Malcolm Rivera
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 list of Founding Fathers is often expanded to include the signers of the Declaration of Independence and individuals who later approved the U.S. Constitution. Some scholars regard all delegates to the Constitutional Convention as Founding Fathers whether they approved the Constitution or not. 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.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of individuals appointed to the Constitutional Convention | 70 |
| Number of individuals who did not accept or could not attend | 15 |
| Names of individuals who did not attend | Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, Edmund Randolph |
| Number of delegates who attended | 55 |
| Number of delegates who signed the Constitution | 39 |
| Youngest delegate | Jonathan Dayton, aged 26 |
| Oldest delegate | Benjamin Franklin, aged 81 |
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What You'll Learn
Thomas Jefferson was in Paris as the US envoy
Thomas Jefferson was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States who did not attend the writing of the Constitution. Instead, he was in Paris, France, as the US envoy.
Jefferson was appointed by the Confederation Congress as a Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Versailles on May 17, 1784. He was directed to join Benjamin Franklin and John Adams in Paris, where he would eventually become the senior Minister in France. Jefferson sailed for France on July 5, 1784, aboard the merchant ship Ceres. His mission was to promote American interests not only in France but throughout Europe.
Jefferson's time in Paris was transformative for him. He devoted himself to diplomacy and consular affairs, navigating the protocols and personalities at the Court of Versailles and Parisian salons with the help of friends from the American Revolution, such as the Marquis de Lafayette and Philip Mazzei. He formed a deep friendship with Abigail Adams, who observed, "he is one of the choice ones of the Earth." Jefferson also honed his appreciation for fine art, music, architecture, food, and wine during his time in Paris. He toured art academies and salons, sparking a desire for American artists to rival those of Europe. He even engaged sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon, commissioning works on behalf of the United States and for his personal use, including busts of himself, George Washington, and the Marquis de Lafayette.
During his five years in Europe, Jefferson collected 86 crates of fine art, furniture, cooking utensils, dinner services, clocks, books, and scientific instruments, which he brought back to Monticello. He remodelled his home in the French neoclassical style and transformed the mountaintop into an American version of an English pleasure garden. Jefferson's time abroad broadened his outlook on science and politics, expanded his friendships, and moulded his manners. He also witnessed the beginnings of the French Revolution, a cataclysmic event that would change the course of history.
Jefferson returned to America aboard the merchant ship Clermont on November 23, 1789, and his service as Minister Plenipotentiary was considered a disappointment in terms of its diplomatic impact. However, his time in Paris and Europe had a profound impact on his life and thinking, influencing his approach to art, culture, and international relations.
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John Adams was in London as the US minister to Britain
John Adams was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. However, he was not present at the Constitutional Convention, as he was in London, serving as the first US minister to Britain. Adams had been appointed the first American ambassador to Great Britain in 1785. He arrived in London from Paris and had his first meeting with King George III on June 1, 1785, which he recorded in a letter to Foreign Minister Jay.
Adams' appointment as the first minister to Britain was considered an important mission. He was thrilled to have been selected by Congress and was determined to serve admirably in this role. One of his biggest tests was meeting King George III, the same king who had omitted Adams' name from the list of pardoned delegates held by Admiral Lord Howe less than a decade earlier. The meeting was awkward, but King George III was far more amiable than Adams had expected.
Adams and his wife, Abigail, experienced hostility from the king's courtiers. They sought refuge with Richard Price, the minister of Newington Green Unitarian Church, who was an instigator of the Revolution Controversy. While in London, Adams also met his old friend Jonathan Sewall, but they had grown too far apart to renew their friendship. Sewall criticised Adams as an ambassador, stating that he lacked the social skills necessary for the role.
Adams played an important role in securing fishing rights off Newfoundland and Cape Breton Island. He insisted that American fishermen should be allowed to travel as close to the Canadian shore as they wished and that they should be allowed to cure their ships on the shores of Newfoundland. The British agreed to these terms, and both sides worked out several other provisions.
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Richard Henry Lee did not attend
Richard Henry Lee, a Founding Father of the United States, did not attend the writing of the Constitution. Lee was a born aristocrat from Virginia and played an active role in many key events during the Revolutionary War. Notably, he protested the Stamp Act in Virginia in 1765, sat on the committee that named George Washington Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in 1775, and introduced the motion that led to the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Lee was a member of the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1780 and again from 1784 to 1787. Despite his extensive experience in national politics, Lee distrusted a strong national government, fearing that individual states would lose rights and power. This antifederalist stance led him to oppose the ratification of the Constitution, which he believed created a "consolidated" government and lacked a bill of rights.
Lee's absence from the Constitutional Convention is notable given his significant contributions to the early government of the United States. He was one of 11 individuals appointed by the original states who did not accept or could not attend the Convention. This may have been due to his health issues, as he was forced to resign from Congress in 1779 due to poor health, and his health continued to decline in the Senate, causing him to miss legislative sessions.
Lee's antifederalist leanings and belief in limited government drove a wedge between him and his old ally John Adams, with whom he had served in the Continental Congress. Lee's stance on the Constitution also made him a target of supporters of the new plan of government. As a result, he withdrew from the public debate over the proposed constitution in January 1788, preferring to offer advice behind the scenes.
Despite his absence from the writing of the Constitution, Lee was later appointed to the United States Senate in 1788, where he gained a reputation as a moderate and clear-headed lawmaker. He advocated for the constitutional amendments he had initially suggested and worked to stop the importation of slaves into the American states.
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Patrick Henry did not attend
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.
Patrick Henry, a Founding Father, did not attend the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where the Articles of Confederation were revised. He actively opposed the ratification of the United States Constitution, fearing a powerful central government and the absence of a Bill of Rights. He was elected to the convention but declined to attend, expressing serious reservations about the proposed Constitution. He wrote to George Washington, who had invited him to support the document, saying, "I have to lament that I cannot bring my mind to accord with the proposed Constitution."
Henry's opposition to the Constitution was rooted in his conviction that it created a government that was too powerful, too centralized, and too distant from its citizens. He believed that it might give the national government the authority to interfere with slavery in states like Virginia, where it was prominent. He also objected to the absence of a Bill of Rights, which he and other Anti-Federalists viewed as a threat to states' rights and individual rights. Henry led the Anti-Federalists at the Virginia ratifying convention in opposing the Constitution.
Despite Henry's impressive rhetoric, which pointed to numerous alleged flaws in the proposed document, James Madison, John Marshall, and other delegates succeeded in getting the convention to ratify the Constitution. Henry's opposition, however, did help convince Federalists to agree to support a bill of rights to mitigate the concerns of the Anti-Federalists.
In addition to Patrick Henry, other individuals who did not attend the Constitutional Convention included Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock.
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John Hancock did not attend
John Hancock, a Founding Father of the United States, did not attend the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. He was a colonial Massachusetts native, who was raised by his wealthy merchant uncle and inherited his lucrative shipping business. Hancock became one of the richest men in the Thirteen Colonies.
Hancock was a signer of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and is famous for his large and stylish signature. He was the president of the Second Continental Congress when the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and the United States was born. He also signed the Articles of Confederation.
Hancock was a governor of Massachusetts, serving as the first governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1780 to 1785. He was re-elected in 1787 and served until his death in 1793. During his tenure, Massachusetts experienced sharp inflation, and many farmers defaulted on loans and ended up in prison. He resigned the governorship in 1785 due to health issues but was re-elected in 1787 after an armed uprising by Massachusetts farmers, known as Shay's Rebellion.
Despite not attending the Constitutional Convention, Hancock played a crucial role in his state's ratification of the Constitution. He presided over the Massachusetts convention in 1788 and gave a speech in favour of ratification. Hancock's support was likely a deciding factor in the narrow ratification of the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock were all unable to attend the Constitutional Convention.
No, Thomas Jefferson did not sign the US Constitution. He was in Paris serving as the United States' envoy at the time.
No, John Adams did not sign the US Constitution. He was in London serving as the United States minister to Great Britain.
