Omar Bennett
The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of late-18th-century American political leaders and revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence from Great Britain, established the United States of America, and drafted the framework of the 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 men who drafted the Constitution of the United States, also known as the Framers of the Constitution, were delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The Framers of the Constitution were tasked with revising the Articles of Confederation, but instead, they drafted a new constitution to replace the Articles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of framers | 55 |
| Age range | 26–81 |
| Average age | 42 |
| Number of framers signing the Constitution | 39 |
| Occupations | Wide range of high and middle status occupations |
| Education | Strong educational backgrounds at some of the colonial colleges or abroad |
| Political experience | Extensive |
| Involvement in the Revolution | Almost all framers |
| Involvement in the Continental Congress | Four-fifths |
| Involvement in colonial and state government | Nearly all framers |
| Notable framers | George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, Edmond Randolph, Roger Sherman |
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What You'll Learn
The Founding Fathers
The main Founding Fathers were: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison, and George Washington.
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin were members of the Committee of Five that were charged with drafting 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 constitutions drafted by Jay and Adams for their respective states of New York and Massachusetts proved influential in the language used in developing the U.S. Constitution. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Jay wrote The Federalist Papers, which advocated for the ratification of the Constitution. George Washington was commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and later president of the Constitutional Convention.
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The Constitutional Convention
The original states, except Rhode Island, appointed 70 individuals to the convention, but only 55 delegates attended the sessions, and of those, only 39 signed the Constitution. The delegates included political leaders who participated in the American Revolution, signed the Declaration of Independence, and took part in the Revolutionary War. They were elected by their respective state legislatures to attend and revise the Articles of Confederation. Many of them had extensive political experience, with nearly all having experience in colonial and state government.
Leading proponents of the convention included James Madison of Virginia and Alexander Hamilton of New York, who sought to create a new frame of government rather than revise the existing one. Madison, in particular, arrived in Philadelphia eleven days early and was determined to set the convention's agenda. He studied republics and confederacies throughout history and drafted a document titled "Vices of the Political System of the United States," which offered solutions to the weaknesses of the American political system.
The convention debated and ratified the Constitution of the United States, establishing a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting relations with foreign governments. The framers of the Constitution created a model of government that relied on a series of checks and balances by dividing federal authority between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. The role of the executive was hotly debated, including issues such as how a president would be elected, the length of their term, and what offenses should be impeachable.
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The Declaration of Independence
The Founding Fathers of the United States were a group of 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 for the new government. They are also known as Framers of the Constitution. 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.
Thomas Jefferson wrote the original draft of the Declaration of Independence in isolation between June 11, 1776, and June 28, 1776. He then consulted the other members of the Committee of Five, which included John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, who offered minor changes. The committee presented this copy to the Congress on June 28, 1776. The title of the document was "A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled."
The final draft of the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, but the actual signing of the final document was on August 2, 1776. John Hancock was the first to sign, with a signature so large and bold that "John Hancock" became a synonym for a signature. The Declaration of Independence is on public display in the Rotunda of the National Archives in Washington, DC.
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The Articles of Confederation
The final draft of the Articles of Confederation was completed on November 15, 1777, and submitted to the states for ratification in late November 1777. The Articles guaranteed each state's sovereignty, left the matter of western land claims to the individual states, established state-by-state voting in Congress, and created a unicameral legislature with limited powers. Virginia was the first state to ratify on December 16, 1777, and by February 1779, 12 states had ratified the Articles. Maryland was the lone holdout, refusing to ratify until the other states ceded their claims to lands west of the Ohio River. Maryland finally ratified the Articles on February 2, 1781, and on March 1, 1781, the Articles of Confederation officially became the law of the land.
While the Articles of Confederation established a framework for the national government, they also highlighted the limitations of the central government. The central government lacked the power to regulate commerce, raise funds, or assemble delegates effectively. As a result, the states retained considerable power, and the country was on the brink of economic disaster. Disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart. Recognizing these issues, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation and create a stronger central government.
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The Supreme Court
The Court is composed of nine justices, including one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. The justices are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They serve lifetime appointments, ensuring their independence and allowing them to make decisions based on their interpretation of the law, without concern for political pressure or public opinion.
One of the most significant roles of the Supreme Court is its power of judicial review, which allows it to determine the constitutionality of federal and state laws and actions. If a law is found to be in violation of the Constitution, the Court can strike it down, ensuring that the principles laid out by the Framers in the Constitution are upheld.
The Court's decisions have had a profound impact on the development of US law and society. Over the years, the Court has ruled on many controversial and landmark cases, including those involving civil rights, abortion, privacy, and government powers. These decisions have helped shape the country's legal landscape and have often provoked intense national debates.
The Court's independence and power of judicial review make it a critical check and balance in the US system of government, ensuring that the nation's laws and actions remain true to the ideals set forth by the Framers of the Constitution. Its decisions continue to shape the country's future, reflecting the Framers' vision of a nation built on the rule of law and constitutional principles.
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Frequently asked questions
The Framers of the Constitution were delegates to the Constitutional Convention and helped draft the Constitution of the United States. The Founding Fathers of the United States were political leaders who participated in the American Revolution and established 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.
Notable Founding Fathers include George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and James Wilson.
Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison served as the first four presidents; Adams and Jefferson were the nation's first two vice presidents; John Jay was the nation's 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 from the start of the Revolutionary War through to its conclusion.
The Constitutional Convention was assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. The convention's initial mandate was to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was the nation's first constitution. However, the delegates drafted a new constitution, which superseded the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789.
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