By Greg Boudonck
There has always been debate as to who are the Founding Fathers of America.
Many people cut the figure down to just a handful of individuals, but I believe there were many more who played a huge role in developing the United States of America.
While my list may even lack a few others, I have found 56 men who should all be considered Founding Fathers of America.
I am going to provide you with 57 cool facts about these Founding Fathers.
But first, let me list them in no particular order.
- John Adams
- George Washington
- Benjamin Franklin
- James Madison
- Alexander Hamilton
- Thomas Jefferson
- John Jay
- Patrick Henry
- Samuel Adams
- John Dickinson
- Robert Morris
- John Hancock
- John Witherspoon
- Roger Sherman
- George Clymer
- Elbridge Gerry
- George Read
- James Wilson
- George Wythe
- Thomas Mifflin
- Nathaniel Gorham
- Richard Bassett
- John Blair Jr.
- David Brearley
- Jacob Broom
- William Davie
- Jonathan Dayton
- Alexander Martin
- Luther Martin
- George Mason
- James McClurg
- William Paterson
- Charles Pinckney
- Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
- Caleb Strong
- Robert Yates
- Daniel Carroll
- Gouverneur Morris
- John Langdon
- John Rutledge
- Pierce Butler
- William Johnson
- James McHenry
- Richard Spaight
- William Blount
- Hugh Williamson
- Daniel Jenifer
- Rufus King
- William Few
- Abraham Baldwin
- Nicholas Gilman
- William Livingston
- Thomas Fitzsimons
- Jared Ingersoll
- Gunning Bedford Jr.
- William Jackson
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So we will go through these men and tell you some cool facts you probably don’t know.
1: John Adams
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
Was the 2nd United States President but the 1st President to live in the White House.
2: George Washington
If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
The hair you see on George in pictures was not a wig. It was his real hair.
3: Benjamin Franklin
Our new Constitution is now established, everything seems to promise it will be durable; but, in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.
Wrote an essay about farting called Fart Proudly.
4: James Madison
Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.
Was small; he stood 5’4” and weighed approximately 100 pounds.
5: Alexander Hamilton
Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice, without constraint.
Was the 1st Secretary of the Treasury.
6: Thomas Jefferson
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Was an avid reader and had a library of over 6,000 books.
7: John Jay
Nothing is more certain than the indispensable necessity of government, and it is equally undeniable, that whenever and however it is instituted, the people must cede to it, some of their natural rights in order to vest it with requisite powers.
Was the 1st Chief Justice of the United States.
8: Patrick Henry
I know not what others may choose but, as for me, give me liberty or give me death.
Had a total of 17 children.
9: Samuel Adams
The Constitution shall never be construed… to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.
Graduated from Harvard with a Masters Degree in 1743.
10: John Dickinson
The first duty of a revolutionary is to get away with it.
Wrote Letters From A Pennsylvanian Farmer that helped guide public opinion.
11: Robert Morris
Was considered the financier of the Revolution. He raised capital to make it all possible.
12: John Hancock
There, I guess King George will be able to read that without his spectacles!
Was the 1st person to sign the Declaration of Independence.
13: John Witherspoon
He ran the College of New Jersey which became Princeton.
14: Roger Sherman
Passed the Bar Exam without having any formal law education.
15: George Clymer
And his family watched from the woods as the British destroyed heir home.
16: Elbridge Gerry
The evils we experience flow from the excess of democracy. The people do not want virtue, but are the dupes of pretended patriots.
Was Vice President under James Madison.
17: George Read
Up until the signing of the Declaration of Independence, George favored negotiations with Britain.
18: James Wilson
Said, “all men are, by nature, equal and free: no one has a right to any authority over another without his consent: all lawful government is founded on the consent of those who are subject to it.”
19: George Wythe
Was murdered by his Grandnephew by poisoning in 1806.
20: Thomas Mifflin
Was expelled from the Quakers for joining the Continental Army.
21: Nathaniel Gorham
Was considered the 8th President of he United States, but history books do not recognize hat fact.
22: Richard Bassett
Was Governor of Delaware until 1801.
23: John Blair Jr.
Was an Associate Judge on the United States Supreme Court.
24: David Brearley
Was an active and respected Freemason.
25: Jacob Broom
Drew the map for George Washington in the Battle of Brandywine.
26: William Davie
Was the Chief founder of he University of North Carolina.
27: Jonathan Dayton
Was indicted for treason, but wasn’t prosecuted. It did harm his political career.
28: Alexander Martin
Was court-martialed for cowardice but acquitted.
29: Luther Martin
By the power to lay and collect imposts Congress may impose duties on any or every article of commerce imported into these states to what amount they please. By the power to lay excises, a power very odious in its nature, since it authorizes officers to examine into your private concerns, the Congress may impose duties on every article of use or consumption: On the food that we eat, on the liquors we drink, on the clothes that we wear, the glass which enlighten our houses, or the hearths necessary for our warmth and comfort. By the power to lay and collect taxes, they may proceed to direct taxation on every individual either by a capitation tax on their heads or an assessment on their property. By this part of the section, therefore, the government has a power to tax to what amount they choose and thus to sluice the people at every vein as long as they have a drop of blood left.
Was adamantly against slavery and sought abolishment.
30: George Mason
Was against giving the Federal Government too much power and would not sign the Constitution. He was the main mover of he Bill of Rights.
31: James McClurg
Advocated for life tenure for he President of the United States and did not sign the Constitution.
32: William Paterson
Was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President George Washington.
33: Charles Pinckney
The legislature of the United States
shall pass no law on the subject of religion
nor touching or abridging the liberty of the press.
Was instrumental in not giving away the navigation rights to Spain on the Mississippi River.
34: Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Ran for President of the United States in 1804 and 1808.
35: Caleb Strong
Was not able to sign the Constitution because he was called home because of sickness in his family.
36: Robert Yates
Was completely against the United States Constitution and left the proceedings early.
37: Daniel Carroll
Owned much of the District of Columbia where the White House was built.
38: Gouverneur Morris
Was a leading author of he U.S. Constitution.
39: John Langdon
He started as a Federalist but because of disagreement, John changed to the Democrat/Republican stance.
40: John Rutledge
Served a short time as Chief Justice of he U.S. Supreme Court but was removed due to mental illness.
41: Pierce Butler
Was a Major in he British Army before the Revolution but resigned to become a planter in South Carolina.
42: William Johnson
Tried very hard to gain peace between Britain and the United States.
43: James McHenry
Served as a military surgeon during the Revolutionary War.
44: Richard Spaight
Died in a duel with Federalist John Stanley.
45: William Blount
Was the first territorial Governor of what would become Tennessee.
46: Hugh Williamson
Was a close friend of Ben Franklin and participated in scientific experiments with him.
47: Daniel Jenifer
His full name was Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer. He never married and his name did not carry on.
48: Rufus King
This is the law of God by which He makes His way known to man and is paramount to all human control.
Was against slavery and proposed that Missouri must adopt a non-slavery stance before statehood would be accepted.
49: William Few
His brother was hanged by the British for insurrection.
50: Abraham Baldwin
Was the founder of the University of Georgia.
51: Nicholas Gilman
Speaking about the Constitution, he said, “the best that could meet the unanimous concurrence of the States in Convention; it was done by bargain and Compromise, yet, notwithstanding its imperfections, on the adoption of it depends (in my feeble judgment) whether we shall become a respectable nation, or a people torn to pieces . . . and rendered contemptible for ages.”
52: William Livingston
Was a missionary among the Mohawk Indians.
53: Thomas Fitzsimons
Was one of the founders of the Bank of North America.
54: Jared Ingersoll
Held many important positions in Pennsylvania including Attorney General, U.S. District Attorney and Presiding Judge.
55: Gunning Bedford Jr.
Was an aide to General George Washington during the Revolutionary War.
56: William Jackson
Was the Secretary of the Convention and therefore added the 40th name to the United States Constitution.
57: The entertaining fact:
Benjamin Franklin was not allowed to write the Declaration of Independence because the Fathers thought he would slip a joke somewhere in the document.
After all, Ben said this:
Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
Final Thoughts
So how many of these facts did you already know?
While they may not be important in the minds of many people, our history is important.
These are the men that founded the United States of America… The place we call home.
The freedoms we cherish are a direct result of the hard work and sacrifices these men gave.
So tell us your thoughts.
If you have comments or questions, you can post them below.
Thank you.
References
- https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/constitution-day/signers.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founding_Fathers_of_the_United_States
- http://www.biography.com/people/groups/founding-fathers
- http://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-john-adams
- http://mentalfloss.com/article/56532/25-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-george-washington
- http://www.factslides.com/s-Benjamin-Franklin
- http://americanhistory.about.com/od/jamesmadison/tp/10-Things-To-Know-About-James-Madison.htm
- http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2016/07/10-essential-facts-about-alexander-hamilton/
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/10-facts-thomas-jefferson-270th-birthday-100616820.html
- http://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/john-jay/view/quick-facts/
- https://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/founding-father-facts?utm_term=.hyLbpdeP#.ocO7wJak