Difference between revisions of "Founding Fathers"

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Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves!
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[[File:Gilbert Stuart Portrait of George Washington.jpg|thumb|Portrait of George Washington by [[Gilbert Stuart]].]]
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
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'''The Founding Fathers''' are the leaders who founded the [[United States]], especially the 40 dignitaries who signed the U.S. Constitution at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Historians consider the most important founders to include [[John Adams]], [[Samuel Adams]], [[Benjamin Franklin]], [[Alexander Hamilton]], [[Thomas Jefferson]], [[James Madison]], and [[George Washington]].  Washington is known for his leadership and honesty; Hamilton for his brilliance; John Adams for his morality; Franklin for his inventiveness; Madison for his scholarship; and Jefferson for his egalitarianism.
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The 55 initial participants—all of whom would be considered "Founders" in the broad sense of the term—wrote 15,000 articles, books and other materials.  A study found that the [[Bible]] comprised 34% of their direct quotations.  They particularly liked quoting the [[Book of Deuteronomy]].
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The last surviving member of the signers of the Declaration was [[Charles Carroll of Carrollton]], and the last surviving Founding Father was [[James Madison]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=HGkXMM-CXxMC&pg=PA87 Virginia's Historic Homes and Gardens]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=MlNWU1e9ppUC&pg=PA181 The American Presidents, Washington to Tyler]</ref>
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==Republicanism==
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The Founding Fathers sought "Honor"—freedom from corruption, and a positive devotion to civic virtue.  These were key elements of [[Republicanism]], and the Founding Fathers made republicanism the core values of the American system of government.
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[[Corruption]] was the great evil the Founding Fathers confronted. When Britain showed too much corruption, it was time to break free with the [[American Revolution]].  To overcome the temptations of corruption—such as luxury and bribery—in their own lives, the Founding Fathers cultivated the virtue of disinterestedness. That is, the made a conscious effort to not be the creature of his financial interests, and not give any sign to the public that they sought luxury or bribes. The goal was to be impartial, concerned only for the public good, not the advancement of friends or, still less, of party.
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Even personal shame and humiliation was preferable to a tarnished honor or the hint of corruption. When Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton was accused of corruption for making secret payments to a man named James Reynolds, Hamilton revealed he had been set up and was paying blackmail to Reynolds following an affair with Mrs. Reynolds. Duels over honor were common in the era—Hamilton was killed in one, as was Hamilton's son.
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== Signatories of the [[Declaration of Independence]] ==
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{|
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| valign="top" |
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*[[John Adams]]
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*[[Samuel Adams]]
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*[[Josiah Bartlett]]
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*[[Carter Braxton]]
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*[[Charles Carroll of Carrollton|Charles Carroll]]
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*[[Samuel Chase]]
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*[[Abraham Clark]]
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*[[George Clymer]]
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*[[William Ellery]]
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*[[William Floyd]]
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*[[Benjamin Franklin]]
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*[[Elbridge Gerry]]
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*[[Button Gwinnett]]
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*[[Lyman Hall]]
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*[[John Hancock]]
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*[[Benjamin Harrison V|Benjamin Harrison]]
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*[[John Hart]]
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*[[Joseph Hewes]]
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*[[Thomas Heyward]]
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| valign="top" |
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*[[William Hooper]]
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*[[Stephen Hopkins]]
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*[[Francis Hopkinson]]
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*[[Samuel Huntington (signer)|Samuel Huntington]]
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*[[Thomas Jefferson]]
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*[[Francis Lightfoot Lee]]
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*[[Richard Henry Lee]]
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*[[Francis Lewis]]
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*[[Philip Livingston]]
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*[[Thomas Lynch, Jr.]]
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*[[Thomas McKean]]
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*[[Arthur Middleton]]
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*[[Lewis Morris]]
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*[[Robert Morris]]
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*[[John Morton]]
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*[[Thomas Nelson, Jr.]]
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*[[William Paca]]
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*[[John Penn]]
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| valign="top" |
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*[[Robert Treat Paine]]
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*[[George Read]]
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*[[Caesar Rodney]]
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*[[George Ross]]
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*[[Benjamin Rush]]
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*[[Edward Rutledge]]
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*[[Roger Sherman]]
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*[[James Smith (signer)|James Smith]]
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*[[Richard Stockton]]
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*[[Thomas Stone]]
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*[[George Taylor]]
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*[[Matthew Thornton]]
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*[[George Walton]]
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*[[William Whipple]]
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*[[William Williams]]
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*[[James Wilson]]
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*[[John Witherspoon]]
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*[[Oliver Wolcott]]
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*[[George Wythe]]
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|}
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== Signatories of the [[Articles of Confederation]] ==
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{|
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| valign="top" |
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*[[Andrew Adams]]
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*[[Samuel Adams]]
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*[[Thomas Adams]]
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*[[John Banister]]
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*[[Josiah Bartlett]]
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*[[Daniel Carroll]]
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*[[William Clingan]]
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*[[John Collins]]
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*[[Francis Dana]]
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*[[John Dickinson]]
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*[[William Henry Drayton]]
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*[[James Duane]]
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*[[William Duer]]
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*[[William Ellery]]
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*[[Elbridge Gerry]]
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*[[John Hancock]]
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*[[John Hanson]]
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*[[Cornelius Harnett]]
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*[[John Harvie]]
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*[[Thomas Heyward Jr.]]
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*[[Samuel Holten]]
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*[[Titus Hosmer]]
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*[[Samuel Huntington]]
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*[[Richard Hutson]]
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| valign="top" |
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*[[Edward Langworthy]]
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*[[Henry Laurens]]
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*[[Francis Lightfoot Lee]]
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*[[Richard Henry Lee]]
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*[[Francis Lewis]]
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*[[James Lovell]]
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*[[Henry Marchant]]
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*[[John Mathews]]
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*[[Thomas McKean]]
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*[[Gouverneur Morris]]
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*[[Robert Morris]]
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*[[John Penn]]
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*[[Joseph Reed]]
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*[[Daniel Roberdeau]]
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*[[Nathaniel Scudder]]
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*[[Roger Sherman]]
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*[[Jonathan Bayard Smith]]
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*[[Edward Telfair]]
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*[[Nicholas Van Dyke]]
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*[[John Walton]]
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*[[John Wentworth Jr.]]
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*[[John Williams]]
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*[[John Witherspoon]]
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*[[Oliver Wolcott]]
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|}
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== Signatories of the [[United States Constitution]] ==
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{|
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| valign="top" |
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*[[Abraham Baldwin]] 
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*[[Richard Bassett]]
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*[[Gunning Bedford, Jr.]]
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*[[John Blair]]
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*[[William Blount]]
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*[[David Brearly]]
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*[[Jacob Broom]]
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*[[Pierce Butler (Founding Father)|Pierce Butler]]
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*[[Daniel Carroll]]
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*[[George Clymer]]
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*[[Jonathan Dayton]]
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*[[John Dickinson]]
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*[[William Few]]
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*[[Thomas Fitzsimons]]
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*[[Benjamin Franklin]]
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*[[Nicholas Gilman]]
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*[[Nathaniel Gorham]]
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*[[Alexander Hamilton]]
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*[[Jared Ingersoll]]
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| valign="top" |
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*[[Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer]]
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*[[William Samuel Johnson]]
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*[[Rufus King]]
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*[[John Langdon]]
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*[[William Livingston]]
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*[[James Madison]]
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*[[James McHenry]]
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*[[Thomas Mifflin]]
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*[[Gouverneur Morris]]                   
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*[[Robert Morris]]
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*[[William Paterson (jurist)|William Paterson]]
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*[[Charles Cotesworth Pinckney]]
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*[[Governor Charles Pinckney|Charles Pinckney]]
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*[[George Read (signer)|George Read]]
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*[[John Rutledge]]
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*[[Roger Sherman]]
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*[[Richard Dobbs Spaight]]
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*[[George Washington]] (president of the Convention)
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*[[Hugh Williamson]]
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*[[James Wilson]]
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*[[William Jackson (secretary)|William Jackson]] (Secretary)
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|}
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== Other Founding Fathers ==
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{|
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| valign="top" |
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*[[Oliver Ellsworth]]
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*[[Patrick Henry]]
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*[[John Jay]]
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*[[George Mason]]
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*[[Thomas Paine]]
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|}
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==Further reading==
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* Ellis, Joseph J. ''Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation'' (2002), good overview of leading figures by top scholar [http://www.amazon.com/Founding-Brothers-Revolutionary-Joseph-Ellis/dp/0375705244/ref=cm_lmf_img_5_rdssss0 excerpt and text search]
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* McClanahan, Brion.  ''The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers'' (2009), popular book by conservative writer. [http://www.amazon.com/Politically-Incorrect-Founding-Fathers-Guides/dp/1596980923/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251266508&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
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* Wood, Gordon. ''Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different'' (2007), very good overview by leading conservative scholar [http://books.google.com/books?id=uOovRxek5AIC&dq=intitle:Revolutionary+intitle:Characters+inauthor:wood&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0 excerpt and text search]
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== See also ==
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* [[Founding Fathers quotes that mention God]]
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* [[Gallery of American Heroes]]
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* [[David Ramsay]]
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* [[Hero]]: [[Gallery of American Heroes]]
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* [[Memorial Day]], [[Veterans Day]], [[Remembrance Day]]
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* [[Vow]]
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== References ==
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{{reflist|1}}
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== External links ==
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* [http://www.archives.gov/ The National Archives]
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* [http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/ The National Archives - Historical Documents]
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* [http://patriotpost.us/histdocs/ The Patriot Post - Historical Documents]
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* [http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters.html The Constitution from the National Archives]
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* [http://www.foundingfathers.info/documents/constitution.html The Constitution of the United States of America]
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== Founding Fathers Quotes ==
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* [http://www.marksquotes.com/Founding-Fathers/ Mark's Quotes: Founding Fathers Quotes]
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* [http://www.dojgov.net/Liberty_Watch.htm USDOJ & Government Watch: Spirit of America Liberty Quotes]
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* [http://www.eadshome.com/QuotesoftheFounders.htm Eads Home Ministries: Founding Fathers Quotes]
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{{Conservatism}}
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[[Category:Founding Fathers]]
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[[Category:Republicanism]]
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[[Category:Conservatives]]
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[[Category:Pro Second Amendment]]
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[[Category:People Associated with Firearms]]
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[[Category:American Gun Rights Advocates]]
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[[Category:United States History Figures]]
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[[Category:Patriots]]

Revision as of 17:54, December 26, 2016

Portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart.

The Founding Fathers are the leaders who founded the United States, especially the 40 dignitaries who signed the U.S. Constitution at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Historians consider the most important founders to include John Adams, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington. Washington is known for his leadership and honesty; Hamilton for his brilliance; John Adams for his morality; Franklin for his inventiveness; Madison for his scholarship; and Jefferson for his egalitarianism.

The 55 initial participants—all of whom would be considered "Founders" in the broad sense of the term—wrote 15,000 articles, books and other materials. A study found that the Bible comprised 34% of their direct quotations. They particularly liked quoting the Book of Deuteronomy.

The last surviving member of the signers of the Declaration was Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and the last surviving Founding Father was James Madison.[1][2]

Republicanism

The Founding Fathers sought "Honor"—freedom from corruption, and a positive devotion to civic virtue. These were key elements of Republicanism, and the Founding Fathers made republicanism the core values of the American system of government.

Corruption was the great evil the Founding Fathers confronted. When Britain showed too much corruption, it was time to break free with the American Revolution. To overcome the temptations of corruption—such as luxury and bribery—in their own lives, the Founding Fathers cultivated the virtue of disinterestedness. That is, the made a conscious effort to not be the creature of his financial interests, and not give any sign to the public that they sought luxury or bribes. The goal was to be impartial, concerned only for the public good, not the advancement of friends or, still less, of party.

Even personal shame and humiliation was preferable to a tarnished honor or the hint of corruption. When Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton was accused of corruption for making secret payments to a man named James Reynolds, Hamilton revealed he had been set up and was paying blackmail to Reynolds following an affair with Mrs. Reynolds. Duels over honor were common in the era—Hamilton was killed in one, as was Hamilton's son.

Signatories of the Declaration of Independence

Signatories of the Articles of Confederation

Signatories of the United States Constitution

Other Founding Fathers

Further reading

  • Ellis, Joseph J. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation (2002), good overview of leading figures by top scholar excerpt and text search
  • McClanahan, Brion. The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers (2009), popular book by conservative writer. excerpt and text search
  • Wood, Gordon. Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different (2007), very good overview by leading conservative scholar excerpt and text search

See also

References

External links

Founding Fathers Quotes