GEORGE WASHINGTON
George Washington was the First President of the
United States.
Served as President: 1789-1797
Vice President: John Adams
Party: Federalist
Age at inauguration: 57
Born: February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County,
Virginia
Died: December 14, 1799 in Mount Vernon, Virginia
Married: Martha Dandridge Washington
Children: none (2 stepchildren)
Nickname: Father of His Country
What is George Washington most known for?
One of the most popular Presidents of the United States, George Washington is known
for leading the Continental Army in victory over the British in the American Revolution.
He also was the first President of the United States and helped to define what the role
of the president would be going forward.
Before the Revolution
After the French and Indian War George settled down and married the widow Martha
Dandridge Custis. He took over the estate of Mount Vernon after his brother Lawrence
died and raised Martha's two children from her former marriage. George and Martha
never had kids of their own. George became a large landowner and was elected to the
Virginian legislature.
Soon George and his fellow landowners became upset with unfair treatment by their
British rulers. They began to argue and fight for their rights. When the British refused
they decided to go to war.
The American Revolution and Leading the Army
George was one of Virginia's delegates at the First and Second Continental Congress.
This was a group of representatives from each colony who decided to fight the British
together. In May of 1775 they appointed Washington as general of the Continental
Army.
General Washington did not have an easy task. He had a ragtag army of colonial
farmers to fight trained British soldiers. However, he managed to hold the army together
even during tough times and losing battles. Over the course of six years George led the
army to victory over the British. His victories include the famous crossing of the
Delaware River on Christmas and the final victory at Yorktown, Virginia. The British
Army surrendered in Yorktown on October 17, 1781.
Washington's Presidency
The two terms that Washington served as president were peaceful times. During this
time, George established many roles and traditions of the President of the United States
that still stand today. He helped build and guide the formation of the actual US
Government from the words of the Constitution. He formed the first presidential cabinet
which included his friends Thomas Jefferson(Secretary of State) and Alexander
Hamilton (Secretary of the Treasury).
George stepped down from the presidency after 8 years, or two terms. He felt it was
important that the president not become powerful or rule too long, like a king. Since then
only one president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, has served more than two terms.
How did he die?
Just a few years after leaving the office of president, Washington caught a bad cold. He
was soon very sick with a throat infection and died on December 14, 1799.
Fun Facts about George Washington
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He was the only president unanimously elected. Meaning all of the state
representatives voted for him.
He never served as president in Washington D.C., the capital that was named for
him. In his first year the capital was in New York City, then moved to
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He was six feet tall, which was very tall for the 1700s.
The story of George Washington chopping down his father's cherry tree is
considered fiction and likely never happened.
George Washington did not have wooden teeth, but did wear dentures made
from ivory.
Washington gave freedom to his slaves in his will.
JOHN ADAMS
John Adams was the 2nd President of
the United States.
Served as President: 1797-1801
Vice President: Thomas Jefferson
Party: Federalist
Age at inauguration: 61
Born: October 30 1735 in Braintree (now
Quincy), Massachusetts
Died: July 4, 1826 in Braintree (now
Quincy), Massachusetts
Married: Abigail Smith Adams
Children: 5 (Abigail, John Quincy,
Charles, Thomas, and a daughter who
died young)
Nickname: Father of American
Independence
What is John Adams most known for?
John Adams was one of the founding fathers of the United States. He fought for
American Independence as a Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress. He
was a member of the team that worked on the Declaration of Independence and one of
only two people who signed the Declaration to later become president (the other was
Thomas Jefferson).
Before He Became President
As Adams practiced law in Boston, he began to have strong feelings about the British
rule. He felt that the colonies were not being treated fairly and should become
independent from Britain. He became a member of the Massachusetts legislature and
then served as their delegate at theSecond Continental Congress. While serving on the
congress he was a strong advocate of independence for America. He even worked on
the Declaration of Independence with Thomas Jefferson.
During the American Revolution, Adams went to Europe to gain funding for the war and
secure alliances with other countries for the new American government. He also worked
on the Treaty of Paris, along with Benjamin Franklin and John Jay, which finally put an
end to the Revolutionary War.
John Adams' Presidency
Adams first served as Vice President under George Washington. He found this job
boring and insignificant. However, when Washington stepped down, Adams ran for
president and barely won over Thomas Jefferson in 1797.
During his presidency, Adams' main accomplishment was keeping the United States out
of war with France. France and Great Britain were at war and both wanted help from the
US. The American public was divided. Some wanted to support France because France
helped the US during the American Revolution. Others wanted to help Great Britain.
Although it hurt his popularity at the time, Adams opted for peace and kept the country
out of the war.
How did he die?
Adams lived to the ripe old age of 90 when he fell ill and died on July 4, 1826. In one of
the more amazing coincidences of history, Adams died on the same day as Thomas
Jefferson. This day was also the 50th anniversary of the approval of the Declaration of
Independence!
Fun Facts about John Adams
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Adams was married to his wife Abigail for 53 years. Abigail and John wrote many
letters to each other over the years, sometimes daily.
He was overweight and some people called him by the nickname "His Rotundity".
Thomas Jefferson and Adams were rivals for the presidency. When Adams won,
Jefferson became vice president because, at the time, the person with the
second most votes for president became vice president.
His final words were "Thomas Jefferson still survives". However, he didn't know
that Jefferson had died a few hours earlier.
Adams was the first president to live in the White House.
His son, John Quincy Adams, became the 6th President of the United States.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Occupation: Statesman and Inventor
Born: January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts
Died: April 17, 1790 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Best known for: Founding father of the United States
Benjamin Franklin was a modern day Renaissance Man.
Like Leonardo da Vinci, Ben Franklin excelled in many
areas including science, inventing, politics, writing,
music, and diplomacy. He is one of the founding fathers
of the United States of America and is often called the
"First American".
What was Franklin's role in the creation of the USA?
Ben first became known to the public as the publisher of the newspaper the
Pennsylvania Gazette. He gained some notoriety as an American spokesman when his
testimony to the House of Commons in England helped to get the hated Stamp Act
repealed.
During the Revolutionary War, Ben Franklin became Pennsylvania's representative to
the Second Continental Congress. He was one of the five members that drafted
the Declaration of Independence. While Thomas Jefferson was the main author, Ben
did make some changes and had an influence on the final draft. One of his key roles in
the Revolutionary War was as Ambassador to France. He helped to secure the Treaty
of Paris, which got the French army on the side of the Americans and helped to turn the
tide of the war. Franklin also took part in the Constitutional Convention and is the only
Founding Father to sign all four major documents in the founding of the United States.
These include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Treaty of Paris,
and the Treaty of Alliance with France.
What did Benjamin Franklin invent?
As if being a prolific writer and a major player in the founding of the United States wasn't
enough, Ben Franklin still found time to be a prominent inventor and scientist.
Perhaps Ben Franklin is most famous for his experiments with electricity. He did many
experiments to prove that lightning is in fact electricity. This led to his invention of the
lighting rod, which helps to keep buildings safe from lighting.
Other inventions by Ben Franklin include bifocals (a type of glasses), the Franklin stove,
an odometer for a carriage, and the glass harmonica. In science he studied and made
discoveries in the area of electricity, cooling, meteorology, printing, and the wave theory
of light.
Other firsts Ben Franklin was involved in include starting the first public library in
America and the first fire department in Pennsylvania.
Fun Facts about Ben Franklin
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Ben was his dad's 15th child of 17 total children!
While still a teenager he pretended to be Mrs. Silence Dogood and got his letters
published in his brother's paper. His brother was not happy when he found out.
Ben Franklin was the first Postmaster General of the United States.
Later in life, Ben set his slaves free and became a fighter for the freedom of
slaves.
He didn't patent any of his many inventions, letting people use his ideas for free.
Franklin became fairly wealthy from the publishing of his Poor Richard's
Almanac.
SAMUEL ADAMS
Occupation: Massachusetts delegate to the
Continental Congress, Governor of
Massachusetts
Born: September 27, 1722 in Boston,
Massachusetts
Died: October 2, 1803 in Cambridge,
Massachusetts
Best known for: Founding Father of the
United States and the Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty
When the British government passed the Stamp Act of 1765, Adams became angry that
the king would tax the colonies without offering them representation in the government.
He began to organize protests against the king and the taxes. He formed a group of
patriots called the Sons of Liberty.
The Sons of Liberty became an influential group in organizing the patriots against the
British. Early on they protested the Stamp Act by hanging a dummy of a British Tax
Agent and throwing rocks through the windows of the tax collector's house. They were
also involved in the Boston Tea Party.
The Sons of Liberty movement spread throughout the colonies. The group in New York
City was especially strong and used violent protests to scare loyalists during the
Revolutionary War.
Political Career
Adams was elected to the Massachusetts Assembly in 1765. He helped to organize the
Stamp Act Congress held in New York where the colonies planned a unified response
to the Stamp Act. After the Boston Massacre occurred in 1770, Adams worked to get
the British army removed from the city. He also organized a way for patriots throughout
the colonies to communicate with each other.
Boston Tea Party
Even though the Stamp Act was repealed in 1766, the British government continued to
impose taxes on the American colonies. One tax was on tea imported into the colonies.
On December 17, 1773 Adams gave a speech to a number of patriots and members of
the Sons of Liberty. The people had demanded that the British ships carrying tea in
Boston Harbor leave, but the British refused. Later that night, a number of Bostonians
boarded the ships and dumped their tea into the harbor.
Revolutionary War
Adams was selected to represent the Massachusetts colony at the First Continental
Congress in 1774. They gathered to send a letter to King George III in protest of the
taxes. They also planned to meet again.
Patriots throughout the colonies began to gather weapons. In Massachusetts, Adams
helped to organize the minutemen, a group of militia that was ready to fight at moment's
notice.
Battles of Lexington and Concord
In April of 1775, the British army set out to march to Concord, Massachusetts in order to
destroy patriot weapons that were stored there. They also were going to arrest the
patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Adams and Hancock were warned
by Paul Revere after his daring ride. They managed to escape capture, but the
Revolutionary War had begun.
Declaration of Independence
Adams attended the Second Continental Congress in 1776 where he signed
the Declaration of Independence. He also helped to write the Articles of the
Confederation.
After the Revolutionary War
After the war, Adams continued to be involved in politics. He served as a state senator,
then as lieutenant governor, and finally as governor of Massachusetts. Adams died at
the age of eighty-one in 1803.
Interesting Facts About Samuel Adams
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Adams had six children with his first wife Elizabeth Checkley. However, only two
survived to adulthood. His wife died in 1758 and Samuel remarried Elizabeth
Wells in 1764.
Adams was strongly against slavery. He was given a slave named Surry as a
wedding gift. He set her free right away, but Surry continued to work for the
Adams as a free woman.
PATRICK HENRY
Occupation: Lawyer, Governor of Virginia
Born: May 29, 1736 in Hanover County, Virginia
Died: June 6, 1799 in Brookneal, Virginia
Best known for: Founding Father of the United
States and "Give me liberty, or give me death"
speech.
Patrick Henry was one of the Founding Fathers
of the United States. He was a gifted speaker
known for his rousing speeches and strong
support for revolution against the British.
Virginia House of Burgesses
In 1765 Henry became a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. This was the
same year the British introduced the Stamp Act. Henry argued against the Stamp Act
and helped to get the Virginia Stamp Act Resolutions against the Stamp Act passed.
First Continental Congress
Henry was elected to the First Continental Congress in 1774. On March 23, 1775,
Henry gave a famous speech arguing that the Congress should mobilize an army
against the British. It was in this speech that he uttered the memorable phrase "Give me
liberty, or give me death!"
Henry later served as a Colonel in the 1st Virginia Regiment where he led the militia
against the Royal governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore. When Lord Dunmore tried to
remove some gunpowder supplies from Williamsburg, Henry led a small group of
militiamen to stop him. It later became known as the Gunpowder Incident.
Henry was elected the governor of Virginia in 1776. He served a number of one year
terms as governor and also served on the Virginia state legislature.
After the Revolutionary War
After the war, Henry again served as governor for Virginia and on the state legislature.
He argued against the initial version of the US Constitution. He did not want it passed
without the Bill of Rights. Through his arguments the Bill of Rights were amended to the
Constitution.
Henry retired to his plantation at Red Hill. He died of stomach cancer in 1799.
Famous Patrick Henry Quotes
"I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me
death!"
"I know of no way of judging the future but by the past."
"I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience."
"If this be treason, make the most of it!"
Interesting Facts About Patrick Henry
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Patrick's first wife Sarah died in 1775. They had six children together before she
died in 1775. He married Dorothea Dandridge, cousin of Martha Washington, in
1777. They had eleven children together.
The Hanover County Courthouse where Patrick Henry argued the Parson's Case
is still an active courthouse. It's the third oldest active courthouse in the United
States.
Although he called slavery "an abominable practice, destructive to liberty", he still
owned over sixty slaves on his plantation.
He was against the Constitution because he was concerned that the office of the
president would become a monarchy.
He was elected governor of Virginia again in 1796, but declined.
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd President of the
United States.
Served as President: 1801-1809
Vice President: Aaron Burr, George Clinton
Party: Democratic-Republican
Age at inauguration: 57
Born: April 13, 1743 in Albemarle County, Virginia
Died: July 4, 1826 in Monticello in Virginia
Nickname: Father of the Declaration of
Independence
What is Thomas Jefferson most known for?
Thomas Jefferson is known as a Founding Father of
the United States. He is most famous for writing
the Declaration of Independence.
Before He Became President
Before he became president, Thomas Jefferson had a number of jobs: he was a
lawyer who studied and practiced law, he was a farmer and managed his vast
estate, and he was a politician who served as a member of Virginia's legislature.
By the 1770s, the American colonies, including Jefferson's Virginia, began to feel
they were being unjustly treated by their British rulers. Thomas Jefferson became a
leader in the fight for independence and represented Virginia at the Continental
Congress.
Writing the Declaration of Independence
During the Second Continental Congress, Jefferson was tasked, together with John
Adams and Benjamin Franklin, to write a Declaration of Independence. This
document was to state that the colonies considered themselves free from British rule
and were willing to fight for that freedom. Jefferson was the primary author of the
document and wrote the first draft. After incorporating a few changes from the other
members of the committee, they presented it to the congress. This document is one
of the most treasured documents in the history of the United States.
During and After the Revolutionary War
Jefferson held a number of political positions during and after the war including U.S.
Minister to France, Governor of Virginia, the first Secretary of State under George
Washington, and Vice President under John Adams.
Thomas Jefferson's Presidency
Jefferson became the third President of the United States on March 4, 1801. One of
the first things he did was try to reduce the federal budget, moving power back into
the hands of the states. He also lowered taxes, which made him popular to many
people.
Some of his main accomplishments as president include:
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The Louisiana Purchase - He bought a large section of land to the west of the
original 13 colonies from Napoleon of France. Although much of this land was
unsettled, it was so large it nearly doubled the size of the United States. He also
made a really good deal buying all this land for only 15 million dollars.
Lewis and Clark Expedition - Once he had bought the Louisiana Purchase,
Jefferson needed to map the area and find out what was west of the country's
land. He appointed Lewis and Clark to explore the western territory and report
back on what was there.
Battling Pirates - He sent American Navy ships to battle pirate ships on the coast
of North Africa. These pirates had been attacking American merchant vessels,
and Jefferson was determined to put a stop to it. This caused a minor war called
the First Barbary War.
Jefferson also served a second term as president. During his second term he mostly
worked to keep the United State out of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe.
Fun Facts about Thomas Jefferson
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Jefferson was also an accomplished architect. He designed his famous home at
Monticello as well as buildings for the University of Virginia.
He had nine brothers and sisters.
The White House was called the Presidential Mansion at the time when he lived
there. He kept things informal, often answering the front door himself.
The U.S. Congress purchased Jefferson's book collection in order to help him get
out of debt. There were approximately 6000 books which became the start of the
Library of Congress.
He wrote his own epitaph for his tombstone. On it he listed what he considered
his major accomplishments. He did not include becoming president of the United
States.
THOMAS PAINE
Occupation: Author and Revolutionary
Born: January 29, 1737 in Thetford, Norfolk,
Great Britain
Died: June 8, 1809 in New York City
Best known for: Founding Father of the
United States and author of Common Sense
Religion
Thomas' parents each came from a different
Christian religion. His mother, Frances, was
a member of the Anglican Church. His father
was a Quaker. The Quakers were looked
down upon by most of English society. They
fought for the rights of all people and
considered all people equal before God.
Thomas' parents often argued over religion and religion would shape a large part of his
life. He wrote some of his essays on the subject. Some people say that he was an
atheist who did not believe in God, but he actually stated many times that he did believe
there was a God. The Quaker beliefs of his father would also influence Thomas' other
writings and political beliefs.
Common Sense
Thomas soon became interested in the American Revolution which began in 1775 with
the first shots being fired at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. On January 10, 1776
he published the pamphlet Common Sense.
Common Sense put forth an argument that the colonies should break away from British
rule. Thomas wrote in such a way that the average reader could understand his
argument and would be forced to make a decision. Many people of the time were still
undecided. After reading Common Sense, they became convinced that revolution and
independence from Britain was the best direction for the colonies.
Common Sense became a best seller. It sold over 100,000 copies in just a few short
months. Through his writing Thomas Paine had convinced many undecided people to
become patriots. For this reason he is sometimes called the Father of the American
Revolution.
During the Revolutionary War
Paine became an assistant to General Nathaniel Green during the war. He also wrote
several "crisis" papers that were distributed to the American troops in order to inspire
them. He later worked as a clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly where he
learned that the troops needed food and supplies. He began an effort to raise supplies
for the troops including asking France for aid.
After the Revolutionary War
After the Revolutionary War ended, Paine went back to Europe and became involved in
the French Revolution. He wrote Rights of Man in support of the French Revolution. He
was even imprisoned for a time.
Paine returned to the United States and died in New York City in 1809. He was not
popular at the time and only a few people came to his funeral.
Famous Thomas Paine Quotes
"Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an
intolerable one."
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."
"Lead, follow, or get out of the way."
"I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can
live in peace."
"Those who want to reap the benefits of this great nation must bear the fatigue of
supporting it."
"These are the times that try men's souls."
Interesting Facts About Thomas Paine
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He nearly died of typhoid fever on his first trip to America.
Paine was also an inventor. He received a patent for a bridge design and
invented a smokeless candle.
He wrote the Age of Reason later in life which criticized organized religion.
His article titled Public Good argued that the Articles of the Confederation should
be replaced with a Constitution that formed a strong central government.
Paine's writings also influenced future Americans such as Abraham Lincoln and
Thomas Edison.
KING GEORGE III
By the time George became king in 1760, Britain had
been in the "Seven Years War" with France for four
years. At this time, they were still fighting over who the
leading colonial power of that day and age was. Britain
had a large advantage, because its royal navy could not
be matched.
During all of this, George continued to search for a wife
of whom everyone would approve. His mother suggested
that he marry Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
He agreed and was married on September 8, 1761.
Although he did not meet her until his wedding day, he
vowed to love her and be good to her for the rest of his
life, and he did. He was completely devoted to her and
their fifteen children who would come later.
By 1763 Britain had emerged from the turmoil of war on top as the highest colonial
power. Although this victory was great, George's government wasn't very stable and it
was in major debt. As a result of this, he decided to raise the taxes on his American
colonies. He also began taxing things such as tea, stamps, and papers.
This outraged the colonies. They began writing letters to him, expressing their
disapproval of being taxed without their consent. Most of these letters were simply
tossed aside, or sent to the waste bin. Almost none of them were actually read.
Soon after, the colonies began to boycott British goods and buy only from other
countries. The King wouldn't stand for this, so he ordered his sales men that were
bound for America to make sure all the tea was unloaded and sold on American ground.
When a young ship merchant tried to follow these orders, a group of colonists dressed
as American Indians ran on board and dumped all the tea in the water, turning this
scene from a simple sales interaction into the famous Boston Tea Party.
This drove the king half mad and brought on one of his episodes of insanity. He then
imposed the intolerable acts on the people, and it didn't take long for this to turn into the
start of the American Revolutionary War.
King George really couldn't afford another war, but, even more, he couldn't afford to
lose the colonies. By 1776, The Americans declared themselves free, but George kept
the war going until the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
The loss of the American Colonies was tremendous, and it not only took its toll on
England, but on George himself. His episodes became more frequent, and the doctors
didn't know how to help him. It was commonly known that George had a learning
disability and he was not bright. On top of this, he failed to intimidate people. When
foreign ambassadors came to speak with him, they left unimpressed. People thought of
him as unfit for his position.
Soon after his loss in power and stature, the French rebelled again, and this time it was
not as easy to overtake them. In the end, Britain once again established rule, but they
had then sunk too far into debt. All the wars had taken their toll, and George was only
barely sane at this time. His wife and children stood by his side through everything, but
when he died in January of 1820, he died angry, bitter, and half mad.