Founding Fathers

The Founding Fathers are the leaders who founded the United States, and especially those who were at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 to draft the U.S. Constitution.

The following persons are commonly included as Founding Fathers, roughly in order of significance:

George Washington
Alexander Hamilton
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Paine
John Jay
Gouverneur Morris
John Witherspoon
George Mason
John Adams
Roger Sherman
Charles C. Pinckney
Patrick Henry
Samuel Adams

Today, there is contention between liberals and conservatives over the religious beliefs of the Founding Fathers, and whether or not America can be described as having been founded as "Christian."

Sources

The Constitution of the United States of America

http://www.foundingfathers.info/documents/constitution.html http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution.html

The Bill of Rights

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights.html

Founding Fathers Quotes

http://www.marksquotes.com/Founding-Fathers/ http://www.dojgov.net/Liberty_Watch.htm

Examples:

"Any people that would give up liberty for a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." Thomas Jefferson

"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed and that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of press." Thomas Jefferson

http://patriotpost.us/histdocs/

Founding Fathers Quotes on Religion

http://www.eadshome.com/QuotesoftheFounders.htm

The National Archives

http://www.archives.gov/ http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/ http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/index.html