Omar Bennett
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 single person most identified as the Father of the United States is George Washington. In total, 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention sessions, but only 39 signed the Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of individuals appointed to the Constitutional Convention | 70 |
| Number of delegates to the Constitutional Convention | 55 |
| Number of delegates who signed the Constitution | 39 |
| Age range of delegates | 26-81 |
| Number of Founding Fathers | 7 (according to historian Richard Morris) |
| Number of Founding Fathers minted on American currency | 4 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- delegates attended the 1787 Constitutional Convention, 39 signed the Constitution
- Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, was carried to sessions in a sedan chair
- George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin are minted on US currency
- The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence
- The Founding Fathers were not perfect, nearly half were slaveholders
55 delegates attended the 1787 Constitutional Convention, 39 signed 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 1787 Constitutional Convention was attended by 55 delegates, but only 39 signed the Constitution. The Founding Fathers who signed the Constitution included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin. These men are among those whose faces are minted on American currency. Washington and Jefferson appear on three different denominations.
The Founding Fathers who signed the Constitution were not without their flaws. Nearly half of them were slaveholders, and all of them profited from the system of slavery in the United States. The nation they created ensured the rights of white, property-owning men, but it would take almost 200 years for these rights to be extended to all Americans.
The Founding Fathers who signed the Constitution were also not in agreement about the shape the new nation should take. Benjamin Franklin, for example, was asked after signing the Constitution if they had created a monarchy or a republic, to which he replied, "A republic, if you can keep it."
GPS Devices: Invading Employee Privacy?
You may want to see also
Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, was carried to sessions in a sedan chair
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.
Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, was the oldest Founding Father to contribute to the US Constitution. Franklin was a man of many talents: a printer, storekeeper, publisher, scientist, public official, philosopher, diplomat, and ladies' man. He played a crucial role in fostering cooperation among the delegates during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. He was respected for his wisdom and diplomatic skills, and his presence brought a sense of gravitas that helped ease tensions among the delegates. Franklin was not a primary author of the Constitution, but his influence was essential in persuading the delegates to reach compromises that made the Constitution acceptable to various factions. He also advocated for the ratification of the Constitution, encouraging the states to approve the new document, which laid the framework for the government of the United States.
Franklin was so infirm at the time of the Constitutional Convention that he had to be carried to the sessions in a sedan chair. The convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May to September 1787. Fifty-five delegates attended the sessions, but only 39 actually signed the Constitution. The delegates ranged in age from Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, to Benjamin Franklin, aged 81.
Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers who drafted the Declaration of Independence and negotiated the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which established American independence and ended the American Revolutionary War. Franklin is also known for his work as a scientist and diplomat, and he is one of four Founding Fathers whose faces are minted on American currency.
The US Constitution: Flexible Foundation of a Nation
You may want to see also
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin are minted on US currency
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 single person most identified as the "Father" of the United States is George Washington.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin are four of the Founding Fathers who are minted on US currency. Washington is featured on the $1 bill, Jefferson on the nickel, Hamilton on the $10 bill, and Franklin on the $100 bill. Washington and Jefferson are the only two of the four to appear on three different denominations.
Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, is one of two non-presidents to be featured on US paper currency. He is also the only person not born in the continental United States or British America to be depicted on US paper currency. In 2015, the US government announced that a female historical figure would replace Hamilton on the $10 bill. However, due to the popularity of the musical Hamilton, it was announced in 2016 that Hamilton would remain on the bill.
Benjamin Franklin, the other non-president to be featured on US paper currency, played a significant role in the debate around devising a system of paper money in the colonies. Franklin's monetary philosophy and writings can provide insight into the early epochs of paper money in America.
The NJ 1776 Constitution's Influence on the US Constitution
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$9.99 $9.99
The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence
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 Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States.
The Declaration of Independence expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded and the reasons for separation from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson, at 33 years old, was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams, at 40 years old, was another Founding Father who argued for American independence. Benjamin Franklin, who was the oldest at 70 years old at the Second Continental Congress, was also a member of the Committee of Five that was charged by the Second Continental Congress with drafting the Declaration of Independence.
There were 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence and 39 signers of the United States Constitution. The Founding Fathers who signed the Constitution included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. The Founding Fathers who wrote the Constitution included Alexander Hamilton, who rose from obscurity to become a towering force in the founding of the American republic. James Madison, who was 36 years old when he was at the Constitutional Convention, was also a Founding Father who wrote the Constitution.
The Founding Fathers were not perfect. While they created a form of government unlike any other in the world at the time, they were far from perfect people. Nearly half of them were slaveholders, and all of them profited from the system of slavery in the United States.
Slavery's Constitutional Crisis: America's Original Sin
You may want to see also
The Founding Fathers were not perfect, nearly half were slaveholders
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.
Many of the Founding Fathers were slaveholders, including Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin. Alexander Hamilton married into a large slave-owning family. In spite of their slaveholding, all of these men expressed a wish to see the institution of slavery gradually abolished. Benjamin Franklin, who owned slaves early in his life, later became president of the first abolitionist society in the United States.
Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the words "all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence, owned hundreds of slaves throughout his life. He also may have fathered children with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings. Despite this, he wrote that he believed slavery to be a political and moral evil and wished to see it abolished. However, he never personally freed his slaves, and when he died in debt, his slaves were sold off to the highest bidder.
James Madison, who made his living off of plantation agriculture, also held slaves. In 1787, at the Constitutional Convention, Madison argued that the slave trade was "dishonorable to the National character" and that slaves should not be taxed because they were not property. He attempted to free his slaves in his will, but his wife sold many of them off to cover their debts.
George Washington, the Founding Father most identified with the title of "Father" of the United States, owned hundreds of slaves. However, his views began to change during the Revolutionary War, and he wrote that he wished to get clear of owning slaves. He ultimately freed all of his slaves at the end of his life, the only Founding Father to do so.
In conclusion, while the Founding Fathers played a pivotal role in establishing the United States and crafting its framework of government, they were not perfect, and nearly half of them were slaveholders. While many of them expressed a desire to see slavery abolished, their actions often fell short of their words, and the institution of slavery persisted in the United States for many years after the founding of the nation.
Military Deployment: Constitutional or Unconstitutional?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
There were 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, but only 39 signed the Constitution.
The founding fathers 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. Some of the most well-known founding fathers are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin.
The founding fathers wrote and signed the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States. They also fought in the American Revolutionary War and helped establish the nation.
Many of the founding fathers were quite young when they helped create the country. For example, Thomas Jefferson was 33 years old when he wrote the Declaration of Independence, and Alexander Hamilton was 33 when he became Secretary of the Treasury. Benjamin Franklin, the oldest at 81, had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair due to his infirmity.
