ClassX Video Lessons Who Are the Founding Fathers? | Founding Fathers for kids | Learn all about the Founding Fathers
Have you ever heard of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison? These seven men are known as America’s founding fathers because they played a big role in creating the United States!
The term “founding father” was first used in 1916 by President Warren Harding to describe these important men. Even though they lived over 200 years before his speech, people now use this phrase to talk about those who start something important. There were also women who helped during the American Revolution, and they can be called founding mothers.
Did you know that four of these founding fathers became presidents? They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Madison. If you guessed any of these, great job!
George Washington is often called the “Father of His Country” because he was a great leader. He was the first president of the United States and led the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He also led the meeting where the Constitution was written, showing his leadership skills.
John Adams was the second president, and Thomas Jefferson was the third. James Madison became the fourth president. John Jay was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and also New York’s first governor. Alexander Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury, and you can see his face on the $10 bill. Benjamin Franklin was not just a politician; he was also a scientist and inventor who created things like bifocal glasses and the lightning rod.
The founding fathers wrote important documents to help America become independent. These include the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, and the Treaty of Paris.
Other important people include Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, John Marshall, and George Mason. They all contributed to America’s independence in different ways.
While the founding fathers did amazing things, they were not perfect. Some of them were involved in practices that were not good, like slavery and the mistreatment of Indigenous people. It’s important to remember both their achievements and their flaws.
If you could be a founding father or mother, what would you want to start and why? Think about how you could make a positive change in the world!
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Create Your Own Founding Document: Imagine you are a founding father or mother of a new club or group. What rules or ideas would you include to make it successful? Write down your ideas on a piece of paper and decorate it like an important document. Share your document with your family or friends and explain why you chose those rules or ideas.
Founding Fathers Scavenger Hunt: With the help of an adult, find items around your house or neighborhood that remind you of the founding fathers. For example, look for a $10 bill with Alexander Hamilton’s face or a book about George Washington. Take pictures or draw what you find and create a small poster to show your discoveries.
Imagine a Day in the Life: Choose one of the founding fathers and imagine what a day in their life might have been like. What challenges did they face? What decisions did they have to make? Write a short story or draw a comic strip about their day. Share your story with your class or family and discuss what you learned about their role in history.
Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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America’s founding fathers—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. Do these names ring any bells? Did you know that these seven men are a significant reason why the United States exists today?
The term “founding father” was first used in 1916 by American President Warren Harding to describe these men, even though they lived over 200 years before his speech. Now, people use this phrase to refer to individuals or groups who started something significant. These seven men are credited with founding the United States of America as it exists today, which is why they are referred to as the founding fathers. There are also women who could be referred to as founding mothers because they participated in the American Revolution and made important contributions.
Four of the founding fathers went on to become presidents of the United States. Can you guess which four? They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Madison. If you guessed any of these correctly, great job!
Let’s learn more facts about the founding fathers, shall we? George Washington is often called the “Father of His Country” because of his influential leadership. He became the first president of the United States after winning the vote unanimously. Washington was also the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, leading many individuals who were not traditional soldiers but everyday people fighting for their freedom. He had success in various battles against the British during the American Revolutionary War.
When the Constitution was being written, a constitutional convention was held to decide how America would be governed, and George Washington was chosen as president of that convention. That’s a lot of responsibility for one person, which is why he is called the “Father of His Country.”
When Washington was president, John Adams served as his vice president. After that, John Adams became the second president of the United States. Thomas Jefferson served as John Adams’ vice president and then became the third president. Following Jefferson, James Madison became the fourth president. John Jay became the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and served for 34 years before resigning in 1795. He also became New York’s first governor. Alexander Hamilton was appointed by George Washington as the first Secretary of the Treasury, and his image appears on the $10 bill.
Benjamin Franklin was not only a politician but also a scientist and inventor. He invented bifocal glasses, the lightning rod, and the Franklin stove. He also published a best-selling book called “Poor Richard’s Almanack,” which included weather forecasts, astronomical information, poetry, and proverbs that are still used today, such as “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
One of the ways the founding fathers fought for America’s independence was by writing important documents that helped unite the colonists and encourage them in their fight for freedom. Three of those significant documents are the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, and the Treaty of Paris.
The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, which is why we celebrate Independence Day on that date. It marked the day America became an independent nation from Great Britain. It was first drafted by a committee of five, three of whom were founding fathers: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin.
The Federalist Papers is a collection of essays written to encourage the approval of the Constitution of the United States. These papers were authored by three founding fathers: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay.
The Treaty of Paris is another important document because it negotiated the end of the American Revolutionary War. The treaty recognized American independence from Britain and established borders for the United States. John Jay, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin were the founding fathers who wrote the Treaty of Paris.
Other individuals often listed as founding fathers include Samuel Adams, who was John Adams’ cousin and a politician during the American Revolutionary War; Patrick Henry, known for the famous words “Give me liberty or give me death,” whose influence helped create the Bill of Rights; John Marshall, who served in the Continental Army under Washington; and George Mason, who helped create the Constitution, pushed for the Bill of Rights, and influenced the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.
Many others contributed to America’s independence from Great Britain and could also be referred to as founding fathers. Now that you’ve learned more about them, let’s review. Can you name one of the three important documents that helped lead America to independence from Great Britain? Did you remember the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, and the Treaty of Paris?
Fill in the blank: The Declaration of Independence was first drafted by a committee of five. What was the name of the war the American colonists fought against the British? The American Revolutionary War. How many of the founding fathers went on to serve as president of the United States? Four.
Great work, historians! The founding fathers had a unique vision and made efforts that led to American independence from Great Britain. While they accomplished many important things, they were not perfect people. Some of them engaged in practices that were not commendable, such as the enslavement of African people, the mistreatment of Indigenous people, and the neglect of women’s rights. So, when we celebrate the remarkable achievements of the founding fathers, we also recognize their imperfections.
If you could be recognized as a founding father or a founding mother, what would you want it to be for and why?
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