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Rank the most influential Founding Fathers in your view

Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:29 am
Posted by Methuselah
On da Riva
Member since Jan 2005
23350 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:29 am
I'm thinking mostly along the lines of things like: Were they in it from the beginning? Did they play a part in the War itself? Did they play a part in the early government(s)? Did they generally contribute to the survival of the young country? Not looking for whether one or the other necessarily agree with your political outlook but I'm sure some of that will seep into people's opinions.

I'll throw out a few.

1- George Washington. Pretty easy choice. He was in it from early on with the early congresses, the Declaration of Independence meeting, a huge part in the war, the movement from the Articles to the Constitution and establishing many of the workings of the executive branch.

2a - Thomas Jefferson. In it early. Not sure if he actually fought in the war but his drafting of the Declaration gives him a big boost. Acted as an ambassador and an early president.

2b - John Adams. In many ways the opposite side of the coin from Jefferson. They were friends (I think) and became very heated rivals. He was in it very early in the game and played important roles throughout. Another early president.

3 - Ben Franklin. Gave some gravitas to the early movement. Did a lot of important ambassador type work in Europe Instrumental in getting France to join in. Also probably the original political party animal and a pretty decent innovator/inventor.

4 - Alexander Hamilton. An early participant in the war effort. Served as Washington's right hand man both in the war and pretty much as president. Important in establishing economic policies and stability of the young country. Went a bit astray towards the end I think.

5- James Madison. Didn't see combat because he was something like 5'4" and 100 lbs. But pretty much wrote the constitution and also had a big part in the Federalist Papers and the Bill of Rights. An early expert in political maneuvering. Served as president during the War of 1812.
Posted by TIGRLEE
Northeast Louisiana
Member since Nov 2009
31493 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:29 am to
TJ
Posted by runningTiger
Member since Apr 2014
3029 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:31 am to
Tommy Jefferson
Who basically plagiarized john locke
Posted by Epic Cajun
Lafayette, LA
Member since Feb 2013
32351 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:32 am to
Alexander Hamilton was also the founder of the Federalist Party.
Posted by Overbrook
Member since May 2013
6075 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:32 am to
Washington, Jefferson, Madison

Hamilton and Franklin were key in supportive roles.

Posted by 13SaintTiger
Isle of Capri
Member since Sep 2011
18315 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:35 am to
Christopher Columbus is #1
This post was edited on 2/22/15 at 9:36 am
Posted by BlackleafBaller
Member since Oct 2012
1863 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:39 am to


Always makes me under the influence
Posted by mauser
Orange Beach
Member since Nov 2008
21409 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:44 am to
Washington
Posted by elprez00
Hammond, LA
Member since Sep 2011
29360 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:45 am to
Jefferson and Adams had more to do with the formation of the government and country than Washington. That doesn't discount what Washington did by any means.
Posted by Emiliooo
Member since Jun 2013
5148 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:47 am to
Jebediah Springfield, the Simpsons would never exist without him
Posted by ClientNumber9
Member since Feb 2009
9311 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:48 am to
quote:

James Madison


Doesn't get nearly the credit he deserves. Everyone knows Washington and Jefferson and Franklin but Madison is every bit as important. Like you mentioned he wrote the US Constitution and played the single largest role in transitioning the nation from the Articles of Confederation to a system of government that changed the world.
Posted by ghols2112
BR
Member since Oct 2007
273 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:58 am to
You mean Hans Sprungfield!
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
38620 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 9:59 am to
James Madison and Alexander Hamilton

Madison designed the government and Hamilton the finances. They were the two that took the ideas and made them practical and workable
Posted by ChineseBandit58
Pearland, TX
Member since Aug 2005
42495 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 10:02 am to
Washington..Madison..........Franklin.........Adams......Hamilton.................Jefferson
Posted by TIGRLEE
Northeast Louisiana
Member since Nov 2009
31493 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 10:06 am to
Never heard of john Locke
Posted by pensacola
pensacola
Member since Sep 2005
4627 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 10:09 am to
George MF Washington
Posted by GFunk
Denham Springs
Member since Feb 2011
14966 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 10:21 am to
If you've read Rakove's Pulitzer work Original Meanings then your answer is James Madison over and over again.

Rakove is generally regarded as the best authority there is regarding matters of the Constitutional Players and the men who came together to shape the policy and thought process of a nation early on...and Madison was the man.

Franklin may have been the first ever true master politician in American History. Jefferson and Franklin together were true polymaths and worked from opposite ends of the diplomatic spectrum in order to push the Founding Fathers where they needed to go.

But Madison was the beast to end all beasts...
Posted by 2geaux
Georgia
Member since Feb 2008
2603 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 10:26 am to
Leif Erikson
Posted by Bigpoppat
Drinking a Manhattan
Member since Oct 2008
9212 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 10:26 am to
John Jay
James Madison
George Washington
Posted by runningTiger
Member since Apr 2014
3029 posts
Posted on 2/22/15 at 10:28 am to
quote:

Posted by Bigpoppat
John Jay
James Madison
George Washington



I used to get my hair cut at john jay's
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