5 Misconceptions About the Founding Fathers

America will soon celebrate the annual holiday of the Fourth of July, which marks the country’s Independence Day. The men known as the “Founding Fathers” are often closely associated with the original Declaration of Independence, and the nickname is short for the Founding Fathers of the United States. They are known as such because they led America’s wars of independence against Britain and played a key role in the founding of the U.S.

These individuals included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. However, a number of myths have accumulated over the years about these men, and the stories have sometimes obscured the more complex reality of the past. Here is a look at five misconceptions about the Founding Fathers.

1. The vote on independence did not take place on the Fourth of July but two days earlier
2. They were willing to spread misinformation in the pursuit of their goals
3. They were not as isolationist as they have been portrayed
4. Most of them didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4 itself
5. They were divided on the issue of slavery

The vote on independence did not take place on the Fourth of July but two days earlier

The idea that the Founding Fathers all voted on and signed the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July itself is a common misunderstanding. In actuality, the process took place over a longer timeframe, and it did not all happen on the same day. The vote on independence actually took place two days earlier, when Congress approved the Lee Resolution on July 2, 1776.

They were willing to spread misinformation in the pursuit of their goals

The use of misinformation and fear-mongering tactics in today's politics is sometimes contrasted with the era of the Founding Fathers, due to the common belief that such tactics were absent during that period. 

However, research from Robert Parkinson of Binghamton University has shown this was not always the case. In an attempt to keep the public in favor of the drive for independence, politicians sometimes used the press to plant false and racist information that Black people and Native Americans were aiding the British. Allegedly, Benjamin Franklin even created a fake story pretending that Seneca Indians were targeting women and children with violence.

They were not as isolationist as they have been portrayed

The Founding Fathers are sometimes perceived as isolationists who believed that America should not get involved with other countries. When George Washington gave his farewell address in 1796, he famously expressed his view that the U.S. should “steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.”

However, for many of the Founding Fathers, this did not mean isolating themselves from all interactions with other countries. In practice, they actively worked to build good relations with other nations, including diplomatic efforts by several of them with France. The French support for the American Revolution would also prove extremely important during America’s campaign for independence.

Most of them didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4 itself

Another common misconception about the Founding Fathers is that all of them signed the Declaration on the Fourth of July itself, along with the other signatories. A famous painting by John Trumbull has added to this popular belief.

In fact, only a few of them signed the document on this exact date. While the Declaration was adopted by Congress on July 4, it was first signed almost a month later, on August 2.

They were divided on the issue of slavery

The Declaration of Independence famously stated that “all men are created equal.” But in addition to the fact that only men were mentioned and not women, not all of the Founding Fathers treated all men equally either—and some of them were actually slaveowners. 

These included George Washington and Thomas Jefferson (although Washington eventually freed his slaves). However, it should be said that others were strongly opposed and never owned slaves themselves, including John Adams and Thomas Paine.

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