Here is the term in context, as reported by The Boston Herald on June 8, 1916: "No political party ever has builded or even can build permanently except in conscientious devotion to abiding principles. 1 Harding was a senator from Ohio at the time, and chairman of the convention, which nominated Supreme Court Justice Charles Evans Hughes (who ultimately lost to Woodrow Wilson). Harding popularized "Founding Father" a century ago, in his keynote address at the 1916 Republican National Convention. And, in fact, it was this context of invoking the spirit of the "Founding Fathers" that led to the popularization of the term - far more recently than you might think. If we use this specific definition, "Founding Father" is essentially equivalent to " framer", and both terms leave out dozens of individuals who represent the values upon which the nation was founded. Scene at the Signing of the United States Constitution, Howard Chandler Christy, 1940 And only eight signers of the Declaration of Independence attended the Constitutional Convention: Roger Sherman, George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, James Wilson, George Read, George Wythe (resigned in June), and Elbridge Gerry (refused to sign). Other men who frequently come to mind as founders - John Adams, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Patrick Henry, to name a few - are not Founding Fathers by this definition. That's right: if we narrow the definition of Founding Father to "member of the American Constitutional Convention of 1787", we exclude Thomas Jefferson, since he did not attend the Constitutional Convention. Even Merriam-Webster's sample sentence falls into the trap of this narrow definition - see if you can spot the problem: However, if we use this definition, several men who are indisputably "Founding Fathers" are left out. The common thread: statesmen, and more specifically, delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Safire's Political Dictionary (1968, 2008)įounding Fathers: A group of revolutionaries who took their changes on treason to pursue the course of independency, who are today viewed reverently as sage signers of the documents of U.S. a member of the American Constitutional Convention of 1787 with capital initials), an American statesman of the Revolutionary period, esp. often capitalized both Fs: a leading figure in the founding of the United States specifically a member of the American Constitutional Convention of 1787įounding (adj): Associated with or marking the establishment of (something specified) that originated or created. an originator of an institution or movement 2. This month, we examine the etymology and accuracy of these terms, and find where the signers of the Declaration of Independence fit in.įounding father (n): 1. The list of terms to describe the individuals who "founded" the United States of America can go on and on.
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