Simone Lawson
The founding fathers of the United States were instrumental in shaping the country's independence and governance. The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, was a formal statement announcing the thirteen American colonies' independence from Great Britain. It was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. The Constitution of the United States, on the other hand, was drafted later, in 1787, by a group of delegates including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington. It was ratified in 1788 and became the supreme law of the land, outlining the framework for America's federal system of government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founding Fathers who wrote the Declaration of Independence | John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison |
| Founding Fathers who wrote the Constitution | George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Dickinson |
| Number of delegates at the Constitutional Convention | 55 |
| Number of delegates who signed the Constitution | 39 |
| Ages of the delegates | 26-81 |
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What You'll Learn
Who are the Founding Fathers?
The Founding Fathers of the United States, often simply referred to as the Founding Fathers or the Founders, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, established the United States of America, and crafted a framework of government for the new nation. The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States.
The phrase "Founding Fathers" was first used by US Senator Warren G. Harding in his keynote speech at the 1916 Republican National Convention. Harding later repeated the phrase at his 1921 presidential inauguration. The Founding Fathers are often viewed as a single entity that all worked together to create one American nation. However, in reality, they had extremely different views on a range of issues, including the role of the federal government, slavery, and the radicalism of the American Revolution.
The Founding Fathers are the men who created and shaped the US government and forged a new nation. The seven men considered to be the principal Founding Fathers are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. These men all played key roles in securing American independence from Great Britain and in the creation of the US government. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison served as the first four presidents of the United States.
In addition to the seven principal Founding Fathers, there were dozens of others who played smaller but valuable roles, including George Mason, Patrick Henry, John Hancock, John Marshall, and Samuel Adams. The Founding Fathers also include certain military personnel who fought in the American Revolutionary War, such as Ethan Allen, founder of Vermont, and John Barry, an officer in the Continental Navy who has been credited as "The Father of the American Navy".
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The Declaration of Independence
The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States. The signers of these documents are generally considered to be the Founding Fathers, and the list is often expanded to include individuals who later approved the U.S. Constitution. Some scholars also regard all delegates to the Constitutional Convention as Founding Fathers, whether they approved the Constitution or not.
The Committee of Five, comprising John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston, drafted the Declaration of Independence. However, only two of them, Adams and Jefferson, signed the Declaration. The other signatories were George Walton, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn, Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton, Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll, George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Francis Lewis, Philip Livingston, John Hart, Abraham Clark, Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Harrison, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, and George Ross.
Several other individuals, such as George Washington, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, are also considered Founding Fathers, but they did not sign the Declaration of Independence.
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The Constitution
The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, established the United States of America, and crafted a framework of government for the new nation. The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States.
The delegates at the Constitutional Convention, wary of centralized power and loyal to their states, created a powerful central government. Representing wildly different interests and views, they crafted compromises. The Constitution is one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
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The Articles of Confederation
The process of ratification by all 13 states was challenging. While Virginia was the first state to ratify on December 16, 1777, and 12 states had ratified the Articles by February 1779, Maryland refused to go along until the landed states, especially Virginia, ceded their claims to lands west of the Ohio River. Maryland finally ratified the Articles on February 2, 1781, and Congress was informed of its assent on March 1, officially proclaiming the Articles of Confederation to be the law of the land.
However, the Articles of Confederation had limitations. The central government had insufficient power to regulate commerce, levy taxes, or set commercial policy. It also struggled to support the war effort and manage the economy. With these challenges, the states were on the brink of economic disaster, and the central government had limited capacity to settle disputes between states. As a result, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation.
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The Bill of Rights
The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, established the United States of America, and crafted a framework of government for the new nation. The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States.
The Founding Fathers who contributed to the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights include George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton. These men held important roles in the early government of the United States. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison served as the first four presidents, with Adams and Jefferson serving as the nation's first two vice presidents. Jay was the first chief justice, Hamilton was the first secretary of the treasury, Jefferson was the first secretary of state, and Franklin was America's most senior diplomat during the Revolutionary War.
The process of drafting and adopting the Bill of Rights was a significant moment in American history. The amendments in the Bill of Rights were proposed by James Madison and ratified by the states in 1791. They outline specific prohibitions on the powers of the federal government, protecting the rights of citizens and ensuring that the government could not violate certain fundamental freedoms. The Bill of Rights includes protections for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to keep and bear arms, the right to a fair trial, and more. These rights and freedoms are deeply ingrained in the American political and social fabric and have been the subject of ongoing interpretation and debate throughout the country's history.
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Frequently asked questions
The Founding Fathers of the United States include those who wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States. They are also military personnel who fought in the American Revolutionary War, and others who greatly assisted in the nation's formation.
Yes, the Founding Fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence. The Committee of Five—John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman—were charged with authoring the Declaration.
The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution. The Constitution was designed to limit government and establish rules for each part of the government.
Yes, the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. However, some notable Founding Fathers, including George Washington, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, did not sign the Declaration of Independence.
Yes, the Founding Fathers signed the Constitution. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
