Test Your Knowledge of America’s Founding Fathers

Benjamin Franklin was so skilled at swimming — as well as coaching, and teaching the sport — that he was posthumously inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1968. His swimming repertoire extended beyond the sport itself: He's also credited for being an inventor or early adopter of many swimming-related technologies, such as hand paddles, and flippers.

In 1808, Founding Father George Mason called slavery “disgraceful to mankind." Prior to that, he helped draft the Virginian constitution in 1776 — notably including the concept of “inalienable rights,” which historians believe influenced Thomas Jefferson as he wrote the Declaration of Independence later that same year. Mason's influence also led to the addition of the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution.

Born in 1726, George Wythe had some years on the younger generation of Founding Fathers, which included Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and John Adams. As a judge in Virginia, Wythe established the legal precedent that allows courts to strike down unconstitutional laws. He also taught notable names including Jefferson, Henry Clay, and John Marshall at his private law school in Richmond, Virginia.

Initially known as the “Evening Post,” Alexander Hamilton's newspaper enabled him to publish biting critiques of his political enemies (written under a pseudonym, of course). The first issue of what became the “New York Post” was published in 1801, and the “Post” is still in business today, making it the nation's oldest daily newspaper.

The son of a Scottish immigrant, Patrick Henry was an attorney who became known for making powerful, passionate speeches that appealed to logic as well as emotion. He is most famous for saying, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” He made the plea in 1775 in a speech he gave in Richmond, Virginia, during a meeting to discuss the colony’s position on independence.

Although it's commonly used today in reference to the early founders of America, the term "Founding Fathers" didn't actually exist while any of the men were alive. It was first used in 1916 by President Warren G. Harding during a speech to the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution.

In 1801, John Marshall was appointed Chief Justice by President John Adams — a position he held until his death in 1835. Marshall is known for establishing several important Supreme Court precedents, including judicial review and the creation of a single “opinion of the court.” He also expanded the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction in the case of Marbury v. Madison in 1803. The case established the principle of judicial review, giving the court the power to determine whether congressional legislation is unconstitutional.

Today, Aaron Burr is best known for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804. But after leaving politics in 1805, Burr worked with General James Wilkinson, a high-ranking army officer in Louisiana secretly being paid by Spain for intelligence. Burr began training an army on the western frontier, which roused suspicion. Wilkinson eventually betrayed Burr, who was acquitted of treason in 1807 but lived out the rest of his life under watchful eyes.

Although the U.S. had just revolted against the British monarchy, John Adams — who served as the first Minister to Great Britain — preferred titles used for royalty. He proposed that the President of the United States be referred to as "His Highness," a suggestion that enraged his colleagues and saw him mercilessly derided in the press.

George Washington had hoped for a relaxing retirement, but in 1797, a manager at his Mount Vernon home convinced the first U.S. President to try distilling whiskey, which was a popular activity at the time. Within a year, Washington's distillery had sold approximately 10,942 gallons of the drink.

Like many of the Founding Fathers, John Jay had strong ideas about government and its structure. Those ideas helped him get appointed as America’s first Chief Justice in 1789 and allowed him to set the course of the Supreme Court for many years. After some controversy, however, he became disillusioned with politics, and declined John Adams’ offer to serve a second term as Chief Justice.

America's third President famously loved and kept several mockingbirds as pets. He was especially fond of a male mockingbird he named Dick. He would leave Dick's cage open in the White House, allowing the bird to fly around his office, and sometimes carried him on his shoulder.

James Monroe served under George Washington in the Revolutionary War, years before he was elected the fifth President of the United States. In fact, Monroe accompanied General Washington on his audacious Christmas Day crossing of the Delaware River in 1776, when the Continental Army surprised the Hessian troops stationed in Trenton, New Jersey.

On July 11, 1804, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr squared off in Weehawken, New Jersey to settle a long-standing disagreement between the two. Burr felt insulted by Hamilton’s characterizations of him in government. In those days, insulting one’s honor often led to a call for a duel. Burr fired an ultimately fatal shot and Hamilton died the following day.

In 1784 Ben Franklin wrote to his daughter, “For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly.” The turkey, Franklin said, “was a much more respectable Bird.” But Franklin was a well-known jokester, and historians believe he was actually making fun of the seal of a club called the Society of the Cincinnati, which featured a bald eagle, but looked more like a turkey.

George Washington represented no political party at the time of his election. He is the only U.S. President to have been voted into the position based on the merit of his leadership alone and not on any political platform that he represented. It was only when Washington was in office that parties began forming, dividing the country into groups who saw a different vision for America’s future; Washington eventually became affiliated with the Federalists.

Thomas Jefferson began designing his famous Charlottesville, Virginia, home in the 1760s, though the project wouldn't be completed until 1809. The Monticello estate boasts a total of 43 rooms, 13 skylights, and eight fireplaces encompassing around 11,000 square feet of living space. The home also features a Dome Room, which is depicted on the back of the U.S. nickel.

As the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence and president of the Second Continental Congress (1775-1777), John Hancock famously wrote his name in huge, stylish letters. (According to legend, Hancock wrote his name boldly so that the English king wouldn't need glasses to read it.) Thanks to Hancock’s legacy, today the term "John Hancock" is synonymous with "signature."

Alexander Hamilton has had a resurgence in popularity in the last few years as the subject of the smash musical “Hamilton” by Lin-Manuel Miranda, but in non-Broadway history, Hamilton was an important founding father. As the first secretary of treasury, he helped shape the direction of early American financial policy and separation of government powers.

Thomas Jefferson was one of five Founding Fathers who later became President of the United States, serving as the third commander in chief from 1801 to 1809. Jefferson was preceded by George Washington and John Adams, and followed by James Madison and James Monroe. Monroe, who served from 1817 to 1825, is considered the final Founding Father to later become President.

As a young man, Samuel Adams failed in several business ventures, including as a tax collector and as a brewer. However, he was instrumental in rallying support for independence and it’s believed that he was a primary organizer of the Boston Tea Party. He later inspired brewer Jim Koch, who named his company’s signature lager after the patriot.