Many Founding Fathers Were Shockingly Young When The Declaration Of Independence Was Signed In 1776

[Catty1]

I found this interesting...

<cite class="byline vcard">By Alyson Shontell | Business Insider – <abbr title="2014-07-05T15:11:00Z">Sat, 5 Jul, 2014 11:11 AM EDT</abbr></cite>





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Declaration of Independence
How old were the Founding Fathers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founding_Fathers_of_the_United_States) when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776?
Some were older, like Thomas Jefferson who was 33, John Hancock who was 39, or Benjamin Franklin who was 70. Others were shockingly young — even teenagers. James Monroe, for example, was 18 and Alexander Hamilton was 21.
All Things Liberty (http://allthingsliberty.com/2013/08/ages-of-revolution-how-old-1776/) compiled a list of the ages of key people during the American Revolution (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolution) (a period spanning from 1765–1783) when the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Here's everyone who was younger than 30 on July 4, 1776, including a few signers of the nation-changing document:


Andrew Jackson, 9
(Major) Thomas Young, 12
Deborah Sampson, 15
James Armistead, 15
Sybil Ludington, 15
Joseph Plumb Martin, 15
Peter Salem, 16
Peggy Shippen, 16
Marquis de Lafayette, 18
James Monroe, 18
Charles Pinckney, 18
Henry Lee III, 20
Gilbert Stuart, 20
John Trumbull, 20
Aaron Burr, 20
John Marshall, 20
Nathan Hale, 21
Banastre Tarleton, 21
Alexander Hamilton, 21
John Laurens, 21
Benjamin Tallmadge, 22
Robert Townsend, 22
George Rogers Clark, 23
David Humphreys, 23
Gouveneur Morris, 24
Betsy Ross, 24
William Washington, 24
James Madison, 25
Henry Knox, 25
John Andre, 26
Thomas Lynch, Jr., 26
Edward Rutledge, 26
Abraham Woodhull, 26
Isaiah Thomas, 27
George Walton, 27
John Paul Jones, 28
Bernardo de Galvez, 29
Thomas Heyward, Jr., 29
Robert R. Livingston, 29

[Lady's Human]

Just off the top of my head, Andrew Jackson was important in US history, but could hardly be considered influential during the Revolution or a founding father.

[Karen]

And of course none of the women were exactly "founding fathers," and while say, Deborah Sampson was notable as a woman who fought in the war disguising herself as a boy, I do not think this qualifies her for "founder of the nation" type status.

[Karen]

Peggy Shippen - why is she there? She married and aided Benedict Arnold - not exactly a "hero" - rather an traitor,

Banastre Tarleton was known as "Bloody Ben" for his habit of torturing American soldiers

Who makes up these lists? I don't trust them very much when I find things like that with just two Google searches.

And Betsy Ross - she and another woman sewed a flag, sure - but does that make her a "founding father?" Notable figure, sure, but not a "Founding Father" and there is even some debate over the timing of actual events.

[Catty1]

"compiled a list of the ages of key people"

Traitor or not, the names are part of history.

[Karen]

"compiled a list of the ages of key people"

Traitor or not, the names are part of history.

Yes, but the headline is "Many Founding Fathers" ... incorrect, and misleading!

[Catty1]

Send the editors an email, then. I thought this was interesting, that's why I posted it.