Founding Fathers

Of the United States Constitution

And Our Country’s Early History

Paul Revere Portrait painted by John

Singleton Copley Revere was a master

silversmith, which is why he is holding a silver teapot in the

portrait. It was also a symbol of the Boston Tea Party and the fact that he was a member of the Sons of Liberty.

http://www.americanrevolution.org/revere.html

Nathan Hale Hale was the first

CIA agent in the United States.

He was quoted as saying, “ I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

This picture is a sketch of his execution.

Thomas Jefferson Jefferson wrote the

Declaration of Independence. He was a gifted writer.

He sent Lewis and Clark out to explore the Louisiana Purchase.

He was the 3rd president of the United States.

Abigail Adams Abigail had little formal

schooling but a quick wit and was a colorful writer.

Her son became the 6th U.S. president

Her letters give us an insight into her thoughts and contemporary attitude of the time.

John Adams Adams was often

misunderstood—people thought he was cold and rude

He and his cousin, Sam were leaders of the Sons of Liberty

He was the first to have his son serve as president also

His political ideas and policies lasted the test of time

Ethan Allen Allen was a patriot and

soldier in the Revolutionary War.

He led the Green Mountain Boys in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga—one of the most important battles of the war.

This statue is in the United States Capitol.

http://www.virtualvermont.com/history/eallen.html

Benedict Arnold Arnold was one of the

most trusted American generals of the Revolutionary War.

He turned traitor because he was passed over for military honors and accused of abusing his power and standing.

Phillis Wheatley Wheatley was a slave

to a prominent Boston family. She was treated like family, educated, and wrote poetry that was published.

She never had true freedom and died impoverished.

http://www.uoregon.edu/~rbear/wheatley.html

Samuel Adams Samuel was cousin

to John Adams and preferred to work “behind the scenes” of the Revolution.

He signed the Declaration of Independence and was part of the Boston Tea Party.

John Paul Jones Jones was known

as the Father of the American Navy

He was quoted as having said, “I have not yet begun to fight.”

John Hancock Hancock was known for

his legible signature (shown below)

He signed the Declaration of Independence first and said something to the effect of, “Let’s see if [King ] George can read that!”

Molly Pitcher—Mary Hays McCauly

Molly Pitcher went to war with her husband and brought water to the soldiers.

When her husband was wounded, she took his spot at the cannon and kept on fighting.

President Washington gave her an award for her courage.

http://209.157.64.200/~mollypitcher/

Alexander Hamilton Hamilton was the

nation’s first secretary of the treasury

He was a bold and creative thinker

His ideas greatly influence our government today

George Washington Known as the

“Father of Our Country”, he was really the 12th president

He was deeply concerned with helping the fledgling republic flourish

Dolley Madison Dolley is most noted

for saving the painting of George Washington that hung in the White House when the British burned it during the War of 1812

James Madison James is the “Father

of the Constitution” He received many

ideas from those he associated with, but the final written copy was in his words

He designed our system of checks and balances

Benjamin Franklin Franklin was “a jack-

of-all-trades and a master of many”

He was the only person who signed four of the most important documents in U.S. history

Thomas Paine Paine met Benjamin

Franklin who advised him to move to the colonies

He wrote political tracts, his most famous being Common Sense, advocating independence.

Deborah Sampson Sampson fought in

the Revolutionary War for over a year disguised as Robert Shurtliff, until she received a serious wound.

She was discharged with honors.

http://www.awm.lee.army.mil/Army_Women_Notable/gannett_deborah.htm

Benjamin Banneker Benjamin was an

astronomer, mathematician, farmer, and surveyor—and probably the best known black person during his time

A clock he invented kept almost perfect time for 50 years

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blbanneker.htm

Betsy Ross Legend has it that she

designed the first U.S. flag

The story first came about 94 years after it was to have first happened

Betsy Ross did sew flags and had an upholstery business.

http://www.usflag.org/about.betsy.ross.html

Joseph Brant Joseph was a Mohawk

Indian leader who fought in the British Army.

He was also a Christian missionary among his people.

He was a leading member of the League of the Iroquois

http://earlyamerica.com/review/1998/brant.html