 the term founding fathers of the united states of america refers broadly to those individuals of the thirteen british colonies in north america who led the american revolution against the authority of the british crown and established the united states of america. it is also used more narrowly, referring specifically to those who either signed the declaration of independence in 1776 or who were delegates to the 1787 constitutional convention and took part in drafting the proposed constitution of the united states. ==terminology== within the large group known as the "founding fathers", there are two key subsets, those who signed the declaration of independence in 1776) and those who framed the constitution in 1787. a further subset includes those who signed the articles of confederation.stanfield, jack. america's founding fathers: who are they? thumbnail sketches of 164 patriots (universal-publishers, 2001). some historians define the "founding fathers" to mean a larger group, including not only the signers and the framers but also all those who, whether as politicians, jurists, statesmen, soldiers, diplomats, or ordinary citizens, took part in winning american independence and creating the united states of america.r. b. bernstein, the founding fathers reconsidered (new york and oxford: oxford university press, 2009). historian richard b. morris in 1973 identified the following seven figures as the key founding fathers: john adams, benjamin franklin, alexander hamilton, john jay, thomas jefferson, james madison, and george washington.richard b. morris, seven who shaped our destiny: the founding fathers as revolutionaries (new york: harper & row, 1973). three of these (hamilton, madison and jay) were authors of the the federalist papers, advocating ratification of the constitution. ==background==  the first continental congress met briefly in philadelphia, pennsylvania in 1774 and consisted of fifty-six delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies that would become the united states of america. the delegates, who included george washington, soon to command the army, patrick henry, and john adams, were elected by th
Age_of_Enlightenment American_Revolution Patriots_in_the_American_Revolution Political_leaders_of_the_American_Revolution