Founding Fathers
Of the United States Constitution
And Our Country’s Early History
Paul Revere
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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.
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http://www.americanrevolution.org/revere.html
Nathan Hale
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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 jackof-all-trades and a
master of many”
 He was the only
person who signed
four of the most
important
documents in U.S.
history
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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
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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.
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http://www.awm.lee.army.mil/Army_Women_Notable/gann
ett_deborah.htm
Benjamin Banneker
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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
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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
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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