Our Founding Malcontents

Ages of Revolution: How Old Were They on July 4, 1776?

It’s a simple question — perhaps so basic that it’s been overlooked. How old were the key participants of the American Revolution? And not just the Founding Fathers. Authors often reveal the age of a soldier, politician or other main character in books about the American Revolution, but I always find myself wondering about their peers at the same time.

That’s a question I had several months ago and I couldn’t find such a list. Now the list exists.

I’ll no longer refer to them as our Founding “Fathers.” That makes them seem sedate.

They were malcontents. They would not submit to the way things were. They hated the way things were. They risked death rather than submit. There’s nothing at all “fatherly” about that.

They were malcontents. And as malcontents they drafted a legal document that would protect other malcontents: The U.S. Constitution.

You owe your freedom to people who complained. Remember that the next time you dare open your yap about others who complain.

If you can’t see anything to complain about, you’re not aware, not alive.

5 Comments

Filed under Protest, Reference

5 responses to “Our Founding Malcontents

  1. What I found interesting about the list was the spread of the age differences. Also, don’t forget that the teenage kid of today would have been considered a young adult at the same age in 1776.

  2. How about that? I run across this on Twitter and found it so interesting that I c&p’ed to a note in my phone. I want to discuss this with a friend at breakfast over the weekend. I was actually dismayed that this was never mentioned in a history class at some time. I’ve made it a point of reading about T. Jefferson and never run across it. It was never mentioned when I went to Monticello a couple years ago. I always felt Jefferson had a little rebel in him. I admired that. I often wonder what the founders would think about this country now. If you ever get the chance to visit Monticello take it. I spent two days there and have great memories of it. Many nice photos, also.

  3. This is fascinating…I really wish that teenagers today were adults rather than children. Some are. Some will never be.

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