Isabella Carter
The Founding Fathers of the United States Constitution were a group of wealthy, elite men who sought to establish a nation free from the monarchical system of England. While they are often regarded as champions of democracy, many of the Founding Fathers, such as John Adams, did not believe in universal suffrage and were wary of mob rule. They envisioned a representative democracy, where power was derived from the people but exercised by elected representatives. Alexander Hamilton, a key Founding Father, advocated for a strong central government, while Thomas Jefferson, another Founding Father, favoured states' rights and local control. The Founding Fathers' views on democracy and political factions, as well as their legacy, continue to be a subject of debate and interpretation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political ideology | The Founding Fathers were wary of pure democracies and direct democracy, instead favoring a representative democracy or a republic. |
| Voting rights | They believed that voting rights should be restricted to wealthy, educated men, with the common people participating indirectly through local government. |
| Political parties | The Founding Fathers viewed political parties as a necessary evil, a relic of the monarchical system they had discarded, and feared that they would lead to divisions and populism. |
| Federal government | There were differing views among the Founding Fathers, with some wanting a strong central government and others favoring states' rights. |
| Amendments | They wrote in a process for changing or amending the Constitution, recognizing that it may need to be adapted over time. |
| Unity and structure | The Founding Fathers sought to unify the nation and provide a structured government, balancing individual rights with federal authority. |
| Economic strength | They envisioned a nation with economic strength, as demonstrated by Hamilton's ambitious financial programs. |
| Peaceful transition | The Founding Fathers valued the peaceful transition of power, as demonstrated by Washington's voluntary departure from office after two terms. |
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What You'll Learn
The Founding Fathers were not champions of democracy
The Founding Fathers of the United States were not champions of democracy. While they were eager to shed the monarchical system that had prevailed for centuries, they were uncomfortable with the idea of democracy, which they saw as "mob rule". The Founding Fathers, an elite class, feared the rule of the masses and debated vigorously about how the new government should be structured. Most of them were opposed to direct democracy, where the electorate determines policy themselves, and instead favoured a representative democracy, where the right of election is well-secured and regulated, and the exercise of legislative, executive, and judiciary authorities is vested in select persons chosen by the people.
The Founding Fathers were among the wealthiest people in the colonies when they drafted and signed the Constitution, and they expected this elite to continue guiding the young nation. They believed that the vote ought to be reserved for people of wealth and education, and that the common people, the poor and uneducated, should participate indirectly through local government, town halls, meetings, and protest actions like boycotts. They thought that too many people were participating in politics and voting, and that state legislatures were becoming too radical and beholden to the interests of the common man.
The Founding Fathers' vision of democracy was very different from what Americans believe in today. They wanted a limited form of participation by the people in the government, fearing that once everyone was allowed to participate, a demagogue would be elected. They were concerned about populism and mob rule, and some, like John Adams, did not want poor people or women to vote.
However, it is important to note that the Founding Fathers did write in a process for changing or amending the Constitution, recognising that their vision may evolve over time. They also established certain rights and precedents, such as free and fair elections and the peaceful transition of power, that have become fundamental to American democracy.
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They were wary of direct democracy
The Founding Fathers of the United States Constitution were wary of direct democracy. They were among the wealthiest people in the colonies and expected to continue guiding the young nation. They did not trust the masses to make decisions and steer the state. They believed that the vote ought to be reserved for people of wealth and education, and that the common people, the poor and uneducated, could participate indirectly through local government, town halls, and meetings. They were concerned about populism and what they saw as "mob rule".
The Founding Fathers were eager to shed the monarchical system that had prevailed for hundreds of years, but they were uncomfortable with democracy. They debated vigorously about how the new government should be structured. They did not want a hereditary monarchy, and the notion of a representative democracy emerged as the best option. Alexander Hamilton, for example, favoured a representative democracy, where the right of election is secured and regulated, and the legislative, executive, and judiciary authorities are vested in select persons chosen by the people. James Madison wrote in Federalist No. 39 that a republic could be defined as a government that derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the people and is administered by persons holding office for a limited period.
The Founding Fathers were concerned about the actions of state legislatures and voters, believing that too many people were participating in politics and voting. They thought that there were too many voices in the state legislatures, and that states were becoming too radical, beholden to the interests of the common man. They wanted a government derived from the great body of society, not from an inconsiderable proportion or a favoured class. They also wanted to prevent the nation from reverting to monarchy by spreading power around as much as possible.
The Founding Fathers wrote in a process for changing or amending the Constitution, and they availed themselves of this process with the ratification of the 12th Amendment in 1804, which established separate Electoral College votes for the president and vice president. They also added a Bill of Rights, which passed in 1791, a victory for Thomas Jefferson's principles.
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They favoured a republic over a monarchy
The Founding Fathers of the United States Constitution were among the wealthiest people in the colonies when they drafted and signed the Constitution. They were eager to shed the monarchical system that had prevailed for hundreds of years, but they were not comfortable with democracy, or what they saw as "mob rule". They were decidedly against direct democracy, in which the electorate determines policy themselves, and did not trust the masses to make important decisions.
The notion of a representative democracy emerged as the best option for the new nation. Alexander Hamilton, for instance, argued in favour of a single executive, rather than a group of people, which risked the "danger of difference of opinion". He also believed in a representative democracy where the right of election is well secured and regulated, and the exercise of the legislative, executive and judiciary authorities is vested in select persons, chosen by the people. James Madison, meanwhile, wrote in Federalist No. 39 that a republic is a government that "derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behaviour".
The Founding Fathers' vision of a republic was a middle ground between absolutism and popular sovereignty. They wanted to avoid the divisions that had ripped England apart in the bloody civil wars of the 17th century, caused by the corrupt relics of the monarchical British system. They also wanted to avoid the dangers of direct democracy, which John Adams believed could be just as pernicious as monarchy.
The Founding Fathers' vision of a republic was realised with the creation of the United States as a nation. The Constitution that resulted outlined a separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, serving together as a system of checks and balances to prevent tyranny.
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They were among the wealthiest people in the colonies
The Founding Fathers of the United States Constitution were among the wealthiest people in the colonies. They were an elite class and did not favour direct democracy, which they saw as "mob rule". They believed that voting should be restricted to people of wealth and education.
Many of the Founding Fathers were born into wealthy families. James Madison, for instance, was born into wealth and went on to become the fourth US president. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the second and third US presidents respectively, inherited land from their fathers. Alexander Hamilton, on the other hand, rose from obscurity, born as the illegitimate child of a Scottish merchant and an orphaned youth. However, he eventually became a towering force in the founding of the American republic.
Some of the Founding Fathers also married into wealth. George Washington, the first US president, was born into a landowning family and married a wealthy widow. Benjamin Franklin, one of the wealthiest Americans by his early 40s, grew his wealth through a thriving business printing books, sermons, and currency. He also published a newspaper and a best-selling almanac, investing his profits in 89 rental properties in Philadelphia and land speculation further west.
While some of the Founding Fathers were not rich, such as Samuel Adams, others became wealthy through their involvement in the American Revolution. Robert Morris, for example, is generally considered the financier of the Revolution. He donated ships from his fleet of tobacco-trading vessels and turned to privateering. During the war, Washington refused a salary, only asking to be reimbursed for his expenses, which amounted to approximately $5 million in today's dollars. Despite losing half of his wealth due to neglect of his farms and postwar depression, he remained rich in land and slaves.
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They were responsible for more than 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, and established the United States of America. They crafted a framework of government for the new nation, which included the creation of a representative democracy.
The Founding Fathers were not champions of democracy. They were an elite class, and they feared mob rule. They debated vigorously about how the new government should be structured, and they disagreed on many issues, including the role of the federal government, the issue of slavery, and how radical or moderate the American Revolution should be. The Founding Fathers were among the wealthiest people in the colonies, and they expected the nation to continue to be guided by people of wealth and education. They did not want a direct democracy, where all Americans would get to cast a ballot on all issues. Instead, they envisioned a representative democracy, where the common people would participate indirectly through local government, town halls, and meetings.
In addition to the Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers were responsible for the Articles of Confederation, which was the nation's first constitution, and the Constitution of the United States, which defines the framework of the federal government. They also wrote and signed the Bill of Rights, which defines citizens' and states' rights in relation to the government. The Founding Fathers also held important roles in the early government of the United States. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison served as the first four presidents, and Adams and Jefferson were the nation's first two vice presidents. Jay was the nation's first chief justice, Hamilton was the first secretary of the treasury, and Franklin was America's most senior diplomat during the Revolutionary War.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the Founding Fathers were not Democrats. They were among the wealthiest people in the colonies when they drafted and signed the Constitution. They viewed political parties as a necessary evil and feared that political factions would tear the nation apart. They were also opposed to direct democracy, in which the people determine policy instead of their representatives.
The Founding Fathers wanted to avoid the divisions and civil wars that had affected England and instead favoured a representative democracy. They did not want a monarchy but also feared "mob rule", so they opted for a republic.
The Founding Fathers viewed political parties as "corrupt relics of the monarchical British system". Alexander Hamilton, for example, once called political parties "the most fatal disease" of popular governments.
The Founding Fathers were divided between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, wanted a strong central government, while the Anti-Federalists, led by Thomas Jefferson, advocated for states' rights. By the 1830s, the two-party system had revived itself with the rise of Andrew Jackson's Democratic Party.
