History Archives - The Founding Project

Lemuel Haynes, Our African-American Founder

October 19, 2024 TFP Staff 2

Lemuel Haynes: Pastor, Patriot, Poet On July 18, 1753, Lemuel Haynes was born to a white mother “of respectable ancestry” and an African father in West Hartford, Connecticut. His parents abandoned him as a child, giving him to a local deacon in Middle Granville, Massachusetts. Lemuel’s parents had an agreement with Deacon John Haynes that their son would work on Haynes’ farm until age 21 in exchange for housing and education. His Youth Thus, Lemuel spent his youth as an indentured servant working on a Massachusetts farm to earn his keep. He worked on the farm by day and studied at night. With a basic education, Lemuel developed a passion for books, especially for the […]

Algernon Sidney, Unsung Founding Father

October 15, 2024 John Barrett 0

Algernon Sidney, An Unsung Founder Every year, as we approach the anniversary of his beheading, I pay tribute to Algernon Sidney. Since so few people have heard of Col. Sidney, much less know of his influence on the founding fathers, I believe it is important to provide some information about him. Algernon Sidney was an associate of John Locke and one of the luminaries of the Whig Movement (not to be confused with the Whig Party in the U.S.). While Locke fled to Holland upon being implicated in the Rye House Plot to assassinate, King Charles II, Col. Sidney stayed and was arrested. At trial, the primary evidence against Col. Sidney was the manuscript for […]

Revolutionary Mystery Woman: Molly Pitcher

August 16, 2024 Maggie Dine 0

Founding Momma: Molly Pitcher Who is Molly Pitcher? The stories of countless women, who made heroic and significant efforts to found America, do not end with their support of their husbands and hard work to maintain family farms, businesses and homes. Nor do they end with the sacrifice of loved ones, life savings and homes or their long hours of making ammo and tending to the injured. The founding mothers took their fight for freedom to every aspect needed by their families and country. Case in point: Molly Pitcher, the name that has become the face of the role of women at the battlefront of the Revolutionary War. Many believe that Molly Pitcher is actually […]

The Articles of Confederation Complete Text

July 9, 2024 thefpAdmin 0

TO ALL TO WHOM these Presents shall come, we the undersigned Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting. Whereas the Delegates of the United States of America in Congress assembled did on the fifteenth day of November in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy seven, and in the Second Year of the Independence of America agree to certain articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia in the Words following, viz. “Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the states of New […]

Founding Mama: Betsy Ross

July 6, 2024 Joe Chiang 0

Betsy Ross…In Her Words A glimpse into the life of Betsy Ross, using her words as she may have spoken them, to tell her story… I am Betsy Ross. Over the last several hundred years, it seems you may have forgotten what happened in the making of our nation’s flag so long ago. Here is my story and that of our flag… I was born Elizabeth Griscom on January 1, 1752. My father was Samual Grisom, a carpenter, like Jesus’ dad, Joseph, and my mom was Rebecca James Grisom. I had 17 brothers and sisters. We went to a Quaker school nearby. The Quakers are called “Friends”. When I became old enough, I learned to […]

The Declaration of Independence, Exact Transcript

July 3, 2024 thefpAdmin 0

Declaration of Independence: A Transcription Editor’s Note: This is a transcription of the Engraving of the parchment of The Declaration of Independence, a document on display in the National Archives Museum Rotunda. The spelling, punctuations and wording is exact to the original document. The signers of this Declaration are included at the bottom, along with the state they represented. In Congress, July 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the […]

Only In America, Part 3: Enter Government

June 24, 2024 thefpAdmin 0

Only in America, Part Three: Enter Government Enter Government, Part Three: The Founding Project introduced our readers to Dr. Jerome Huyler’s work, Only in America, breaking it into an introduction followed by a three part series. Dr. Huyler began with the story of America and its greatness via his study of history and American life in the first chapter. His second chapter further explored America’s growth and effects of freedom, free markets and the aspects of liberty, which allowed individuals a growth, flourishing and prosperity not previously experienced by other nations. Huyler’s work is an observation of America and also on civics education in America and is being presented by The Founding Project in a series of […]

George Washington’s Rules of Civility, Part 2

June 22, 2024 Margo Louis 0

The Rules of Civility, Part 2 The Importance of Civility to George Washington was never more apparent than when a young George took much effort to memorize all 120 Rules for Civility valued at the time. This article is Part 2 of a two part set. In this part, the second 55 of the 110 Rules of Civility, which Washington valued so highly, are listed and are shown exactly as he wrote them as a teen. Civic Virtue – Civility The future first president of the United States thought civility, good manners and politeness were so important that he wrote out the Rules of Civility in his own hand and memorized them as a young […]

Only In America, Part 2: Keeping The Promise

June 20, 2024 Guest Writer 0

Only in American, Part Two: Keeping the Promise Dr. Jerome Huyler’s work, Only in America: The Goodness Greatness Begot, has been featured by The Founding Project with this article being the third in the series and the second chapter of his work, entitled “Keeping the Promise”. Huyler’s work is an observation of America and also on civics education in America and is presented by The Founding Project in a series of articles. Dr. Huyler’s essay is a response to one author’s book, which has come to influence a version of civics education in America. But, Dr. Huyler found that book’s content did not coincide with the full civics education programs once prevalent in American schools […]

George Washington’s Rules of Civility, Part 1

June 18, 2024 Margo Louis 0

The Rules of Civility, Part 1 The Importance of Civility to George Washington was never more apparent than when a young George took much effort to memorize all 120 Rules for Civility valued at the time. This article is Part 1 of a two part set. In it, the first 55 of the 110 Rules of Civility, which Washington valued so highly, are listed and are listed exactly as he wrote them as a teen. Integrity, Honor, Civic Virtue ~ Prized by Washington The future first president of the United States thought civility, good manners and politeness were so important that he wrote out the Rules of Civility in his own hand and memorized them […]