, and a symbol of the country's independence.

As he did not come from a wealthy family, his economic conditions were so difficult that he considered enlisting as a soldier.

[5] He became well known for winning a contest arranged by the Norwegian Society for Development (Selskabet for Norges Vel) in 1811, coming up with the best writing arguing for a separate Norwegian university in Christiania, with Mnemosyne (published in Historisk-philosophiske Samlinger in 1811).

[1] During the drafting of the Norwegian constitution, Wergeland was one of the principle authors of the Jew clause, which prohibited Jews from entering Norway.,[6] Throughout his life Wergeland participated actively in political and cultural debates, published several works, experimented with drawing and painting, and composed music.