The Founding Fathers

1. The Founding Fathers Troy Peters

2. Benjamin Franklin: Jack of All Trades • He created the first fire department and public library in the colonies. • Franklin also made advancements in electricity, as well as being the first person to map Atlantic Gulf Stream. • He invented the urinary catheter, bifocals, and the modern odometer. • The kite and key experiment that Franklin used to prove lightning was electricity most likely was a hoax; it never happened. • After the discovery of bones beneath his house, many people believed that Ben Franklin was a serial killer. In reality, they were most likely from already dead bodies that Franklin studied.

3. George Washington: Celebrated, but why? • Being the first president, Washington created many lasting policies like the two-term presidency, using the presidential cabinet for advice, and keeping the vice-president’s role largely ceremonial. Some call these policies the “Unwritten Constitution.” • There are actually rumors that Washington was born in England, not America, that have gained some evidence and support. Also, there are conspiracy theorists that believe he never lived, but was a symbol for a group of people. • While his birthday is celebrated February 22nd, it is really the 11th because originally. The colonies used the Julian calendar, which was 11 days ahead of the modern Gregorian calendar. • Many people consider him to be the greatest and “original” president, people argue that his policies weren’t his creation, but were taken from his great cabinet, which included Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson.

4. Thomas Jefferson: Author of Freedom • Most people know that he wrote the Declaration of Independence, but he wasn’t the original choice for the job, or even the second choice. He expected John Adams or Benjamin Franklin to write it, but both were busy with other committees. • Thomas Jefferson isn’t well known for being a scientist like Benjamin Franklin, but he was actually extremely interested in archeology, keeping the bones of a mastodon in the White house. • He built a massive house known as Monticello, with a total of 33 rooms spanning 4 floors. It took him over 40 years to build and it included many innovations like skylights and special door handles that could close multiple door at once. • Some historians believe that Jefferson actually had Asperger’s Syndrome. He only ever gave 2 speeches in his life, constantly sang or hummed to himself, and was terribly shy. Autism experts have 13 symptoms that a person with Asperger’s could have; if they have 4, a diagnosis can be made. Jefferson showed at least 5.

5. John Adams: Lawyer-President • John Adams, second president, was the first to be a lawyer before becoming a president. Now, it is common for a lawyer to move on to politics. Adams actually defended the five British soldiers that killed colonists in the Boston Massacre. They were found innocent. • He was the first president to live in the White House, moving in before it was completely finished. • Both he and Thomas Jefferson, his rival, died on the same day. The date was July 4th, 1826. This was also the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which they both contributed to. • He was a very unpopular president, being the mind behind both the XYZ affair and the Alien and Sedition Acts. He only served one term in office.

6. Thomas Paine: Author of Rebellion • Paine is most famous for his pamphlet Common Sense, which made a convincing argument for open rebellion against British rule. He inspired almost all other founding fathers. • One reason many people consider why Common Sense was so popular wasn’t completely due to the argument he made. The way that the pamphlet was written made it easy to be read out loud, compared by many to modern rap songs. • He was actually exiled from England after the American Revolution. It wasn’t due to his publishing of Common Sense, but he was considered “too radical” due to speaking out against the king.

7. Samuel Adams: Boston Revolutionary • Sam Adams and John Adams weren’t brothers, although they were referred to as the “Adams Brothers.” They were actually cousins. • He founded the Sons of Liberty, a group of revolutionaries that were vital to the Americans’ efforts. He also was an organizer of the Boston Tea Party. • Adams openly admitted to being a Freemason and associating with the Illuminati.

8. James Madison: Constitution Writer • In the Constitution, Madison actually predicts what would happen in the case of a government shutdown. He states that the House of Representatives would prevail. • He was president during the War of 1812, but also contributed greatly to the start if it with the Non-Intercourse Act. This banned goods from being shipped to British or French ports. • He was the key author of the Bill of Rights and wrote parts of the Federalist Papers. • He was the shortest president, being 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing about 100 pounds.