Unit 1
Founding Fathers
Texas Thinks you should
know
1776
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1776- The Second Continental Congress moved that “These
United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and
independent states. . .”
A committee was appointed to draft a document stating the
colonies asked for protection of the “unalienable rights” of
humankind in addition to British rights, and listed British actions
which prompted the quest for independence.
Thomas Jefferson drafted the document.
Congress adopted the motion of independence on July 2, and on
July 4, fifty-six representatives from the thirteen original colonies
unanimously approved the Declaration of Independence.
Early American Laptop –
Thomas Jefferson’s Writing Desk
Founding Fathers
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Benjamin Rush- (1745-1813)
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Physician, writer, educator, and humanitarian born in
Pennsylvania.
Active in the Sons of Liberty in Pennsylvania during 1773.
In June of 1776 he was appointed to represent Philadelphia at
the Second Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of
Independence.
In 1777 he was appointed surgeon-general of the middle
department of the Continental Army.
In favor of adopting the Federal constitution and was elected to
the Pennsylvania convention which adopted that constitution.
Appointed treasurer of the US Mint where he served from 1797
to 1813.
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Charles Carroll
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(1737-1832)
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He anonymously protested the right of the
British government to tax the colonies without
representation in newspapers in Maryland.
He visited the Continental Congress in 1776,
and was enlisted in a diplomatic mission to
Canada, along with Ben Franklin and Samuel
Chase to ask Canada to be a 14th colony.
Carroll was elected to represent Maryland on
July 4th and was too late to vote for the
Declaration but he did sign it.
Catholic
He died the last survivor of the signers of the
Declaration, in 1832 at the age of 95.
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John Hancock
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(1737-1793)
One of the wealthiest men in the colonies.
Elected to the Boston Assembly in 1766,
and was a member of the Stamp Act
Congress.
In 1774, he was elected to the Provincial
Congress of Massachusetts and
simultaneously to the Continental Congress
and was president of the Continental
Congress.
First to sign Declaration of Independence.
Elected to the Governorship of
Massachusetts where he served for five
years, declined reelection, and was again
elected in 1787 and served as governor until
his death in 1793.
John Jay
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(1745-1829)
In September of 1774 he attended the First Continental Congress as the
second youngest member, at age twenty eight.
He retired from the Congress in 1776 rather than sign the Declaration of
Independence.
In 1782 Jay, along with Adams, Franklin, and Laurens signed the treaty of
peace with Great Britain. When he returned to Congress, he was appointed
Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
In 1787 he along with James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton authored
three of the articles now called The Federalist in support of the ratification of
the new Federal Constitution.
In 1789, Washington appointed him Chief Justice to the Supreme Court
under the new federal constitution.
In 1794 he was appointed to Great Britain, in order to seek a resolution to
conflicts on the western border and in commercial relations. This was the Jay
Treaty.
John Peter Muhlenberg
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(1746-1807)
During the Revolutionary War he raised and
commanded the Eighth Virginia (German)
Regiment and was brevetted major general in
1783.
He returned to Pennsylvania and was elected
to the First Congress
He was elected to the U.S. Senate and served
from March 4, 1801 until his resignation on
June 30, 1801.
He was appointed by President Thomas
Jefferson supervisor of revenue for
Pennsylvania in 1801 and collector of
customs at Philadelphia in 1802 where he
served until his death in October 1807.
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John Witherspoon
(1723-1794)
In 1776 he was elected to the
Continental Congress in time to vote in
favor for the Declaration of
Independence.
His notable comment in reply to another
member who argued that the country was
not ripe for such a declaration was that in
his opinion, “was not only ripe for the
measure, but in danger of rotting for the
want of it.”
Witherspoon was a very active member
of congress, serving on more than a
hundred committees through his tenure
and debating frequently on the floor.
Jonathan Trumbull Sr.
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(1710-1785)
Served as governor of Connecticut in both
a pre-Revolutionary colony and a postRevolutionary state.
Friend and advisor of General Washington
He was the only colonial governor to
continue office through the American
Revolution.
He is the father of John Trumbull (17561843) who is known as the “Painter of the
American Revolution”.
Alexis de Tocqueville
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(1805-1859) A French political thinker and
historian
Wrote Democracy in America which dealt with
issues like religion, the press, money, class
structure, racism, the role of government, the
judicial system, etc.
Alexander Hamilton
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Not one of the dead
Founding Fathers Texas
wants you to know
Served in the American
Revolution
Youngest to sign
Constitution
1st US Secretary of the
Treasury
Died in a duel, shot by
Aaron Burr
Articles of Confederation
Second Continental Congress 1781
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Weaknesses of the Articles were:
Congress could not enact and collect taxes.
Each state only had one vote in Congress regardless of
population.
9 out of 13 states needed to agree to pass laws.
All states had to approve in order for laws to be
amended.
NO executive branch, NO judicial branch
Each state (13 colonies) had own laws, currency, etc.
They lacked national unity.
Constitutional Convention 1787
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55 delegates met in Philadelphia.
All the states were there except Rhode Island.
They met in secret.
Oldest delegate was Ben Franklin, the best looking was
Alexander Hamilton.
September 17, 1787, they wrote a new constitution.
BIGGEST PROBLEM: SMALL STATES VS
LARGE STATES.
James Madison- “Father of the Constitution”
Shay’s Rebellion proved the Articles of Confederation
were ineffective.
Key Conflicts in the Constitutional
Convention:
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Strong Central Government vs. Strong States
Checks and Balances
Federalists vs. Anti Federalists
Federalists- supporters of the Constitution
 Anti-federalists-opponents of the Constitution
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Ratification- to approve the Constitution
Bill of Rights- First 10 Amendments
Roger Sherman Great Compromise
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The government would have two houses
bicameral.
The Senate and House of Representatives
But every state would only have two senators.
Every state would allow representation based on
population.
3/5 Compromise
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For every 5 blacks slaves---three would be
counted as part of the population.
FEDERALISM
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Power is divided between the national
government (F) and the state government. (S)
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Separation of Power-3 branches
 Legislature
 Executive
 Judicial
Checks and Balances
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US Constitution-September 17, 1787
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US Constitution is in 3 parts:
1. Preamble- Introduction
2. Articles (7)
st
3. Bill of Rights ( 1 10)- 1791
 Amendments (27)
Preamble
“We the People of the United States, in Order to
form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure
domestic Tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure
the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our
Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution
for the United States of America.”
Articles of the Constitution
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There are 7 Articles to the Constitution.
Article 1- Legislature
Article 2 Executive
Article 3 Judicial
Article 4-Relations Between the States
Article 5- Amendment Process
Article 6- Supremacy of the Constitution
Article 7- Ratification
Unit 1 Study Guide
10 matching
18 multiple choice
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Matching:
Declaration of
Independence
 Constitution
 Bill of Rights
 Charles Carroll
 John Witherspoon
 Benjamin Rush
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Multiple Choice:
 Constitution
 Articles of Confederation
 Separation of Power
 Checks and Balances
 Declaration of Independence
 Bill of Rights
 Alexis de Tocqueville
 John Jay
 Popular Sovereignty