The Founding Fathers

George Washington Leadership Qualities Tall, commanding presence Symbol of American virtue Charismatic warrior and politician Abigail Adams said, “He has the dignity which forbids familiarity mixed with an easy affability which creates love and reverence.”

...continued Public Life Land surveyor Early military experience Virginia House of Burgesses Delegate to the Continental Congress Commander in chief of Continental Army Presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention First US president and “Father of His Country”

Thomas Paine Immigrated to colonies shortly before Revolution Wrote Common Sense, a call to revolution, in 1776 Wrote ideas of revolution in simple language for all to understand His pamphlet, The Crisis, inspired the army to fight Unsuccessful in a variety of jobs, he died a penniless drunkard “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

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.”

Jefferson’s Tombstone Here was buried Thomas Jefferson Author of the Declaration of Independence Of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom And Father of the University of Virginia “…and not one word more.”

Benjamin Franklin As a printer he established the Pennslyvania 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

…continued 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 As an economist, he said “waste neither time nor money”

Samuel Adams Major early leader of the American Revolution: Led protest against Stamp Act Founded the Sons of Liberty Organized the Boston Tea Party Served in the Continental Congress Signed the Declaration of Independence

Alexander Hamilton Aide-de-camp to Washington Experience at Valley Forge brought him to feel that a strong central government was needed At the Annapolis Convention he drafted a call for the Constitutional Convention where he made the longest speech Co-authored with Madison the Federalist Papers States’ rights issue divided Madison and Hamilton

…continued Dramatic orator with personal appeal As Secretary of the Treasury he was responsible for establishing a policy of national credit and credibility –Pay all foreign debts –Pay domestic debts –Assume state debts According to a contemporary, “the mighty mind of Hamilton would at times bear down all opposition by its comprehensive grasp and the strength of his reasoning power.”

Patrick Henry A passionate and fiery orator who proposed the Virginia Stamp Act Resolutions As a lawyer he argued for broader suffrage Served in the 1st Continental Congress and as Governor of Virginia Strongly opposed the Constitution, favoring strong state governments and a weak federal government

James Madison Served in the Virginia House of Delegates Served in the Continental Congress “Father of the Constitution” Sponsor of the Bill of Rights Co-Author of the Federalist Papers Secretary of State under Jefferson 4th president of the United States

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 “My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.”

Treaty 0f Paris, 1783

George Mason One of the wealthiest Virginia planters Protested Stamp Act Protested Intolerable Acts in the Fairfax County Resolves US Bill of Rights based on Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights Delegate to the Constitutional Convention, but refused to sign the final document

George III Known as the king who lost the American colonies and went mad Surrounded by poor ministers whose primary concern was their own interests Opposed until the end the colonists’ revolt Many of the colonists’ grievances were against acts of Parliament not actions of the king

…continued John Adams said of the British: “The pride and vanity of that nation is a disease; it is a delirium; it has been flattered and inflamed so long by themselves and others that it perverts everything.” About the loss of America, George III said: “...that knavery seems to be so much the striking feature of its inhabitants that it may not be in the end an evil that they become aliens to this Kingdom.”

John Jay President of the Continental Congress Co-writer of the federalist papers Authored the Jay treaty 1794 First Chief Justice of the U.S Governor of New York Opponent of slavery – emancipated slaves in New York

James Monroe Studied law under Thomas Jefferson Delegate in the Continental Congress Ardent Anti-federalist who fought against ratification of the Constitution Senator Governor of Virginia Helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase th President of the U.S. Declared the Monroe doctrine – continued attempts by Europe to colonize in the western hemisphere would be seen as an act of aggression against the U.S.

Benjamin Rush A member of the Sons of Liberty Consulted with Thomas Paine in the writing of “Common Sense” Surgeon General in the Continental Army Signed the declaration of Independence Served in the Continental Congress Helped reconcile the friendship of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams

John Hancock As President of the Continental Congress he was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence First and third Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. According to legend, Hancock signed his name largely and clearly so that King George could read it without his spectacles, but this fanciful story did not appear until many years later

John Witherspoon Only active clergyman and president of a University to sign. Appointed congressional chaplain by John Hancock. Taught moral philosophy at Princeton and was a staunch believer in natural law. Helped draft the Articles of the Confederation. Famous descendent – Reese Witherspoon! Signatory of Declaration of Independence as a New Jersey representative President of Princeton

John Peter Muhlenberg Pennsylvania Congressman Pennsylvania Senator Flair for the dramatic – On January 21, 1776 in the Lutheran church in Virginia he took his sermon text from the third chapter Ecclesiastes, which starts with "To every thing there is a season..."; after reading the eighth verse, "a time of war, and a time of peace," he declared, "And this is the time of war," removing his clerical robe to reveal his Colonel's uniform.Ecclesiastes Appointed Colonel of the Virginia 8 th at the request of George Washington.

Charles Carroll Participated in burning the Peggy Stewart – a tea ship – to protest the tea tax. Only Catholic signer of Declaration of Independence. Oldest and last surviving signatory – died at age 95 Delegate to Continental Congress Senator from Maryland Participated in printed debates for war in the Maryland Gazette under the pseudonym “First Citizen” One of the richest men in America he donated a great deal of money to the war effort

Jonathan Trumbull Sr. Governor of Connecticut Only Colonial Governor to continue in office through the revolution. Only Colonial Governor to side with the revolution Friend and Advisor of George Washington Blatantly refused to help British General Thomas Gage.