The Founding "Fathers", some you idolize on your coins and currency, were just a bunch of punk kids.
TopographicOceans
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The country was founded by a lot of teenagers.
Aaron Burr, 20
An officer in the Continental Army, Burr eventually served as the ?memorable third vice president of the United States. He famously shot and killed longtime rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804.
Marquis de Lafayette, 19
During the American Revolution, Lafayette served as a major general in the Continental Army under George Washington.
James Monroe, 18
A lieutenant in Washington’s army, Monroe would grow up to become the fifth U.S. president and the last Founding Father to serve as chief executive.
Alexander Hamilton, 22
Appointed chief of staff to General Washington, Hamilton became one of the most influential promoters of the Constitution and the founder of the first American political party.
And the Old Man
James Madison, 25
Madison would prove to be instrumental in the drafting of the Constitution and the writing of the Bill of Rights. He ultimately became the fourth U.S. president.
Aaron Burr, 20
An officer in the Continental Army, Burr eventually served as the ?memorable third vice president of the United States. He famously shot and killed longtime rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804.
Marquis de Lafayette, 19
During the American Revolution, Lafayette served as a major general in the Continental Army under George Washington.
James Monroe, 18
A lieutenant in Washington’s army, Monroe would grow up to become the fifth U.S. president and the last Founding Father to serve as chief executive.
Alexander Hamilton, 22
Appointed chief of staff to General Washington, Hamilton became one of the most influential promoters of the Constitution and the founder of the first American political party.
And the Old Man
James Madison, 25
Madison would prove to be instrumental in the drafting of the Constitution and the writing of the Bill of Rights. He ultimately became the fourth U.S. president.
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We now have a generation of useless, whining brats, as worthless as used toilet paper.
Cheers, RickO
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
Cheers, RickO
You are so wrong. Used toilet paper at was at least useful and served a purpose once.......
Yes... and now the snowflakes scramble for safe spaces and cry over 'trigger' words...
We now have a generation of useless, whining brats, as worthless as used toilet paper.
Cheers, RickO
I am of the younger generation and my only triggers are dipped coins without tarnish. So that makes two things we disagree on Rick.
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I have read the OP several times, trying to determine the OP’s point. He states that James Monroe was just 18, and the Marquis de Lafayette was just 19, but does not indicate when they were of these ages. The ages listed for each of the founding fathers were their ages in 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, and when the ‘shot heard ‘round the world’ at Lexington-Concord was fired. But our nation was not born in an instant, on July 4th of 1776. We were ‘in labor’ much longer than that, and the birth took several years. From the presentation of the Declaration of Independence to the King of England in 1776, through the Revolutionary War from 1775 until 1783, through the writing of the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, through the final ratification of the Constitution in 1788, the forming, or birth, of our nation took many years. The men listed by the OP were truly ‘Founding Fathers’, but their greatest contributions to our nation’s history came after 1776. Older men, like General George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin played active roles in 1776. It would seem that all of these American heroes are worthy of greater praise than the description “just a bunch of punk kids”.
Yes, my thoughts exactly. I think the point was just to say that the notion that the Founding Fathers were all old is not correct. However, to say "the country was founded by a lot of teenagers" and then identify two that barely were when the Declaration of Independence was signed is way too much of a stretch. The years between 1783 and 1788 were, in my opinion, much more formative to this country, making none of these listed close to teenagers.
I have a slightly different take. There is nothing wrong with our youth, it's the older generation, the parents, teachers,professors and politicians that are coddling them and molding them into the "snowflakes" they are becoming that should be ashamed.
I totally agree. Not keeping score because it may hurt someones feelings. COME ON!!!!
Kids need to be taught that they have to work to succeed, not just show up.
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Yes... and now the snowflakes scramble for safe spaces and cry over 'trigger' words...
We now have a generation of useless, whining brats, as worthless as used toilet paper.
Cheers, RickO
Agree!
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Cheers, RickO
You are so wrong. Used toilet paper at was at least useful and served a purpose once.......
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From my vantage points, these "safe spaces" that some think are very popular actually don't really ever get used. They are just a way for activists to stir up trouble, draw attention, and perhaps most importantly, squash dissent to their causes. Many of the "problems" these activists have are not really a big deal, so they must push the notion of concepts such as "micro-aggressions" and the need for "safe spaces" to make it seem like they are legitimate problems, and create "trigger" words to try to eliminate dissent. And pretty much any time younger activists are successful in these agendas, it is some administrator or manager from older generations making it happen.
From my vantage point of being barely a millennial according to most though not all generation "guidelines", most millennial stereotypes of course have some basis in reality amongst certain subsets, but absolutely cannot be applied to the majority, much less all of them. I also do not understand how millennials are blamed for being coddled or handed participation ribbons when they were young. Isn't it the fault of the folks handing out participation ribbons?
The one stereotype I personally find most accurate (but again very, very far from universally accurate) is a tendency for millennials to have a higher propensity to be dissatisfied with their job. I think when their parents told them to follow their dreams or that they can do anything they put their mind to, they took it to heart and want a career that is fun or makes them happy, rather then necessary or simply fulfilling. Why would you toil away at a bad job just for a paycheck when you were told you could cure cancer or be an astronaut?
Of note, those in college now are the tail end of millennials, in a couple years the post millennial generation will be entering college.
Yes... and now the snowflakes scramble for safe spaces and cry over 'trigger' words...
We now have a generation of useless, whining brats, as worthless as used toilet paper.
Cheers, RickO
We didn't invent participation awards, our parents did. Poor parenting is what resulted in "trigger" words and "safe spaces". If parents hadn't made "snowflakes" of their children, we wouldn't have these problems.
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Yes... and now the snowflakes scramble for safe spaces and cry over 'trigger' words...
We now have a generation of useless, whining brats, as worthless as used toilet paper.
Cheers, RickO
We didn't invent participation awards, our parents did. Poor parenting is what resulted in "trigger" words and "safe spaces". If parents hadn't made "snowflakes" of their children, we wouldn't have these problems.
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These brave men not only declared Independence and fought a revolution, they had the intestinal fortitude and WISDOM to help draft a Constitution on how to run a country that has survived 240 years.
Some people may find that very impressive. I do.
We still have brave and intelligent young men today in our country, along with others past their prime.
240 years ago just surviving life was much more challenging.
Just taking the members of this forum (skewed towards older men) I doubt there would be the same success if the same feat were tried today.
Already in this thread there are whiners and complainers across the generations. A new Constitution would from this group would never match what we have today.
But the cycle goes on:
Move over glory to sons of old fighters past.
Life had to happen fast in those days. The average life expectancy in the US in 1776 was 35!!!!!
That was no doubt averaged way down by infant and adolescent mortality. Even in 1900 the "average" lifespan was only 44 years. Once you got into your 20's, life expectancy jumped into the 60's.
Some of the "older" men of that era, like Washington or Adams (early 40s) or Jefferson (33) and Han***** are not anywhere near the age of the folks currently in power. Look at the average age of Senators, Representatives or Supreme Court justices. There was a nice mix of ages, from Franklin (70ish) and Samuel Adams (54) to Edward Rutledge of South Carolina, the youngest signer of the Declaration at 26.
And as for millennials, being just a few years older but with the chance to mentor them as interns for the past several years, I think Ricko is spot on for some, while others clearly come out of a different milieu and give me some hope for the future.
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
I love that the last name of the biggest signature to the Declaration is censored. Haha!
The delicate constitutions of sensitive readers must be protected from the offensive slang terms that are innocently hidden in certain words.
We are seldom allowed, therefore, to "Assess the contributions of John Hancock to the development of the pocketwatch"
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Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Yes... and now the snowflakes scramble for safe spaces and cry over 'trigger' words...
We now have a generation of useless, whining brats, as worthless as used toilet paper.
Cheers, RickO
I also agree 100% - I shake my head at the "helicopter mommies" turning their children into worthless wussies.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
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I won't ask how. I will just enjoy the humor. Well done.
We still have brave and intelligent young men today in our country, along with others past their prime.
And quite honestly, as an educator, my experience is that we have many brave and intelligent young women today as well, don't know why you missed that.........
Best, SH
As for the side argument that has branched off. When ever youth are mentioned on this forum, its funny. Half the time this board moans that there aren't enough young collectors. The other half the time is spent trashing on young people. I'll say this about myself and other millennials- we are a generation more aware of those around us and the effects our choices have on everyone. No, everyone doesn't deserve an award for participating, but EVERYONE deserves to be allowed to participate, without fear of discrimination or oppression (or a friggen wall), and we will continue to be vocal and fight for this until it happens. If the older generations have a problem with disrupting the status quo so that this happens, its fine but that point of view will soon become more and more and more of a minority as time passes and telomeres shorten.
Just don't be upset when the millennials are too busy in their "safe spaces" to buy your coins when you're old and needing to sell. The few of us who haven't yet been turned away will be waiting to snap them up for pennies on the dollar.
More aware? More!? Did you type that with a straight face?
Many, rightfully, call a wall a border. So do I.
Don't worry too much, your egalitarian utopia is already coming to fruition. It's an evolution devolution.
Indeed, the founding fathers were quite young, at that crucial time. Very sobering to think about in those terms...
Don't be too hard on the millennials, they will be paying the boomers social security.
I love that the last name of the biggest signature to the Declaration is censored. Haha!
The delicate constitutions of sensitive readers must be protected from the offensive slang terms that are innocently hidden in certain words.
We are seldom allowed, therefore, to "Assess the contributions of John Han***** to the development of the pocke*****ch"
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More aware? More!? Did you type that with a straight face?
Many, rightfully, call a wall a border. So do I.
Don't worry too much, your egalitarian utopia is already coming to fruition. It's an evolution devolution.
Indeed, the founding fathers were quite young, at that crucial time. Very sobering to think about in those terms...
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