Resources About America’s Founding Fathers

Teaching our children about their country could be one of the most important things we teach in our homeschool. These free resources about America’s founding fathers help kids learn about the important people at the beginning of our country’s formation.

Why is it important to teach our country’s history?

Living overseas, I had to say I was embarrassed that I knew less about my country’s history than people I met living around the world. That is why I purposed to teach my kids more about the United States than I ever knew.

Learning about the founding fathers is an important part of that history.

How many founding fathers were there?

Although there were many men and women who were around when the United States was being formed and the breakaway from England was evolving, there are seven main figures who were considered the Founding Fathers. Those men were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison.

Who were the founding fathers?

Besides George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison, some also consider Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and  George Mason to be one of the founding fathers. They are often referred to as the “gallery of greats.”

Four of these “greats” also happened to be presidents of the United States. The first president, George Washington (President from 1789-1797) was a founding father.

John Adams (1797-1801), Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809), and James Madison (1809-1817) were also America’s presidents as well as being founding fathers of the nation. Most of the founding fathers were not presidents at all. They were significant figures in America’s independence from England and our nation’s birth.

Why are they called founding fathers?

The term “founding fathers” was first used by President Warren G. Harding in 1916. This title has been attributed to those who have contributed to the birth of our nation.

Usually, they were from America’s revolutionary era, responsible for colonial independence from Great Britain. The founding fathers just all around made an impact on our country’s beginnings (USA).

The founding fathers were political leaders and many times also refers to those (56 of those) who have signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Help your kids learn more about this document with this free Declaration of Independence of 1776 copywork.

Who was the most important Founding Father?

This may be a no-brainer, but it seems that George Washington was the most important founding father. My kids did some research on him and discovered that he is known as the most “foundiest father” of the founding fathers. That gave them a chuckle.

Besides being elected the first president of the United States, he was constant support and leadership in the colonial fight for independence. He served as a leader of the Continental Army, and was president of the Constitutional Convention.

What did the founding fathers do?

The founding fathers helped shape the nation that was new and needed a framework for a young democracy. They impacted the formation of the new nation and government and helped iron out the framework that guided the nation moving forward.

Between the Articles of Confederation, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights, these founding founders took part in making those important US national founding documents what they are today.

Resources About America’s Founding Fathers

Explore the founding fathers more deeply in your homeschool with the history printables below.

Online Resources to Learn About the Founding Fathers:

Founding Fathers Informative Resource for your Kids – This online resource is a good way for kids to read up on interesting and fun facts about the Founding Fathers. The bottom of the resource also focuses on a few specific Founding Fathers for kids to study.

Fascinating Facts All About our Founding Fathers – Finding out facts about our country’s history is so important for our kids. ConstitutuonFacts.com has listed some great facts your kids can learn about the specific Founding Fathers and events in their lives.

Resource Article on the Founding Fathers –  This article from National Geographic teaches kids about the experiment that created a new government for the new world. I really enjoy these NG articles. They include a vocabulary list that your kids can use to expand their knowledge base in the subject matter.

United States Founding Fathers Facts for Kids – National Geographic is for grades 5 – 8. However, this information online about the Founding Fathers is a little more basic and a great tool to read alongside your lessons. This resource includes images of the Founding Fathers, their occupations, experience, and their backgrounds.

Founding Fathers Worksheets and Printables:

Fun Facts Founding Fathers Prints – These Founding Fathers’ free art prints are a great resource to go alongside your lessons. Each print has some facts on each Founding Father that your kids can use to study.

Downloadable Founding Fathers Cards – Of course, your kids can use these printable cards for studying. However, the resource gives a great idea of using the cards in a hide and seek hunt. Your kids will search for the cards and read them when they are found.

Founding Fathers Reading Passage and Questions – This is a perfect little reading assignment and assessment for kids about the Founding Fathers of our country. Kids will read in a brief reading passage about the patriots who aimed to be independent of England in the 1700s.

Founding Fathers (and Mothers) Social Studies Activity – Older kids do color by number as well. Didn’t think so? Well, this social studies activity for grades 4 to 7 will engage your kids in a fun way. Additionally, it does it while learning facts about the Founding Fathers and United States government.

Who Were the Founding Fathers Free Download Activity  – Check out these resources to learn about the importance of the Founding Fathers and what they meant to our nation. Your kids will enjoy this research activity to go alongside their lessons.

Kids Videos About the Founding Fathers:

Founding Fathers for Kids Video – This video has some great information and facts for your kids about the historical figures we call the Founding Fathers. The video contains songs and pictures fun enough for your kids but informative enough for the history buff.

The United States Founding Fathers Video – epic! Is such a great site to watch free videos and read free ebooks in your homeschool. The video discusses the founding fathers’ system of government and also explores the origins of the Declaration of Independence.

Video about Who Were the Founding Fathers and What Happened to Them? – Help your visual learners engage in your Founding Father’s lesson with this helpful video. The video is about who they were and what happened after their signing the Declaration of Independence.

Individual Founding Fathers Units and Resources:

US Presidents Notebooking Activities (both of which are also founding fathers) – Use these free US Presidents’ notebooking activities to learn all about two famous Presidents of the United States, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. This resource will guide students through a complete a notebooking page, a timeline of 10 key life events, and a matching puzzle. They will also answer 15 multiple choice questions about key people from the Presidents’ life.

George Washington Free Mini-Unit – George Washington could be one of the most famous of the Founding Father’s and he WAS the very first President of the United States. Check out this mini-unit to help kids study Washington. It includes a reading comprehension worksheet, timeline, coloring page, project ideas, and more.

Patrick Henry Lesson for Early Elementary and Extensions for Older Students – Patrick Henry was the topic of my very first book report. SO teaching my kids about him was exciting for me, and yes… I assigned them a book report on a Patrick Henry book. I had to. Check out this lesson plan with ideas for younger and older elementary students

Thomas Jefferson Timeline Worksheet – Thomas Jefferson was our 3rd president, lawyer, architect, musician, Founding Father, and principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776). This chronological timeline will help you to learn all about our 3rd president including research questions.

Historical Hero Alexander Hamilton Worksheet Download – Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father originally born in the West Indies who came to America to study. This downloadable worksheet has fin and interesting facts about Hamilton, plus a word scramble activity.

John Adams Free Worksheets and Fact – Many of us know that John Adams was the second president, but did you know he was also the first Vice President? Learning about our Founding Fathers is interesting and these facts and worksheets can help.

9 Interesting Stories About 9 Different Founding Fathers – We learn about quotes from the Founding Fathers, but not many times we find out details about their lives or tidbits of who they really were. Let your students read a little about Alexander Hamilton to Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, and more.

Our Founding Fathers are well known for their infamous quotes. Many of the Founding Fathers Quotes can be researched on the internet but here are just a few for you to share with the kids.

Founding Father Quotes:

“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” – Thomas Jefferson

“Always stand on principle…even if you stand alone.” – John Adams

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

Featured Resources About America:

If you are looking for easy-to-use printables that can help you teach your children about the United States of America, Daily Skill Building has affordable, open-and-go solutions!

American History Through the Eyes of the Presidents – This unit study provides your students with 225 reading comprehension questions (including answer keys and 450 timeline entries). It focuses on the actions of the presidents through reading comprehension, narration, notebooking, timelines, research projects, and more.

United States Government Anchor Charts & Workbook – This U.S. Government Anchor Charts & Workbook helps your students explore the three branches of government, alongside many of the other departments and agencies that impact our daily lives. Your student will more easily understand how the government is designed to work, about being a good citizen and how to vote responsibly.

Presidents of the United States Fact Cards & Bio Sheets – Grab this resource for various facts about every U.S. President to review with these U.S. Presidents Fact Cards and Bio Sheets. There are 45 blank fact cards that students can fill in with data and color.

American Holidays – This study takes your students through a brief look at American history and traditions of America’s federal holidays. This American Holidays Unit Study includes 51 pages of text, questions, written narration, research, quiz, notebooking, and an answer key.

More Resources About the United States History:

Hands-on Activities for Studying the American Revolution – The American Revolution was the beginning of our freedom from Great Britain. It began the free country that we live in today. Those freedoms we still enjoy and should cherish. Explore this Daily Skill Building resource for some hands-on learning all about the American Revolution.

US Constitution Vocabulary Copywork – Grab this FREE U.S. Constitution Vocabulary Copywork resource to help your kids learn even more of the meaning behind the U.S. Constitution. Your students will explore 40 words or phrases and their meanings from the Preamble and the Bill of Rights, practice their print handwriting skills, and learn tidbits about the American government.

Printables About Freedom – I don’t think kids really understand what freedom is until we are able to show them. This resource will help kids understand our fundamental freedoms and what freedom in Christ means. 

Cheat Sheets to Study the US Presidents – Your kids can easily find the names of every U.S. President and Vice President alongside his term years, party affiliation, and his number order of being President with these useful free U.S. Presidents cheat sheets. They make a great way for kids to study and memorize the presidents who were elected in our great nation.