Fisher Ames (1758-1808) WHO HE WAS: Fisher Ames was a prominent early American statesman and a leading Federalist thinker. A gifted orator and a brilliant essayist, Ames served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts and is perhaps best remembered for his staunch defense of the U.S. Constitution and his
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) WHO HE WAS: Napoleon Bonaparte, also known as Napoleon I, was a French military leader and emperor who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars. As Emperor of the French, he initiated the Napoleonic Wars and sought to dominate Europe, which dramatically shaped
John Adams (1735-1826) WHO HE WAS: President John Adams, a Founding Father and the second President of the United States, played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s early years. His dedication to independence and public service left an enduring legacy. WHAT S/HE SAID: Reflecting on the importance of education, Adams emphasized: “There are two
James Madison (1751-1836) James Madison, the “Father of the Constitution,” was the fourth President of the United States and a pivotal figure in the founding of the nation. His contributions to the drafting of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights have shaped American law and government profoundly. Madison also co-founded the Democratic-Republican Party with
Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) WHO HE WAS: Alexander Hamilton was a founding father of the United States, an influential interpreter and promoter of the U.S. Constitution, the founder of the nation’s financial system, and the founder of the first American political party. As the first Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton was the main author of the
Francis Scott Key (1779-1843) WHO HE WAS: Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and poet, most famously known for penning the lyrics to the United States’ national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” During the War of 1812, Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships in Chesapeake Bay, which inspired the iconic
Cover Illustration for The Last of the Mohicans, N.C. Wyeth (1919) The Last of the Mohicans, an American adventure tale by James Fenimore Cooper, became an instant best-seller when it was published in 1826. Its popularity continued, and by 1919, when N. C. Wyeth illustrated a new, deluxe edition of the book, Cooper’s story had
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George Washington (Lansdowne Portrait), Gilbert Stuart (1796 ) Although George Washington sat for the most prominent artists of his day, Gilbert Stuart’s images of the first president and hero of the American Revolution have been so widely reproduced that it is almost impossible for Americans to conceive of Washington in any other way. Less than
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