creating the constitution : Founding fathers

John Adams

vice president under george washington , served one term as president, helped thomas jefferson author the declaration of indapendence, advocated for a republic ruled by laws, and a bicameral legislature

Alexander Hamilton

Outspoken critic of a weak central government, authored the federalist papers to advocate for a strong central government, founded the fedralist party, and the first national bank

Thomas Jefferson

author of the decloration of indapendence , critic of hamilton, founder of the democratic republican party to oppose the federalists, believed states should have more power with a weaker central government.

James Madison

Fourth president of the us, father of the constitution, initially favored a strong central government but changed his views and felt that states should retain more power, formed the democratic republican party with thomas jefferson

John Jay

Helped champion the constitution , vocal supporter of a strong central government, authored the federalist papers with alexander hamilton, 1st leader of the federalist party and first chief of justice in the u.s, critic of slavery, pivitol in ending slavery in new york.

goerge mason

A delegate at the constitutional convention, but was known for refusing to sing the constituion because there was no bill of rights, added a bil of rights to the viriginia constitution which inspired madison to propose adding one to the constituion. supported an end to the slave trade

Roger sherman

signed the decloration of indapendence , articles of confederation , and the consititution he was a supporter of the articles and favored a unicameral legislature , he felt that states with more poppulation would suffer if small states had the same voting , helped negotiate the great compormise

George Washington

He was critical of the weak central government created by the Articles, partly due to his frustrations with the army – the central government retained no power to raise or manage a military. Washington avoided becoming a member of political parties and famously warned against them in his presidential Farewell Address. As the first president of the nation, he established many traditions that continue to this day, such as choosing a cabinet of advisors.

James Wilson

was one of the original six justices Washington appointed to the Supreme Court. During the Constitutional Convention, he argued for the direct election of senators and the president by the general population. He also proposed the Three-Fifths Compromise, allowing each state from the south to count three-fifths of its slave population for purposes of taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.