Jonah Patel
The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of 18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, and established the United States of America. They 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 had strong educational backgrounds, with about half having attended or graduated from college. The Framers of the Constitution were the 55 delegates appointed by the original states to the Constitutional Convention, of whom 39 signed the Constitution. Many of the Founding Fathers were among these delegates, including George Washington, who was commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and later president of the Constitutional Convention.
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What You'll Learn
- The Founding Fathers were a group of 18th-century revolutionary leaders
- The group united the Thirteen Colonies and oversaw the War of Independence
- They established the United States of America and crafted a framework of government
- The Founding Fathers include those who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence
- The group also includes those who wrote the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution
The Founding Fathers were a group of 18th-century revolutionary leaders
The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of late 18th-century 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 were appointed by the original states (except Rhode Island) to the Constitutional Convention. 70 individuals were appointed, but a number did not accept or could not attend, including Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. In total, 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention sessions, but only 39 signed the Constitution. The delegates ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, who had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair due to his infirmity.
Many of the Founding Fathers were of English ancestry, though some had roots in other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Some also traced their lineage to early Dutch settlers of New York or French Huguenot settlers in the colonies. The Founding Fathers had strong educational backgrounds, with about half having attended or graduated from college, while others were largely self-taught or learned through apprenticeships.
The Founding Fathers played multiple important roles in the early government of the United States. George Washington, for example, was commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and later president of the Constitutional Convention. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison served as the first four presidents, while Adams and Jefferson were the first two vice presidents. Other roles held by the Founding Fathers include secretary of the treasury, secretary of state, and chief justice.
The Founding Fathers were also responsible for writing and negotiating key documents that shaped the nation. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Jay authored The Federalist Papers, which advocated for the ratification of the Constitution. Franklin, Adams, and Jay negotiated the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which established American independence and ended the American Revolutionary War.
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The group united the Thirteen Colonies and oversaw the War 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 United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States.
The Thirteen Colonies were the British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America which broke away from the British Crown in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and joined to form the United States of America. The colonies were founded in the 17th and early 18th centuries, and by 1776, about 85% of the white population's ancestry originated in the British Isles. The first of the colonies, Virginia, was established at Jamestown in 1607. The colonies were predominantly religious, with Protestantism as the predominant religious affiliation. The ideological approach in the colonies centred on republicanism, which dictated that the United States would have no royalty, aristocracy, or national church.
The American Revolutionary War, also known as the War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution. The conflict was fought in North America, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean. The war was fought between the American Patriot forces, organised as the Continental Army and commanded by George Washington, and the British Army. The war's outcome seemed uncertain for most of the war, but Washington and the Continental Army's decisive victory in the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 led King George III and the Kingdom of Great Britain to negotiate an end to the war.
The Founding Fathers who oversaw the War of Independence include George Washington, who was commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, and John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, who were members of the Committee of Five that were charged by the Second Continental Congress with drafting the Declaration of Independence. Franklin, Adams, and John Jay negotiated the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which established American independence and brought an end to the American Revolutionary War.
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They established the United States of America and crafted a framework of government
The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of revolutionary leaders in the late 18th century. They united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, and established the United States of America. They also crafted a framework for governing 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 group also includes certain military personnel who fought in the American Revolutionary War, and others who greatly assisted in the nation's formation.
The Founding Fathers had strong educational backgrounds at some of the colonial colleges or abroad. Some, like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, were largely self-taught or learned through apprenticeship. Others had private tutors or attended academies, and about half of the men had attended or graduated from college.
The original states, except Rhode Island, collectively appointed 70 individuals to the Constitutional Convention. A number of these individuals did not accept or could not attend, including Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. In total, 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention sessions, but only 39 actually signed the Constitution. The delegates ranged in age from Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, to Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair.
The Founding Fathers who were delegates to the Constitutional Convention included Gunning Bedford Jr., William L. Pierce, and Daniel of St. The Federalist Papers, which advocated for the ratification of the Constitution, were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. George Washington was commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and later president of the Constitutional Convention. Each of these men held additional important roles in the early government of the United States.
The single person most identified as the "Father" of the United States is George Washington, a general in the American Revolution and the nation's first president. However, in 1811, John Adams wrote that he did not believe his generation was better than that of the younger men he was addressing. He also expressed discomfort with being called a "Father" or "Founder", saying that those titles "belong to no man, but to the American people in general."
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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 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 US Constitution.
The Founding Fathers were of diverse educational backgrounds. Some, like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, were largely self-taught or learned through apprenticeship. Others were taught by private tutors or at academies, and about half of them had attended or graduated from college. Many of them were also wealthy slave-owners before and after the country's founding.
The single person most identified as the "Father" of the United States is George Washington, a general in the American Revolution and the nation's first president. The list of Founding Fathers is often expanded to include the signers of the Declaration of Independence and individuals who later approved the US Constitution, such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, who were members of the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence. Franklin, Adams, and John Jay negotiated the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which established American independence and ended the American Revolutionary War.
The US Constitution was drafted by 55 delegates at the Constitutional Convention, but only 39 of them signed it. The framers of the Constitution outlined their general goals in the preamble, which included creating a just government, ensuring peace, providing adequate national defence, and fostering a healthy, free nation.
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The group also includes those who wrote the Articles of Confederation and 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 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 US Constitution.
The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and served as the United States' first constitution. The Articles established a "league of friendship" for the 13 sovereign and independent states, with each state retaining "every Power...which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States". The Articles outlined a Congress with representation not based on population, with each state having one vote. The central government's power was kept limited, and it lacked enforcement and taxation powers.
The Articles of Confederation were replaced by the US Constitution, which was drafted at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. The convention's initial mandate was to amend the Articles of Confederation, but the delegates soon began considering measures to replace them. The Constitution was the result of nearly four months of arduous deliberation and compromise among dozens of delegates from 12 states. James Madison is recognized as the chief architect of the document, but he was aided by the ideas of other writers and philosophers. The Constitution was ratified by nine of the 13 states, and it came into force on March 4, 1789, superseding the Articles of Confederation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of 18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, and established the United States of America. 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 Framers of the Constitution were the 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention sessions. Of these 55 delegates, only 39 signed the Constitution. The Framers of the Constitution outlined their general goals in the Preamble to the Constitution, which included creating a just government and ensuring peace, an adequate national defense, and a healthy, free nation.
Yes, the Founding Fathers and the Framers of the Constitution are often used interchangeably to refer to the same group of people.
Some notable Founding Fathers include George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison.
