Here are seven “key” Founding Fathers (shown by the image above): John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.
1. The Founding Fathers
Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia – Founding Fathers of the United States.
The Founding Fathers of the United States, or simply the Founding Fathers or Founders, were a group of American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, led the war for independence from Great Britain, and built a frame of government for the new United States of America upon classical liberalism and republican principles during the later decades of the 18th century.
In 1973, historian Richard B. Morris identified seven figures as key Founding Fathers: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington, based on the critical and substantive roles they played in the formation of the country’s new government.[3][4]
2. Founding Fathers and slavery
Two facts:
- Of the seven key Founding Fathers, five were slave owners. John Adams and Alexander Hamilton were not.
- Of the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence, 41 were slave owners.
It is Okay to be a Founding Father and a slave owner! Two main reasons:
- America inherited slavery from Britain.
- The American Revolution was by/of/for the rich, who simply did not want to pay [more] taxes. Being “rich” then meant being a slave owner, mostly. For more, read What is the American Revolution, anyway?
Two notes:
- John Jay, although at one time a slave owner, became a staunch abolitionist by the time the U.S. Constitution was approved. He was unsuccessful in getting anti-slavery wording in the Constitution but was a very vocal and visible opponent of slavery. For more, read John Jay: Abolitionist and Slave Owner.
- Benjamin Franklin, late in life, became an abolitionist after the U.S. Constitution was ratified. For more, read Benjamin Franklin’s Anti-Slavery Petitions to Congress.
3. What did the Founding Fathers do for America?
They created a republic, by accident!
Three informative readings:
- What is the American Revolution, anyway?
- What is “Declaration of Independence”, anyway?
- What is the U.S. Constitution, anyway?
For more, wait for my next post.
4. Discussion
The Founding Fathers are all wise men, but none of them are God. So, stop worshiping them as such, as many Americans do.
Three informative readings:
- “All men are created equal,” really?
- “We the People”, really?
- Has Jeffersonian America Run Its Course?
5. Closing
We study the Founding Fathers in order to truly understand America. For more, read History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline.
