Influence of Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, & Adams

Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson A Renaissance Man Political philosopher Architect Musician Book collector Scientist Horticulturist Diplomat & Linguist Inventor Politician Referred to his years as president as “splendid misery.” Information on this slide can be compared with information about Washington. Both were Virginians who owned plantations and slaves. However, Washington was from the Tidewater and Jefferson from the Piedmont . The lands of Tidewater Virginia were flat and fertile and productive. The Piedmont was less fertile and hilly. Therefore, Tidewater planters tended to be wealthier than those in the Piedmont. As a political philosopher and writer, Jefferson was asked to write a declaration of independence. In it he set forth new ideas based on the philosophy of John Locke. Those ideas stressed that all people were born with natural rights to life, liberty, and property. Jefferson returned to home and served as Governor of Virginia during the Revolution. As governor, he was not actively engaged in the fight for independence. After the war he spent several years in Paris as US envoy to France. Author of the Declaration of Independence

James Madison Served in the Virginia House of Delegates Served in the Continental Congress “Father of the Constitution” Sponsor of the Bill of Rights A Federalist supporter, he co-authored the Federalist Papers Secretary of State under Jefferson 4th president of the United States Virginian Madison and New Yorker Hamilton wrote a series of essays called the Federalist Papers to explain the features of the new Constitution. Their explanations helped in the ratification process. Madison kept detailed notes of the Constitutional Convention, earning him the title of “Father of the Constitution” by historians.

Benjamin Franklin As a printer he established the Pennsylvania Gazette and wrote Poor Richard’s Almanack Invented the lightning rod, Franklin stove, and bifocal glasses An accomplished musician, he played the violin, harp, and guitar As a scientist he was interested in electricity and the weather As a statesman and diplomat he signed all four important documents of the Revolutionary era: Declaration of Independence Alliance with France Treaty of Paris US Constitution Students may compare the talents of Franklin and Jefferson. Both were writers, inventors, muscians, diplomats, and scientists.

John Adams Harvard law graduate Led Massachusetts movement for revolution Served in Continental Congresses Diplomatic service in Holland, France, Britain Negotiated Treaty of Paris 1st vice president and 2nd president Adams, a lawyer from Massachusetts, led the movement for revolution in Boston. As a founding father, he negotiated the Treaty of Paris in 1783. In that treaty, Adams and other representatives of the US managed to get the British to cede all lands between the east coast and the Mississippi River to the new country. This agreement opened all the lands west of the Appalachains for settlement.