Studied by 1 person
William Blackstone
English jurist whose Commentaries on the Laws of England influenced American legal thought. His writings shaped the Founding Fathers' views on common law and constitutional interpretation.
Abigail Adams
Advocated for women’s rights in letters to her husband, John Adams. Famously urged him to "remember the ladies" when drafting new laws, warning that women might rebel if left out.
John Adams
Key leader in the push for independence, helped draft the Declaration of Independence, secured European support during the Revolution, signed the Treaty of Paris, and became the second U.S. President.
Samuel Adams
Leader of Patriot resistance to British taxation. Founded the Sons of Liberty and organized the Boston Tea Party. Signed the Declaration of Independence and helped write the Massachusetts Constitution and Articles of Confederation. Initially opposed the U.S. Constitution but later supported it after the Bill of Rights was added.
James Armistead
African American slave who served as a double-agent spy for the U.S. during the Revolutionary War. Infiltrated British defenses and provided key intelligence that helped the Americans. Gained his freedom in 1787 with the help of Marquis de Lafayette and later adopted Lafayette’s surname.
Crispus Attucks
African American former slave and the first person killed in the Boston Massacre (1770). Seen as a martyr for the American Revolution and a symbol of freedom. Honored with a monument in Boston Common (1888) and a commemorative Silver Dollar (1998).
Charles Carroll
Maryland-born Founding Father and the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence. Served on the Board of War and helped establish Maryland’s state government. Later served briefly as a U.S. Senator. Last surviving signer of the Declaration, living to age 95.
Wentworth Cheswell
Patriot and respected town leader in New Hampshire. Served in the American Revolution under Colonel John Langdon in the Saratoga campaign. Also worked as a judge, historian, schoolmaster, and public official. First African American landowner in New Hampshire.
John Dickinson
Author of "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania," which called for resistance to British policies while urging reconciliation. Helped draft the Articles of Confederation. Chaired the Annapolis Convention and supported the U.S. Constitution through his "Letters of Fabius." Known as the "Penman of the Revolution."
Benjamin Franklin
Publisher, inventor, and statesman. Created "Join or Die" cartoon and wrote the Albany Plan of Union. Helped draft the Declaration of Independence and negotiated the Treaty of Paris (1783). Played a role in the Constitutional Convention, advocated for abolition, and led the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery.
Bernardo de Galvez
Spanish governor of Louisiana who supported the American Revolution by supplying weapons, gunpowder, and other resources. Led military campaigns against British forces. Galveston, Texas is named in his honor.
King George III
King of Great Britain during the American Revolution. His policies, including taxation to pay for military protection, led to colonial resistance. Declared insane in 1810, and his son ruled in his place.
John Hancock
Forever famous for an outsized signature on the Declaration of Independence. A wealthy merchant who financed the Sons of Liberty’s radical activities. Helped organize the Boston Tea Party and was sought by the British when the Revolutionary War began. Served as president of the Continental Congress and later helped write the Massachusetts state constitution. Initially skeptical of centralized power but eventually supported ratifying the U.S. Constitution.
Patrick Henry
A radical leader against British tyranny, known for opposing the Stamp Act and delivering a famous speech urging resistance with the words, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” Led colonists in demanding the return of seized gunpowder. Helped draft the Virginia Declaration of Rights and became the first governor of Virginia. Later opposed the U.S. Constitution as an Anti-Federalist and argued for stronger protections of individual rights.
Thomas Hobbes
English philosopher and a founder of modern political philosophy. Wrote Leviathan, asserting that the natural state of humanity is war and that people must enter into a compact for safety. Believed in a strong monarch as the enforcer of law and rejected religious freedom and separation of powers, ideas later embraced by the U.S. Constitution.
John Paul Jones
Scottish-born naval commander who fled to America after being accused of a crime. In 1776, led the Bonhomme Richard in defeating the British warship Serapis, inspiring Americans with the famous declaration, “I have not yet begun to fight!” Considered by some to be the “Father of the U.S. Navy.”
Thomas Jefferson
Virginian lawyer and writer influenced by natural rights theory. Drafted the Declaration of Independence and later authored the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. Served as the first Secretary of State under Washington, clashed politically with Alexander Hamilton, and co-founded a political party. As president, purchased the Louisiana Territory and later founded the University of Virginia.
Marquis de Lafayette
A French officer who aided the American Revolution after resolving to support colonial independence. Granted the rank of major general due to his noble status, he formed a lasting friendship with George Washington and helped secure French support, troops, and supplies for the Patriot cause. The first foreigner granted honorary U.S. citizenship, he died at 76, and the U.S. government sent American soil to his gravesite.
Richard Henry Lee
A wealthy Virginian who studied law and opposed slavery despite owning slaves. He condemned British policies, helped organize resistance, and introduced the Lee Resolution calling for independence in 1776. He signed the Articles of Confederation and opposed the U.S. Constitution, advocating for states' rights. Some believe he co-wrote Letters from a Federal Farmer. He later served in the Senate and supported the Bill of Rights.
John Locke
An English philosopher whose Second Treatise of Civil Government influenced the Founders, asserting that society exists to protect natural rights: life, liberty, and property. He argued for religious tolerance but did not extend it to Catholics and atheists. His ideas contributed to the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom.
Robert Morris
An English-born financier who played a key role in funding the American Revolution. Initially opposed to independence, he later signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. He secured supplies, personally financed the Battle of Yorktown, and was called the "Financier of the American Revolution." He attended the Constitutional Convention and later served in the Senate.
John Peter Muhlenberg
A Pennsylvania-born Lutheran minister who became a Continental Army officer after preaching that "this is a time of war." He fought in major battles, including Yorktown and Valley Forge. After the war, he served in Pennsylvania's government and the U.S. Congress while remaining active in the Lutheran community.
James Otis
A Massachusetts lawyer and Patriot leader who opposed British writs of assistance, arguing for the right to private property in a speech that John Adams called the start of the Revolution. He criticized taxation without representation and denounced slavery. Attacked by a British official in 1769, he suffered brain damage and retired from public life. He died in 1783 after being struck by lightning.
Thomas Paine
Born in England with little formal education, he worked various jobs before meeting Benjamin Franklin, who convinced him to move to America in 1774. In January 1776, he published Common Sense, the best-selling pamphlet of the revolutionary era, which encouraged colonial independence. While serving with George Washington’s troops in the Continental Army, he wrote The American Crisis, a series of essays that helped boost troop morale during the war.
Returning to England in 1787, he defended the American Revolution and natural rights in The Rights of Man, which led to charges of seditious libel. He fled to France, where he joined the revolutionary assembly but was imprisoned and sentenced to death for voting against the King’s execution. While in prison, he wrote The Age of Reason, a controversial critique of organized religion advocating for religious freedom.
James Madison, the new American minister to France, secured his release in 1794, though he blamed Gouverneur Morris for failing to help him earlier. In 1796, he wrote an insulting open letter to George Washington, which earned him many enemies. Invited back to America by President Thomas Jefferson in 1802, he soon found himself unwelcome. His sparsely attended New York funeral was followed by the theft of his body, which was taken to England but denied entry. His remains were ultimately lost.
Benjamin Rush
A native of the Philadelphia area who studied medicine in Pennsylvania, Scotland, England, and France, he became the first professor of chemistry at the College of Philadelphia. Renowned for treating the poor—and even caring for patients such as John and Abigail Adams during yellow fever epidemics—he encouraged revolutionary ideas by suggesting the title for a famous pamphlet on independence to Thomas Paine. He signed the Declaration of Independence, served as Surgeon General of the Continental Army (even questioning General George Washington about military hospital conditions), attended the Constitutional Convention, and later served as Treasurer of the US Mint under President John Adams.
Haym Salomon
A Polish-born Jewish immigrant who played a crucial role in financing the patriot cause during the American Revolution. After joining the New York Sons of Liberty and taking part in espionage that helped convince Hessian mercenaries to desert the British, he was arrested as a spy but escaped execution. Later, as a financial broker in Philadelphia, he used his own money to help finance the Continental Congress and the revolutionary effort—a contribution that, alongside Robert Morris, earned him the title “financier of the American Revolution.”
Jonathan Trumbull, Sr.
Born in Connecticut and educated in theology at Harvard, he served as a colonial governor and was the only governor to support the patriot cause during the American Revolution. Actively recruiting troops and raising supplies for General George Washington, he was indispensable during the war and remained in power after independence was declared, continuing to serve his state until his death.
Mercy Otis Warren
A Massachusetts native and sister of a notable revolutionary (James Otis), she was an early supporter of independence. She anonymously published satirical plays criticizing the Massachusetts royal governor and exchanged extensive correspondence with key figures such as Abigail Adams, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton. A staunch advocate of natural rights and women’s equality, she opposed ratification of the original U.S. Constitution—authoring an anonymous critique titled Observations on the New Constitution … by a Columbian Patriot—and later argued for equal educational opportunities for girls and boys. Her prolific writings on the revolutionary era earned her the nickname “The Conscience of the American Revolution.”
George Washington
Known as the “Father of his Country,” he managed an 8,000‑acre estate at Mount Vernon in Virginia and was largely self-taught through independent reading of ancient republics. He served as commander of the Virginia militia and was chosen by the Continental Congress in 1775 to be Commander‑in‑Chief of the Continental Army. After accepting General Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown (which effectively ended the war), he presided over the 1787 Constitutional Convention, was unanimously elected the first president (with John Adams as Vice President), served two terms, and in his Farewell Address warned against political factions and foreign entanglements.
John Witherspoon
A Scottish immigrant who arrived in the colonies and, in 1768, assumed the presidency of a prominent New Jersey university. As a respected Presbyterian minister, he revolutionized the curriculum by instituting a required course in Moral Philosophy to nurture leadership values. Elected to the Continental Congress, he signed the Declaration of Independence and helped draft the Articles of Confederation. Later, as a delegate from New Jersey at the Constitutional Convention, he voted for and actively advocated for the ratification of the Constitution.
Alexander Hamilton
Born in the West Indies to humble origins, he became an active member of New York’s patriot movement. Initially serving as an aide to General George Washington during the Revolution, he later emerged as a leading advocate for a strong central government. At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, he pushed for a powerful executive branch and went on to co-author 52 of the 85 essays in The Federalist Papers alongside James Madison and John Jay. As Secretary of the Treasury under Washington, he promoted the establishment of a national bank—a plan opposed by Thomas Jefferson—and argued for freedom of the press in a landmark New York libel case. His life ended in a duel with Aaron Burr.
John Jay
Hailing from a prominent New York family, he rose to prominence as a lawyer and served in the First Continental Congress. He published an address asserting that colonists shared rights such as private property, jury trials, due process, and religious liberty with the British. Although he initially resigned from Congress to avoid signing the Declaration of Independence, he later embraced the Patriot cause. He helped draft New York’s constitution, served as Chief Justice of the state supreme court, and was elected President of the Assembly under the Articles of Confederation. Along with Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, he traveled to Europe to negotiate the Treaty of Paris, and his subsequent role as Secretary of Foreign Affairs convinced him of the need for a stronger central government. He co-authored five essays in The Federalist Papers, was appointed by George Washington as the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, negotiated a controversial treaty with Britain, and later served as governor of New York, where he signed an emancipation bill.
James Madison
A Virginian from a wealthy family, he graduated from Princeton and served in the Virginia legislature, working closely with Thomas Jefferson to draft the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. Deeply concerned about the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, he emerged as a leader at the 1787 Constitutional Convention, authoring the Virginia Plan and proposing a system of checks and balances. Known as the “Father of the Constitution,” he co-authored The Federalist Papers with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, led the debate for ratification in Virginia against Anti-Federalists like Patrick Henry, and proposed a series of amendments that evolved into the Bill of Rights. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1789, he later served as Secretary of State and then as President, leading the nation into the War of 1812.
George Mason
Born in Virginia, he served as a supply officer under George Washington during the French and Indian War and later in the colonial legislature. A fervent supporter of independence, he was the principal author of both the Virginia Constitution and the Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776—documents that profoundly influenced Thomas Jefferson’s drafting of the Declaration of Independence. At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, he opposed the proposed Constitution on the grounds that it granted too much power to the central government, calling for a bill of rights and an end to the importation of slaves. Although he refused to sign the final document, he became a leading Anti-Federalist whose ideas later informed the U.S. Bill of Rights, earning him the title “Grandfather of the Bill of Rights.”
Baron de Montesquieu
A French nobleman whose writings revolutionized political thought, he authored The Spirit of the Laws in 1748. In this seminal work, he argued for the separation of governmental powers to prevent tyranny—a principle that inspired the framers of the U.S. Constitution. His ideas on checks and balances were later echoed by James Madison in The Federalist Papers, particularly in defenses of the division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. His political philosophy was among the most frequently quoted by delegates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
Gouverneur Morris
Born in New York and overcoming an early accident at King’s College (now Columbia University) that left him physically impaired, he became a lawyer and embraced the Patriot cause. He helped draft New York’s constitution, served in the Continental Congress, and signed the Articles of Confederation despite later losing his left leg in a carriage accident. As Assistant United States Superintendent of Finance in 1781, he struggled to secure funds for the Continental Army—a crisis that nearly led to a military uprising quelled by George Washington during the Newburgh Conspiracy. A delegate to the Constitutional Convention, he served on the Committee of Style and is credited with crafting the final language of the Constitution, including the iconic opening “We the people.” He later served as ambassador to France during the Reign of Terror and controversially called for secession of New York and New England during the War of 1812.
Edmund Randolph
A Virginian sometimes known as a “Forgotten Founder,” he served as an aide-de-camp to General George Washington during the Revolutionary War and held several public offices, including delegate to the Continental Congress, the Annapolis Convention, and the Constitutional Convention. At the Convention, he introduced the Virginia Plan but ultimately refused to sign the final Constitution, believing it strayed from the original republican principles and fearing a singular executive would lead to tyranny. Persuaded by James Madison at the Virginia Ratifying Convention, he supported ratification and later became the nation’s first Attorney General under President Washington.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Born in Geneva, Switzerland, he was an influential political philosopher whose work The Social Contract (1762) argued that individuals join together under a social contract, surrendering some natural freedoms to the general will. Banned in France and Geneva for his critiques of organized religion, his ideas on human nature—that man is essentially good yet becomes corrupted without societal laws—deeply influenced European governments and aspects of the American Founding. Although his advocacy for restrictions on private property and free speech set him apart from thinkers like John Locke, his writings helped shape debates on religious freedom among the Founders.
Roger Sherman
Starting his career in Massachusetts before relocating to Connecticut, he began as a cobbler and almanac publisher before self-studying law. A moderate in the resistance to British tyranny, he championed peaceful protests such as boycotts and petitions. Elected to the Continental Congress, he served on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence alongside Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson. He later helped frame and signed the Articles of Confederation, participated in the Constitutional Convention by advocating for state power—most notably proposing what became known as the Connecticut Compromise—and, at age 70, was appointed to the U.S. Senate.
James Wilson
A Scottish immigrant who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 and began his legal career with John Dickinson before establishing his own practice. Active in Patriot activities, he published pamphlets against British policies and served in the Second Continental Congress, signing the Declaration of Independence. At the Constitutional Convention, he advocated for the direct election of the President—a radical proposal that led to the formation of the Electoral College after compromise. Appointed by George Washington to the Supreme Court in 1789, his influential opinion allowed a citizen to sue another state's government (a decision later overturned by the Eleventh Amendment). He also became the first law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he lectured on the role of law in society and the principles of just punishment.
