The Men who Shaped America
My country ‘tis of thee. Some of the most honored and respected members of our great nation, the founding fathers are those fantastic individuals who began the United States of Americas as we know them. Thanks to this fact, they also changed human history forever. Before this point in time, no one could’ve guessed that such a small rabble of farmers and simple shopkeepers could be able to take on such a mighty force as Great Britain and succeed. This was just another doomed revolution that would become a minor footnote in the history books.
However, with the efforts of the American people and the brilliant minds of their leaders, they were able to come out on top despite their underdog status. Indeed, some of the bravest and brightest people in the world at the time were those who participated in this Revolution. Their goal was to form a new system of government that would improve upon the ancient Republic system and make it work in their era. From uber-geniuses like Ben Franklin to unshakable soldiers like George Washington, today we honor the land of the free by remembering the great people who established it.
George Washington
George Washington, as the first president of the U.S.A., his legacy is everlasting. Perhaps the single most influential man of the 18th century, George Washington is known by every self-respecting American patriot. Born in the year 1732 in Virginia, Washington grew up working as a surveyor, mapping and purchasing the land of his birth state.
He first tasted leadership in the military during the French and Indian War where his aptitude earned him high praise from his peers. After the war, he returned to his estate at Mount Vernon where he opposed the many acts of Britain upon their colonies. Because of this, he was selected by the Second Continental Congress to lead the American militia once it was clear war was imminent.
Thanks to his brilliant tactics and unbending will, battle after battle was won in the grueling campaign of the Revolutionary War. After Washington’s brilliant victory over the English at Yorktown, America finally was granted its independence. At this point, Washington hoped to retire, but his new country needed him yet. After the failure of the Articles of Confederation, Washington attended the Constitutional Convention and used his popularity to ensure the approval of this new governmental framework.
Even then he wasn’t done with his service to his land. Due to the large demand from the citizenry of the fledgling country, he even accepted the position of first president. With his strong leadership, he set the course of how the president would execute their office, such as influencing the fact that presidents should serve no more than two terms. Washington would die in 1799 and even free his slaves upon his death. He will forever be known as one of the greatest Americans to ever live.
Benjamin Franklin
We go from the grand military commander of the revolution to the intellectual backbone of it. Ben Franklin has become associated with importance and success due to his inclusion on the one-hundred dollar bill, but how exactly did he earn his spot on the U.S.’s highest-valued currency note? That, our dear reader, is due to the fact that Franklin, then and now, has been considered one of the most brilliant men to come from America. This astounding intellectual was born into a large family and grew up being an apprentice to his brother James, a printer. The two worked to establish a paper called The New-England Courant, the first independent newspaper in the American colonies.
After moving to Philadelphia, Ben purchased a local newspaper and renamed it The Pennsylvania Gazette. Thanks to his humorous and common sense ways of explaining his beliefs on politics and human nature, the paper’s popularity exploded and sowed the seeds of rebellion all over the land. Franklin also decided to publish an almanac of phrases and advice which he dubbed Poor Richard’s Almanac. This work is where many of his famous expressions are found.
An avid scientist, Franklin contributed many theories and principles on the behavior of electricity and supplied such inventions as bifocals and lightning rods. Once he began to see the route to revolution his nation was traveling down, he dedicated himself to organizing peaceful and diplomatic ways to separate from England. Franklin even helped in the writing of the Declaration of Independence to accomplish this goal.
When war broke out, he heard the call of duty and traveled as an ambassador to France, securing their alliance which would be instrumental to winning the war. When independence was achieved, Franklin attended the Constitutional Convention and helped shape our governmental structure to this day. When he passed away, a third of Philadelphia’s population attended his funeral service.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson is often called the man who penned America into existence. This title is fitting due to his impressive writing skills and how his many works helped to shape the newly-forming America. Thomas Jefferson, like many other patriots, was born in Virginia. Living a life of wealth and education, Jefferson studied politics and architecture in college.
In the year 1776, being known as a skilled politician, he was asked to pen a first draft of a Declaration of Independence. Because he also had revolutionary ideals, Jefferson agreed. His first draft was revised by a team of other political geniuses, and it was sent to King George III to officially declare the U.S.’s intent to break off.
Returning home a hero, Jefferson was elected the governor of Virginia for the span of two years from 1799 to 1781. He also designed his own home of Monticello, which is now considered an architectural masterpiece. Jefferson would move on to replace Ben Franklin as American Minister to France and later served as George Washington’s Secretary of State. During the election for the second president of the United States, Jefferson won the Vice-Presidency to serve under John Adams.
Four years later, he ascended to the presidency, making a huge contribution to his nation by negotiating the Louisiana Purchase to massively increase America’s boundaries. Thomas Jefferson passed away on July 4th 1826, exactly fifty years after the ratification of his beloved Declaration of Independence. Funnily enough, his gravestone lists his many accomplishments, but President of the United States was left off of it.
John Adams
Now we move in time from the third President of the United States back to the Second. John Adams is known as one of the fine behind the scenes politicians who was heavily involved in the Revolution. While being a notoriously poor public speaker and uncharismatic, Adams had a brilliant political mind and was a skilled diplomat.
He was born in 1735 and grew up to become a highly successful lawyer who had strong patriotic feelings. Both Continental Congresses featured him as a distinguished guest to help convince America that it was time to dissolve their political ties with England.
Throughout the American Revolutionary War, Adams worked on negotiations to end the conflict time after time. In fact, he was the primary negotiator of the Treaty of Paris that would completely cease the conflict. Back in the States, Adams was elected to become the Vice President of George Washington.
Eight years later, he would even make it to the position of President himself. This office wouldn’t prove to be highly beneficial to Adams’ legacy, however, as he was involved in the tangled mess known as the XYZ Affair. He was also blasted for passing the Alien and Sedition Acts which limited free speech. Adams passed away on July 4th 1826, the exact same day as his political rival, Thomas Jefferson.
Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams . . . yes, the guy that the beer company is named after. Sam Adams was one of the more prominent speakers and front line political workers during the beginning of the Revolution. Not only that, but he was also an important politician after independence was achieved. He is one patriot that will forever be known for his fighting spirit and impressive speaking skills.
Sam was born in 1722 as a resident of Boston, the city he would live in throughout most of his life. Graduating from the always prestigious Harvard University, he entered life as a tax collector for the British Government. Not exactly the expected origins of an American patriot, but after he was able to enter the Massachusetts House of Representatives, his views shifted.
Feeling that the colonies were being unjustly treated by their ruler, Sam began to actively speak out against the British crown. In 1773, he organized the protest that would be known as the Boston Tea Party. The following year, he was selected to attend the Continental Congresses and urge the colonists to revolt. After the dust of battle cleared, Sam served as a Senator of Massachusetts and then was elected its governor.
Adams was also a supporter of his second cousin, the previously mentioned John Adams. Sam would die in 1803, but his legacy lives on in the spirit of Boston, even though the man on the Samuel Adams beer logo is actually Paul Revere, not Samuel Adams.
John Jay
John Jay always seems to be one of those founding fathers that people can name but are never quite sure what he specifically did. I am here to hopefully clear up some of the mystery behind this patriot. Jay was born in 1745 in New York. Although he detested the rule of England over his homeland, John still wasn’t completely up for a total revolution.
One of his defining characteristics was a belief in justice and order. He felt that the colonies would need a strong government ready to establish order as soon as the English were out. His peers’ respect of his convictions even allowed Jay to become President of the Continental Congress.
The Revolutionary War was eventually ended thanks to Jay signing the Treaty of Paris that he negotiated with the English. Not only that, but he ensured the two countries could trade peacefully after the fact with the Jay Treaty. Back home, John Jay attended the Constitutional Convention and helped write the crucially important Federalist Papers.
Under this new Constitutional government structure, Jay became the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and afterwards served as the Governor of New York. Thanks to his efforts as Governor, an emancipation bill was passed that freed slaves in New York. John Jay would die in 1829, remembered as a pillar of justice and integrity in the early United States.
James Maddison
We next move onto James Maddison, the framer of our governmental system. Thanks to his impressive work with the Constitution and the Federalist Papers, a strong federal government was established to enforce order in the new country. James Maddison was born in Virginia in the year 1751. One of the younger members of the revolutionary movement, he was an avid student of government during college.
After realizing that his country was moving down the road to rebellion, he studied hard and drafted possibilities for a governmental structure to put forth in the independent colonies. He believed that the best way to go would be by embracing federalism, which is the concept of having a government consisting of a strong national power which is aided by weaker local offices.
When the war was over and the Articles of Confederation were accepted rather than his ideas, Maddison revised his original plans. After the Articles failed, however, Maddison had his opportunity. During the Constitutional Convention, Maddison was the leading mind, proposing the basic structure that our government is formed around today.
He was called the Father of the Constitution and was hailed as a political genius of his time. Maddison also served as Secretary of State under Thomas Jefferson and replaced him as president. His leadership helped to guide Americans through the brutal War of 1812. Maddison died in 1836, proud of his country and compatriots.
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was close to becoming one of the forgotten founding fathers. With the Broadway musical Hamilton’s success, however, he is quickly returning to the public interest. The exact date of his birth is not known as it is suspected that he lied about his age when he was young in order to get a job.
We do know, however, that he was born in the West Indies and moved to the United States at a young age. Hamilton grew up writing essays about why it was necessary for the American Colonies to break from England.
During the war, he served as an Artillery Captain and as a member of Washington’s staff. Hamilton even commanded his artillery unit at the Battle of Yorktown. After the British surrender, Alexander contributed to writing the Federalist Papers and acted at the Constitutional Convention.
When Washington became president, Hamilton was given the post of Secretary of the Treasury and he passed much legislation that ensured the financial stability of the new nation. After a life of gaining political enemies, though, he lost his life in a duel against Aaron Burr in 1804. Peculiarly enough, his own son died in a duel in the exact same spot he did.
John Hancock
John Hancock was a man who had an intense sense of pride in this patriotic movement. A resident of Massachusetts his entire life, Hancock grew up wealthy after inheriting a fortune from his rich Uncle. He was easily the richest of the founding fathers and used that money to aid in the cause.
Thanks to his wealth and passion, he entered the field of politics and began to vocally denounce British control of the colonies. It was because of his activism that he was elected as president of the Second Continental Congress.
As president of the meeting when it was introduced, Hancock was given the honor of being the first man to sign the Declaration of Independence. He also was the one who signed his name the largest, causing his name to be tied with signatures forever more.
Thanks to the notoriety this brought him, Hancock became a fugitive from the British Crown and had to lie low until after the Revolution subsided. In 1780, though, while still a fugitive, he became the Governor of Massachusetts. Hancock would hold this position until his death 1793.
Charles Carroll
Charles Carroll was a key figure throughout the start of the revolution in Maryland and was a key reason why they even supported revolution in the first place. Born to wealthy parents, Carroll spent most of his childhood and young adulthood traveling Europe, studying to hone his mind in politics.
Upon his return to a country about to enter a revolutionary war, Carroll supported the idea that they needed to separate from England. When the first Continental Congress was held, Maryland didn’t even send a representative because of how hesitant they were about entering armed conflict.
During the second Congress, however, Carroll acted as representative of his state and signed the Declaration of Independence. His next mission was to serve as an envoy to Canada to convince them to join the cause. He obviously failed, but still managed to sow the seeds of good will between the two nations.
When Maryland was putting together its state government, Carroll was there, drafting their state constitution and establishing the necessary offices. He was also remembered for his efforts by being elected to the first national congress. Overall, Carroll served as a key figure in governmental establishment during these turbulent times. He would die in 1832, the longest living member to sign the Declaration.
James Wilson
Another one of the founding fathers who doesn’t receive nearly as much spotlight as some of the more notable ones, James Wilson was still an integral part to the early revolution. He was born in Scotland and moved to the American Colonies to pursue an education. Studying languages and political philosophy, Wilson was one of the earliest men to speak out against the British government.
His works were what inspired many other patriots to agree that a revolution was necessary for the welfare of their lands. When the Continental Congresses were called to order, Wilson was one of the more prominent men who spoke at both.
He was also able to sign the Declaration of Independence. A student of the philosopher Montesquieu, Wilson advocated that their new ideal government needed separation between its powers to ensure tyranny wouldn’t be able to take over the entire system. Throughout the war he continuously published pamphlets to help keep the country’s morale up.
After independence was achieved, Wilson dedicated much of his being to the Constitutional Convention to establish a better government. His efforts even allowed him to become one of the first Supreme Court Justices appointed by George Washington. Wilson died in 1798.