|
http://americanhistory./od/revolutionarywar/tp/foundingfathers.htm ABOUT EDUCATION Search Civil War - History of the Civil War Colonial America Industrial Revolution World War II Eras of American History American Culture Money and the Economy in America food health home money tech travel autos relationships education entertainment espanol carries news parenting religion sports style Top 10 Founding Fathers Significant Figures Who Helped Found America SHARE PIN By Martin Kelly, American History Expert Updated August 11, 2016. The founding fathers were those political leaders who were part of the American Revolution and the founding of the new nation after independence was won. There were many more than ten founders that had a huge impact on the American Revolution, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. However, this list attempts to pick the top ten founding fathers who had the greatest impact. Honorable mentions not included were John Hancock, John Marshall, Peyton Randolph, and John Jay. 1. George Washington - Founding Father  George Washington.Hulton Archive George Washington was a member of the First Continental Congress. He was then chosen to lead the Continental Army. He was the president of the Constitutional Convention and of course became the first president of the United States. In all these leadership positions, he showed a steadfastness of purpose and helped create the precedents and foundations that would form America. More on George WashingtonMore ? Continue Reading Below 2. John Adams  Portrait of John Adams, Second President of the United States. Oil by Charles Wilson Peale, 1791.Independence National Historical Park John Adams was an important figure in both the First and Second Continental Congresses. He was on the committee to draft the Declaration of Independence and was central to its adoption. Because of his foresight, George Washington was named Commander of the Continental Army at the Second Continental Congress. He was chosen to help negotiate the Treaty of Paris that officially ended the American Revolution. He later became the first vice president and then the second president of the United States. More on John AdamsMore ? 3. Thomas Jefferson  Thomas Jefferson, 1791.Credit: Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson, as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, was chosen to be part of a Committee of Five that would draft the Declaration of Independence. He was unanimously picked to write the Declaration. He was then sent to France as a diplomat after the Revolution and then returned to become first the vice president under John Adams and then the third president. More on Thomas JeffersonMore ? Continue Reading Below 4. James Madison  James Madison, Fourth President of the United States.Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-13004 James Madison was known as the Father of the Constitution, for he was responsible for writing much of it. Further, with John Jay and Alexander Hamilton, he was one of the authors of the Federalist Papers that helped persuade the states to accept the new Constitution. He was responsible for drafting the Bill of Rights that were added to the Constitution in 1791. He helped organize the new government and later became the fourth president of the United States. More on James MadisonMore ? See Also: American Revolution 5. Benjamin Franklin  Image of Benjamin Franklin.National Archives Benjamin Franklin was considered the elder statesman by the time of the Revolution and later Constitutional Convention. He was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. He was part of the Committee of Five that was to draft the Declaration of Independence and made corrections that Jefferson included in his final draft. Franklin was central to getting French aid during the American Revolution. He also helped with negotiating the Treaty of Paris that ended the war.More ? 6. Samuel Adams  Samuel Adams.Library of Congress Prints & Photographs: LC-USZ62-102271 Samuel Adams was a true revolutionary. He was one of the founders of the Sons of Liberty. His leadership helped organize the Boston Tea Party. He was a delegate to both the First and Second Continental Congresses and fought for the Declaration of Independence. He also helped draft the Articles of Confederation. He helped write the Massachusetts Constitution and became its governor.More ? 7. Thomas Paine  Thomas Paine, Founding Father and Author of 'Common Sense.'.Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division Thomas Paine was the author of a very important pamphlet called Common Sense that was published in 1776. He wrote a compelling argument for independence from Great Britain. His pamphlet convinced many colonists and founding fathers of the wisdom of open rebellion against the British if necessary. Further, he published another pamphlet called The Crisis during the Revolutionary War that helped spur on the soldiers to fight.More ? 8. Patrick Henry  Patrick Henry, Founding Father.Library of Congress Patrick Henry was a radical revolutionary who was unafraid to speak up against Great Britain at an early date. He is most famous for his speech which includes the line, 'Give me liberty or give me death.' He was a governor of Virginia during the Revolution. He also helped fight for the addition of the Bill of Rights to the US Constitution, a document with which he disagreed because of its strong federal powers.More ? 9. Alexander Hamilton  Alexander Hamilton.Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-48272 Hamilton fought in the Revolutionary War. However, his true importance came about after the war when he was a huge proponent for the US Constitution. He, along with John Jay and James Madison, wrote the Federalist Papers in an effort to secure support for the document. Once Washington was elected as the first president, Hamilton was made the first Secretary of the Treasury. His plan for getting the new country on its feet economically was instrumental in forming a sound financial basis for the new republic.More ? 10. Gouverneur Morris  Gouverneur Morris, Founding Father.Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-48272 Gouverneur Morris was an accomplished statesman that ushered in the idea of a person being a citizen of the union, not the individual states. He was part of the Second Continental Congress and as such helped provide legislative leadership to back up George Washington in his fight against the British. He signed the Articles of Confederation. He is credited with writing parts of the Constitution including possibly its preamble. 10 Things You Need to Know About John Adams Read A Profile of the John Adams, the 2nd President of the US Read Continue Reading Below American Revolution Read Declaration of Independence Read Treaty of Paris Read President George Washington Biography of 1st President Read Continue Reading Below American History Timeline - 1783-1800 Read Top 10 Things to Know About John Adams Read Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase Read 19TH CENTURY HISTORY John Adams: What You Should Know About the Second President Read Top Six Items You Might Not Know Were in the Constitution Read Samuel Adams Biography Read US FOREIGN POLICY The Role of the Congress in U.S. Foreign Policy Read US Constitution FAQ Read MORE FROM THE WEB Powered By ZergNet About.com Education American History Top 10 Founding Fathers We deliver. Get the best of About Education in your inbox. SIGN UP 2017 About, Inc. — All rights reserved. |
|
|
