Founding Fathers Of The United States

List of Founding Fathers

The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence

Image:JohnAdams.jpg | John Adams
Image: SamuelAdamsLarge.jpeg | Samuel Adams
Image:JosiahBartlett3.jpg | Josiah Bartlett
Image:Carter_braxton_old.jpg | Carter Braxton
Image:Charlescarrollofcarrollton.jpg | Charles Carroll
Image:Samuel_Chase.jpg | Samuel Chase
Image:Abraham_Clark.jpg | Abraham Clark
Image:George Clymer.jpg | George Clymer
Image: William_Ellery.jpg | William Ellery
Image:William floyd.jpg | William Floyd
Image:Franklin-Benjamin-LOC.jpg | Benjamin Franklin
image:Elbridge-gerry-painting.jpg | Elbridge Gerry
Image:Button Gwinnett.png | Button Gwinnett
Image:Lyman hall.jpg | Lyman Hall
Image:JohnHancockSmall.jpeg | John Hancock
Image:benharrv.JPG | Benjamin Harrison
Image:Blank.jpg | John Hart
Image:Blank.jpg | Joseph Hewes
Image:Blank.jpg | Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Image:Blank.jpg | William Hooper
Image:Blank.jpg | Stephen Hopkins
Image:Francis Hopkinson sepia print.jpg | Francis Hopkinson
Image:Samuel huntington.jpg| Samuel Huntington
Image:Thomas_Jefferson_rev.jpg | Thomas Jefferson
Image:Blank.jpg | Francis Lightfoot Lee
image:RichardHenryLee.jpg | Richard Henry Lee
Image:Blank.jpg | Francis Lewis
Image:Blank.jpg | Philip Livingston
Image:Blank.jpg | Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Image:ThomasMcKean3.jpg| Thomas McKean
Image:Blank.jpg | Arthur Middleton
Image:Blank.jpg | Lewis Morris
Image:Morrisr.gif | Robert Morris
Image:Blank.jpg | John Morton
Image:Blank.jpg | Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Image:William paca.jpg | William Paca
Image:Blank.jpg | John Penn
Image:Robert Treat Paine portrait.jpg | Robert Treat Paine
Image:GeorgeRead.gif | George Read
Image:CaesarRodney.jpeg | Caesar Rodney
Image:Blank.jpg | George Ross
Image:Benjamin_Rush_Painting_by_Peale_1783.jpg | Benjamin Rush
Image:Edward_Rutledge.jpg | Edward Rutledge
Image:Roger Sherman.jpg | Roger Sherman
Image:Blank.jpg | James Smith
Image:Stockton.jpg | Richard Stockton
Image:Blank.jpg | Thomas Stone
Image:Blank.jpg | George Taylor
Image:Matthew_Thornton.jpg | Matthew Thornton
Image:Blank.jpg | George Walton
Image:William_Whipple.jpg | William Whipple
Image:Blank.jpg | William Williams
Image:JusticeJamesWilson.jpg | James Wilson
Image:Witherspoon.jpg | John Witherspoon
Image:Oliver_Wolcott.jpg | Oliver Wolcott
Image:WytheGeorge.jpg | George Wythe

The 39 signers of the Constitution

Image:Abraham Baldwin.jpg | Abraham Baldwin
Image:Richard bassett.jpg | Richard Bassett
Image:Gunning bedford jr.jpg | Gunning Bedford, Jr.
Image:JohnBlair.jpg | John Blair
Image:William Blount.jpg | William Blount
Image:David_Brearly.jpg | David Brearly
Image:blank.jpg | Jacob Broom
Image:Pierce butler.jpg | Pierce Butler
Image:Daniel carroll.jpg | Daniel Carroll
Image:George_Clymer.jpg | George Clymer
Image:Jonathan_Dayton.jpg | Jonathan Dayton
Image:JohnDickinson.jpg | John Dickinson
Image: William few.jpg | William Few
Image:Thomas_Fitzsimons.jpg | Thomas Fitzsimons
Image:Franklin-Benjamin-LOC.jpg | Benjamin Franklin
Image:Nicholas_Gilman.jpeg | Nicholas Gilman
Image:Nathaniel_Gorham.jpg | Nathaniel Gorham
Image:Alexander Hamilton.jpg | Alexander Hamilton
Image:Jared_Ingersoll.jpg | Jared Ingersoll
Image:Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer.jpg | Daniel Of St. Thomas Jenifer
Image:William s johnson.jpg | William Samuel Johnson
image:RufusKing.jpg | Rufus King
Image:John Langdon.jpg | John Langdon
Image:William_Livingston.jpg | William Livingston
Image:JamesMadison.jpg | James Madison
Image:James_McHenry.jpg | James McHenry
Image:TMifflin.jpg | Thomas Mifflin
Image:Gouverneur Morris.jpg | Gouverneur Morris
Image:Morrisr.gif | Robert Morris
Image:WilliamPaterson.jpg | William Paterson
Image:Charles_Cotesworth_Pinckney.jpg | Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Image:Charles_Pinckney.jpg | Charles Pinckney
Image:GeorgeRead.gif | George Read
Image:John Rutledge.jpg | John Rutledge
Image:Roger_Sherman.jpg | Roger Sherman
Image:NCG-RichardSpaight.jpg | Richard Dobbs Spaight
Image:George-Washington.jpg | George Washington
Image:Hugh_Williamson.jpg | Hugh Williamson
Image:JusticeJamesWilson.jpg | James Wilson

The 16 Delegates to the Constitutional Convention who did not sign

Image:NCG-WilliamDavie.jpg | William Richardson Davie
Image:Oliver Ellsworth.jpg | Oliver Ellsworth
image:Elbridge-gerry-painting.jpg | Elbridge Gerry
Image:blank.jpg | William Houston
Image:blank.jpg | William Houstoun
Image:blank.jpg | John Lansing, Jr.
Image:NCG-AlexanderMartin.jpg | Alexander Martin
Image:Luther martin.jpg | Luther Martin
Image:Gmetching.gif | George Mason
Image:James McClurg.jpg | James McClurg
Image:blank.jpg | John Francis Mercer
Image:blank.jpg | William Pierce
Image:EdmundRandolph.jpeg | Edmund Randolph
Image:blank.jpg | Caleb Strong
Image:WytheGeorge.jpg | George Wythe
Image:blank.jpg | Robert Yates

Others

Image:blank.jpg | Richard Bland
Image:AaronBurr-flipped.jpg | Aaron Burr
Image:George_clinton.jpg | George Clinton
Image:blank.jpg | William Eustis
Image:Patrick_henry.JPG | Patrick Henry
Image:blank.jpg | Levi Lincoln, Sr.
Image:HenryLee.jpeg | Henry Lee III
Image:Marshall-john-engraving-after-inman-harvard-legal.png | John Marshall
Image:ThomasPaine_2.jpg | Thomas Paine
Image:PeytonRandolph.jpeg | Peyton Randolph

Constitutional Convention delegates: an overview

The 55 delegates who attended the United States Constitutional Convention were a distinguished body of men who represented a cross section of 18th-century American leadership. Almost all of them were well-educated men of means who were dominant in their communities and states, and many were also prominent in national affairs. Virtually every one had taken part in the Revolution; at least 29 had served in the Continental forces, most of them in positions of command. All of them were white.

Political experience

The group, as a whole, had extensive political experience. At the time of the convention, four-fifths, or 41 individuals, were or had been members of the Continental Congress . Practically all of the 55 delegates had experience in colonial and state government, and the majority had held county and local offices.

Mifflin and Gorham had served as president of the Continental Congress .

The ones who lacked congressional experience were Bassett, Blair, Washington, Brearly, Broom, Davie, Dayton, Alexander Martin, Luther Martin, Mason, McClurg, Paterson, Charles Pinckney, Strong, Washington and Yates.

Eight men (Clymer, Franklin, Gerry, Robert Morris, Read, Sherman, Wilson, and Wythe) had signed the Declaration Of Independence .

Six (Carroll, Dickinson, Gerry, Gouverneur Morris, Robert Morris, and Sherman) had affixed their signatures to the Articles Of Confederation .

Two, Sherman and Robert Morris, underwrote all three of the nation's basic documents.

Dickinson, Franklin, Langdon, Livingston, Alexander Martin, Randolph, Read, and Rutledge had been governors.

Occupations

The delegates practiced a wide range of occupations, and many pursued more than one career simultaneously. Thirty-five were Lawyers or had benefited from legal training, though not all of them relied on the profession for a livelihood. Some had also become Judge s.

At the time of the convention, 13 individuals were Business men, Merchant s, Boat ers, or Ship pers: Blount, Broom, Clymer, Dayton, Fitzsimons, Gerry, Gilman, Gorham, Langdon, Robert Morris, Pierce, Sherman, and Wilson.

Six were major land speculators: Blount, Dayton, Fitzsimons, Gorham, Robert Morris, and Wilson.

Eleven speculated in Securities on a large scale: Bedford, Blair, Clymer, Dayton, Fitzsimons, Franklin, King, Langdon, Robert Morris, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and Sherman.

Twelve owned or managed Slave -operated Plantation s or large Farm s: Bassett, Blair, Blount, Butler, Carroll, Jenifer, Mason, Charles Pinckney, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Rutledge, Spaight, and Washington. Madison also owned slaves as did Franklin who later freed his slaves and became an abolitionist.

Broom and Few were small farmers.

Nine of the men received a substantial part of their income from public office: Baldwin, Blair, Brearly, Gilman, Jenifer, Livingston, Madison, and Rutledge.

Three had retired from active economic endeavors: Franklin, McHenry, and Mifflin.

Franklin and Williamson were Scientist s, in addition to their other activities.

McClurg, McHenry, and Williamson were Physician s, and Johnson was a University president.

Baldwin had been a Minister , and Williamson, Madison, Ellsworth, and possibly others had studied Theology but had never been ordained.

Finances and family connections

A few of the delegates were wealthy. Most of the others had financial resources that ranged from good to excellent.

Washington and Robert Morris ranked among the nation's most prosperous men.

Carroll, Houston, Jenifer, and Mifflin were also extremely well-to-do.

Among those with the most straitened circumstances were Baldwin, Brearly, Broom, Few, Madison, Paterson, and Sherman, though they all managed to live comfortably.

A considerable number of the men were born into leading families: Blair, Butler, Carroll, Houston, Ingersoll, Jenifer, Johnson, Livingston, Mifflin, Gouverneur Morris, both Pinckneys, Randolph, Rutledge, Washington, and Wythe.

Others were self-made men who had risen from humble beginnings: Few, Franklin, Gorham, Hamilton, and Sherman.

Geographic and educational background

Most of the delegates were natives of the 13 Colonies .

Only eight were born elsewhere: four (Butler, Fitzsimons, McHenry, and Paterson) in Ireland , two (Davie and Robert Morris) in England , one (Wilson) in Scotland , and one (Hamilton) in the West Indies .

Many of them had moved from one state to another. Sixteen individuals had already lived or worked in more than one state or colony: Baldwin, Bassett, Bedford, Dickinson, Few, Franklin, Ingersoll, Livingston, Alexander Martin, Luther Martin, Mercer, Gouverneur Morris, Robert Morris, Read, Sherman, and Williamson.

Several others had studied or traveled abroad.

The educational background of the Founding Fathers was diverse. Some, like Franklin, were largely self-taught and had received scant formal training. Others had obtained instruction from private Tutor s or at academies. About half of the individuals had attended or graduated from College in the British North American colonies or abroad. Some men held advanced and honorary Degree s. For the most part, the delegates were a well-educated group.

Longevity and family life

For their era, the delegates to the convention (like the signers of the Declaration of Independence) were remarkably long-lived. Their average age at death was almost 67. The first to die was Houston in 1788; the last, Madison in 1836.

Johnson reached the age of 92.

Few, Franklin, Madison, Williamson, and Wythe lived into their eighties.

Fifteen or sixteen (depending on Fitzsimmon's exact age) died in their eighth decade.

20 or 21 in their sixties.

Eight lived into their fifties.

Five lived only into their forties.

Two of them (Hamilton and Spaight) were killed in Duel s.

Most of the delegates married and raised children. Sherman fathered the largest family, 15 children by 2 wives.

At least nine (Bassett, Brearly, Johnson, Mason, Paterson, Charles Cotesworth, Pinckney, Sherman, Wilson, and Wythe) married more than once.

Four (Baldwin, Gilman, Jenifer, and Alexander Martin) were lifelong bachelors.

In terms of Religious Affiliation , the men mirrored the overwhelmingly Protestant character of American religious life at the time and were members of various denominations. Only three, C. Carroll, D. Carroll, and Fitzsimons, were Roman Catholic s. A few were not particularly religious. All of them were White .

Post-convention careers

The delegates' subsequent careers reflected their abilities as well as the vagaries of fate. Most were successful, although seven (Fitzsimons, Gorham, Luther Martin, Mifflin, Robert Morris, Pierce, and Wilson) suffered serious financial reverses that left them in or near Bankruptcy . Two, Blount and Dayton, were involved in possibly treasonous activities. Yet, as they had done before the convention, most of the group continued to render outstanding public service, particularly to the new government they had helped to create.

Washington and Madison became President Of The United States , and King and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney were nominated as candidates for the office.

Gerry served as Madison's Vice President .

Hamilton, McHenry, Madison, and Randolph attained Cabinet posts.

Nineteen men became U.S. Senator s: Baldwin, Bassett, Blount, Butler, Dayton, Ellsworth, Few, Gilman, Johnson, King, Langdon, Alexander Martin, Gouverneur Morris, Robert Morris, Paterson, Charles Pinckney, Read, Sherman, and Strong. Thirteen served in the House of Representatives: Baldwin, Carroll, Clymer, Dayton, Fitzsimons, Gerry, Gilman, Madison, Mercer, Charles Pinckney, Sherman, Spaight, and Williamson. Of these, Dayton served as Speaker.

Four men (Bassett, Bedford, Brearly, and Few) served as federal judges, four more (Blair, Paterson, Rutledge, and Wilson) as Associate Justices Of The Supreme Court . Rutledge and Ellsworth also held the position of Chief Justice .

Seven others (Davie, Ellsworth, Gerry, King, Gouverneur Morris, Charles Pinckney, and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney) were named to diplomatic missions for the new nation.

Many delegates held important state positions, including governor (Blount, Davie, Franklin, Gerry, Langdon, Livingston, Alexander Martin, Mifflin, Paterson, Charles Pinckney, Spaight, and Strong) and legislator. And most of the delegates contributed in many ways to the cultural life of their cities, communities, and states. Not surprisingly, many of their sons and other descendants were to occupy high positions in American political and intellectual life.

Thomas Paine went on to champion the French Revolution in his '' Rights Of Man ''. He was elected to the National Convention and helped to write the constitution.

See also

Founding Fathers (worldwide)

List Of Continental Congress Delegates

List Of Signatories Of The United States Constitution

History Of The United States Constitution

History Of The United States

Bibliography

''Slavery and the Founders: Race and Liberty in the Age of Jefferson'' by Paul Finkelman.(1996),(2001) ISBN 1563245906

External links

The Founding Fathers of the American Revolution - Biographies and Information

NARA - America's founding fathers

The Founding Fathers and the Separation of Church and State

ColonialHall.com: Biographies of America's Founding Fathers

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Founding Fathers Of The United States