The US Constitution: Key People

“Founding Fathers”

the delegates to the Constitutional Convention, as well as other American leaders of the time

George Washington

Commander in Chief (and General) in Revolution; President of Constitutional Convention (VA delegate); First President of US

Benjamin Franklin

Elder statesman, at Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention (PA delegate); trickster/jokester

Thomas Jefferson

Primary writer of Declaration of Independence; not at Constitutional Convention (in France) - liked the three branches of gov’t, but wanted Bill of Rights (he was a Federalist); 3rd President of US

John Adams

Second President

Patrick Henry

Antifederalist (he did not attend the convention because he “smelt a rat”)

Alexander Hamilton

One of the authors (the MAIN author) of The Federalist; NY delegate to the Grand Convention at PA (Constitutional Convention); Not born in US, so not tied to any one state - dedicated to the country! Raised on Caribbean island of Nevis, delegate to Annapolis Convention and Philadelphoa Convention

James Madison

Wrote the Virginia Plan; “Father of the Constitution” bc took such good notes; wrote the Bill of Rights; The Federalist (29); 4th President

John Jay

Negotiated the Treaty of Paris; The Federalist (5 essays); first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Edmund Randolph

(VA) Governor of VA, presents the Virginia Plan (written by James Madison) to the Convention

William Paterson

(NJ) Presents New Jersey Plan - “(I would) rather submit to a monarch” than to the ‘fate’ of proportional representation in Congress

Roger Sherman

(CT) Offers what would be known as “Great Compromise” (NJ Plan and VA Plan) - 2 houses of Congress