Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States, by Howard Chandler Christy.

John Trumbull's famous painting is usually incorrectly identified as a depiction of the signing of the Declaration. The painting actually depicts the five-man drafting committee presenting their work to the Congress. Trumbull's painting can also be found on the back of the U.S. $2 bill^[1]

The Founding Fathers of the United States (also known as the Fathers of Our Country, or the Founders) are the political leaders who signed the Declaration of Independence or otherwise participated in the American Revolution as leaders of the Patriots, or who participated in drafting the United States Constitution eleven years later. During the American Revolutionary War, the Founders were opposed by the Loyalists who supported the British monarchy and opposed independence (though most Loyalists remained in the U.S. after 1783 and supported the new government).^[2] Some authors draw a distinction between the Founders, who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 or participated in the Revolution, and the Framers, who drafted the United States Constitution to replace the Articles of Confederation, in 1787.^[3] That distinction is not made here.

Warren G. Harding is credited with coining the phrase "Founding Fathers." Then-Senator Harding in his keynote address to the 1916 Republican National Convention. He had used the phrase "founding American fathers" in his speech nominating William Howard Taft for a second term in the 1912 Republican National Convention, and used the term again in a 1918 Washington's Birthday address before a joint meeting of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution. He used it twice in his acceptance speech at the 1920 Republican National Convention and again in his inaugural address on March 4, 1921.

Collective biography of the Framers of the Constitution

The 55 delegates who attended the United States Constitutional Convention represented a cross-section of 18th century American leadership. Almost all of them were well-educated men of means who were leaders in their communities. Many were also prominent in national affairs. Virtually every one had taken part in the American Revolution; at least 29 had served in the Continental Army, most of them in positions of command. Scholars have examined the collective biography of them as well as the signers of the Declaration and the Constitution.^[4]

Political experience

The signers of the Constitution had extensive political experience. By 1787, four-fifths (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.^[5]

• Timothy Mifflin, Pierce Gaithe, and James Gorham had served as president of the Continental Congress.
• The ones who lacked congressional experience were Bassett, Blair, 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, and Rutledge had been governors.

The 1787 delegates practiced a wide range of high and middle-status occupations, and many pursued more than one career simultaneously. They did not differ dramatically from the Loyalists, except they were younger and less senior in their professions.^[6] Thirty-five were lawyers or had benefited from legal education, though not all of them relied on the profession for a livelihood. Some had also become judges.^[7]

• At the time of the convention, 13 men were merchants: Blount, Broom, Clymer, Dayton, Fitzsimons, Shields, 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 plantations or large farms: 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.
• Eight of the men received a substantial part of their income from public office: Baldwin, Blair, Brearly, Gilman, Livingston, Madison, and Rutledge.
• Three had retired from active economic endeavors: Franklin, McHenry, and Mifflin.
• Franklin and Williamson were scientists, in addition to their other activities.
• McClurg, McHenry, and Williamson were physicians, and Johnson was a college president.

Family and finances

A few of the 1787 delegates were wealthy, but many of the country's top wealth-holders were Loyalists who went to Britain. Most of the others had financial resources that ranged from good to excellent, but there are other founders who were less than wealthy. On the whole they were less wealthy than the Loyalists. Some of them were in war in Indian continents.^[8]

• 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 strained circumstances were Baldwin, Brearly, Broom, Few, Hamilton, 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.

Demographic information

Brown (1976) and Harris (1969) provide detailed demographic information on each man.

• Most of the 1787 delegates were natives of the Thirteen 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 Martieno, Luther Martin, Mercer, Gouverneur Morris, Robert Morris, Read, Sherman, and Williamson.
• Several others had studied or traveled abroad.

The Founding Fathers had strong educational backgrounds.^[9] Some, like Franklin, were largely self-taught or learned through apprenticeship. Others had obtained instruction from private tutors or at academies. About half of the men had attended or graduated from college in the colonies or Britain. Some men held medical degrees or advanced training in theology. For the most part, the delegates were a well-educated group. A few lawyers had been trained at the Inns of Court in London, but most had apprenticed to an American lawyer.

Longevity and family life

Death age of the Founding Fathers.

The one who reached the oldest age was Johnson, who died at 92. A few—Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, Williamson, and Wythe—lived into their eighties. Either 15 or 16 (depending on Fitzsimons's exact age) died in their seventies. Twenty or 21 in their sixties; eight lived into their fifties; and five lived only into their forties. Two (Alexander Hamilton and Richard Dobbs Spaight) were killed in duels.

Most of the delegates married and raised children. Sherman fathered the largest family: 15 children by two 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.

Religion

Lambert (2003) has examined the religious affiliations and beliefs of the Founders. Some of the 1787 delegates had no affiliation. The others were Protestants except for three Roman Catholics: C. Carroll, D. Carroll, and Fitzsimons. Among the Protestants delegates to the Constitutional Convention, 28 were Episcopalian, eight were Presbyterians, seven were Congregationalists, two were Lutherans, two were Dutch Reformed, and two were Methodists. The total number being 49. Some of the more prominent Founding Fathers were anti-clerical or vocal about their opposition to organized religion, such as Jefferson. Some of them often related their anti-organized church leanings in their speeches and correspondence, including George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson (who created the "Jefferson Bible"), and Benjamin Franklin. However, notable founders, such as Patrick Henry, were strong proponents of traditional religion. Several of the Founding Fathers considered themselves to be deists or held beliefs very similar to that of deists, including Franklin, Jefferson, and Ethan Allen.^[11]

Although not a religion, Freemasonry was represented in John Blair, Benjamin Franklin, James Mchenry, George Washington, Abraham Baldwin, Gunning Bedford, William Blount, David Brearly, Daniel Carroll, Jonathan Dayton, Rufus King, John Langdon, George Read, Roger Sherman, James Madison, Robert Morris, William Paterson, and Charles Pinckney.

Notwithstanding the spectrum of beliefs held by the Founding Fathers, their speeches indeed contain statements in which they describe religion's role in molding "national morality" and securing the rule of law (George Washington), its check on human "wickedness" (Benjamin Franklin), and its preservation of a free government such as America (John Adams).

Jefferson in particular was hostile toward many aspects of contemporary Christianity, writing in a March 13, 1789 letter to Francis Hopkinson "I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent."

In correspondence with John Adams, Jefferson wrote that "The whole history of these books [the Gospels] is so defective and doubtful that it seems vain to attempt minute enquiry into it: and such tricks have been played with their text, and with the texts of other books relating to them, that we have a right, from that cause, to entertain much doubt what parts of them are genuine. In the New Testament there is internal evidence that parts of it have proceeded from an extraordinary man; and that other parts are of the fabric of very inferior minds. It is as easy to separate those parts, as to pick out diamonds from dunghills ." In yet another letter, to José Correia da Serra, dated April 11, 1820, Jefferson wrote that: "Priests...dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight and scowl on the fatal harbinger announcing the subversions of the duperies on which they live."

Post-convention careers

The 1787 delegates' subsequent careers reflected their abilities as well as the vagaries of fate.^[12] 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 public service, particularly to the new government they had helped to create.

• Washington, John Adams, Jefferson and Madison each served as President of the United States. King and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney were nominated as candidates for the office.
• Declaration of Independence signers John Hancock, Richard Henry Lee, and Samuel Huntington went on to become President of the Continental Congress
• Articles of Confederation signers John Hanson and Thomas McKean went on to become Presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled, as did Constitution signers Nathaniel Gorham and Thomas Mifflin
• Gerry served as Madison's Vice President. John Adams served as Washington's.
• Hamilton, McHenry, Madison, and Randolph attained posts in the Cabinet posts.
• Nineteen men became U.S. Senators: 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, five more (Blair, Chase, 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.

Many 1787 delegates held important positions in state governments. Twelve served as governor (Blount, Davie, Franklin, Gerry, Langdon, Livingston, Alexander Martin, Mifflin, Paterson, Charles Pinckney, Spaight, and Strong) and others served in state legislatures. 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.

Signatories of the Declaration of Independence

Constitutional Convention delegates

Delegates who signed

Delegates who had left the Convention earlier and did not sign

3 Delegates who refused to sign

Other Founders

See also

• Founding Fathers (worldwide)
• List of Continental Congress Delegates
• List of signatories of the United States Constitution
• Gallery of the Founding Fathers of the United States
• History of the United States Constitution

Notes

References

• American National Biography Online, (2000), scholarly biographies of 18,000 Americans, including all the Founders. online edition
• Richard D. Brown. "The Founding Fathers of 1776 and 1787: A Collective View," The William and Mary Quarterly, 3rd Ser., Vol. 33, No. 3 (Jul., 1976), pp. 465-480 online at JSTOR
• Joseph J. Ellis. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation (2002), Pulitzer Prize
• Jack P. Greene. "The Social Origins of the American Revolution: An Evaluation and an Interpretation," Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 88, No. 1 (Mar., 1973), pp. 1-22 online in JSTOR
• P.M.G. Harris, "The Social Origins of American Leaders: The Demographic Foundations, " Perspectives in American History 3 (1969): 159-364.
• Mark E. Kann; The Gendering of American Politics: Founding Mothers, Founding Fathers, and Political Patriarchy Praeger, 1999
• Adrienne Koch; Power, Morals, and the Founding Fathers: Essays in the Interpretation of the American Enlightenment 1961
• Frank Lambert. The Founding Fathers and the Place of Religion in America. 2003.
• Martin, James Kirby. Men in rebellion: Higher governmental leaders and the coming of the American Revolution, (1973)
• Robert Previdi; "Vindicating the Founders: Race, Sex, Class, and Justice in the Origins of America," Presidential Studies Quarterly, Vol. 29, 1999
• Cokie Roberts. Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation (2005)
• Gordon S. Wood. Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different (2006)

External links

• NARA - America's founding fathers
• Encyclopaedia Britannica, The Founding Fathers and Slavery
• What Happened to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence?
• Britannica blog - a scholar blog forum on Founding Fathers and their Faith

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