From people to institutions

Use What Kind is United States? for the constitutional system and Plain, Honest Men - The Making of the American Constitution for a book-length account. Biographical lists of founders do not by themselves settle a present-day constitutional interpretation.

Here is a list of key Founding Fathers, along with their achievements in politics, professions outside of politics, origin, their ages during the signing of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and a few interesting facts.

George Washington

• Achievements in Politics: First President of the United States (1789–1797), Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

• Profession outside Politics: Surveyor, planter, military officer.

• From: Virginia.

• Age at Signing of Declaration of Independence (1776): 44.

• Age at Signing of U.S. Constitution (1787): 55.

• Interesting Facts: Washington was unanimously elected as the first U.S. president and refused to run for a third term, setting the two-term precedent.

Thomas Jefferson

• Achievements in Politics: Principal author of the Declaration of Independence, 3rd President of the United States (1801–1809), founder of the University of Virginia.

• Profession outside Politics: Lawyer, planter, architect, inventor.

• From: Virginia.

• Age at Signing of Declaration of Independence: 33.

• Age at Signing of U.S. Constitution: 44 (Jefferson was not at the Constitutional Convention, as he was serving as the U.S. Minister to France at the time).

• Interesting Facts: Jefferson had a vast personal library, which became the foundation for the Library of Congress after it was destroyed by fire in the War of 1812.

John Adams

• Achievements in Politics: 2nd President of the United States (1797–1801), Vice President under George Washington, key diplomat in Europe during the American Revolution.

• Profession outside Politics: Lawyer, diplomat, farmer.

• From: Massachusetts.

• Age at Signing of Declaration of Independence: 40.

• Age at Signing of U.S. Constitution: 52 (Adams was serving as a diplomat in London and was not present at the Constitutional Convention).

• Interesting Facts: Adams and Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Benjamin Franklin

• Achievements in Politics: Key diplomat and statesman during the American Revolution, helped secure French alliance, contributed to drafting both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

• Profession outside Politics: Printer, writer, inventor, scientist.

• From: Pennsylvania.

• Age at Signing of Declaration of Independence: 70.

• Age at Signing of U.S. Constitution: 81.

• Interesting Facts: Franklin’s inventions include bifocals, the lightning rod, and the Franklin stove. He was also a pioneer in the study of electricity.

James Madison

• Achievements in Politics: 4th President of the United States (1809–1817), “Father of the Constitution” for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

• Profession outside Politics: Planter, political theorist.

• From: Virginia.

• Age at Signing of Declaration of Independence: 25 (Madison did not sign the Declaration but was actively involved in the Revolutionary cause).

• Age at Signing of U.S. Constitution: 36.

• Interesting Facts: Madison was the shortest U.S. president at 5’4”. He co-authored “The Federalist Papers” with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay.

Alexander Hamilton

• Achievements in Politics: First Secretary of the Treasury (1789–1795), founder of the nation’s financial system and the Federalist Party, co-author of “The Federalist Papers.”

• Profession outside Politics: Lawyer, soldier.

• From: Nevis, British West Indies.

• Age at Signing of Declaration of Independence: 21 (Hamilton did not sign the Declaration as he was serving as an aide-de-camp to George Washington at the time).

• Age at Signing of U.S. Constitution: 32.

• Interesting Facts: Hamilton was a prolific writer and promoter of the U.S. Constitution. He died after a famous duel with Aaron Burr in 1804.

Hamilton’s duel as an honor trap—not merely a biographical curiosity

Pinker emphasizes how many exits Hamilton had: New York had outlawed dueling, the custom was already declining, Hamilton had lost a son to a duel, and he recorded five objections to the practice. He accepted Burr’s challenge anyway because “what men of the world denominate honor” seemed to leave no socially tolerable alternative.

In Pinker’s account, formal dueling had emerged as a way to cap aristocratic vendettas and street violence at one death, but the honor code then expanded until trivial slights could trigger lethal encounters. It persisted despite church denunciations and legal bans and faded in the English-speaking world by the mid-nineteenth century; historians he cites attribute its final collapse less to prohibition than to younger people making the ritual ridiculous. Chapter 1, PDF pp. 52–54 (file not included in this release)

John Jay

• Achievements in Politics: First Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, co-author of “The Federalist Papers,” diplomat who negotiated the Treaty of Paris.

• Profession outside Politics: Lawyer.

• From: New York.

• Age at Signing of Declaration of Independence: 30 (Jay did not sign the Declaration of Independence).

• Age at Signing of U.S. Constitution: 42.

• Interesting Facts: Jay was an abolitionist and worked to pass a law for the gradual emancipation of slaves in New York.

Samuel Adams

• Achievements in Politics: Leader of the Boston Tea Party, helped organize the Sons of Liberty, one of the key figures in the lead-up to the American Revolution.

• Profession outside Politics: Brewer, businessman.

• From: Massachusetts.

• Age at Signing of Declaration of Independence: 53.

• Age at Signing of U.S. Constitution: 64 (Samuel Adams did not attend the Constitutional Convention).

• Interesting Facts: Despite the common belief, Samuel Adams was not a successful brewer, and he inherited his family’s business but was much more focused on politics.

Patrick Henry

• Achievements in Politics: Famous orator known for his “Give me liberty, or give me death!” speech, Governor of Virginia.

• Profession outside Politics: Lawyer, planter.

• From: Virginia.

• Age at Signing of Declaration of Independence: 40 (Henry did not sign the Declaration).

• Age at Signing of U.S. Constitution: 51 (Henry was an opponent of the Constitution and refused to attend the Constitutional Convention).

• Interesting Facts: Henry was a leading advocate of states’ rights and initially opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, fearing it gave too much power to the central government.

John Hancock

• Achievements in Politics: President of the Second Continental Congress, first and most prominent signer of the Declaration of Independence.

• Profession outside Politics: Merchant.

• From: Massachusetts.

• Age at Signing of Declaration of Independence: 39.

• Age at Signing of U.S. Constitution: 50 (Hancock was not at the Constitutional Convention).

• Interesting Facts: Hancock’s signature on the Declaration of Independence is famously large because he wanted King George III to be able to read it without his spectacles.

This list includes key political and professional achievements, their ages during these critical moments in American history, and some interesting personal tidbits.