The second cousin of John Adams, Samuel Adams was a political firebrand who drummed up immense opposition to British policies in Boston, a hotbed of the resistance. In a striking coincidence, Adams and his friend-turned-rival-turned-friend Thomas Jefferson both died on the same day, July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Following Washington’s two terms, he was then elected president, serving from 1797 to 1801. He chaired other key committees as well, and even found time to draft the Massachusetts Constitution (which is still in use).Īfter about 10 years of diplomatic service abroad, Adams returned home in 1788 and subsequently became vice president under Washington. Just like Franklin, he served on the committee that wrote the Declaration of Independence, journeyed overseas to secure French military aid and helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris. He is aptly known as the “Father of His Country.” Alexander HamiltonĪ distinguished Massachusetts lawyer, John Adams became a relatively early proponent of the revolutionary cause. In 1789, Washington was overwhelmingly elected the first president of the United States. But he was persuaded to re-enter politics as head of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, believing that a stronger federal government was needed to preserve the nation. Washington then returned to Virginia intent on resuming his career as a farmer.

Nonetheless, he kept his ragtag troops together even through a freezing winter at Valley Forge and, with the help of his French allies, was able to expel the British by 1783. More defeats followed-all in all, Washington lost more battles than he won. Once the Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, he was placed in charge of the Continental Army and soon suffered a near-disastrous defeat at the Battle of Brooklyn.

A prosperous Virginia farmer who owned hundreds of enslaved people, he came to resent the various taxes and restrictions being imposed on the colonies by the British crown. Before he fought against the British, George Washington fought for the British, serving as a commander in the French and Indian War.

Why I Fight by Jay Dee &quot;B.J.&quot; Penn

Why I Fight by Jay Dee "B.J." Penn