Tuesday, July 5, 2011

My Favorite Founding Father

Over the past few weeks I have been noticed a remarkable similarity in the people who are seeking the Republican nomination for president. Each and every one of them made a point of talking about American history in their speeches or TV interviews. This is remarkable for two reasons. One, I expected them to go out of their way to distinguish themselves from one another. Even stranger, when talking history, some of them were inaccurate and some were flat out wrong.

Before this blog becomes one of many thousands pitting Republicans and Democrats, I would like to tell you about my favorite founding father. ‘Bet you didn’t see that coming. Tell me who your favorite historical figure is and why and you could win a copy of Marianna Baer’s excellent new book, Frost before it hits the shelves.

My favorite founding father is John Adams because he was very smart, methodical and had a real partnership with his wife Abigail Adams. He valued her intelligence and judgment at a time when few men did. I also admire his willingness to speak his mind. He did it so often that, while he was vice president, the Constitutional congress passed a law prohibiting the vice president from talking during votes.

Who’s your favorite? Put it in the comments below and you could win Frost!

16 comments:

  1. And Alma Mater sheds a tear. Hamilton!

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  2. I like Lincoln. He tried to unite our country during the civil war. He tried his best and he was killed for it.

    spicedice45@gmail.com

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  3. Favorite founding father? Benjamin Franklin. He was such a Renaissance man. The fact that he was a politician, a scientist, a musician (he invented instruments) and a ladies man is incredible. He was the one (I believe) who is attributed to the line, "Now you have a Constitution. It's up to you (meaning the people) to keep it." Pertinent in these days of shrinking freedoms from the military, NSA, etc.

    Of course, I wouldn't want to be married to him!

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  4. I agree with the person above me! Ben Franklin was just so COOL! He was always my fav to read about in school. :)

    Americangirlie1991 at yahoo dot com

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  5. I'm going with Thomas Jefferson, another amazing Renaissance man. And let's hear it for the Founding Mothers! wish I knew more of them. Mostly, I would really, really, really love to win Marianna's book! Thanks for the opportunity1

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  6. Sir Walter Ralegh. I mainly blame Rosemary Sutcliff's "Lady in Waiting" for this, but honestly, explorer, courtier, poet, with a romantic secret marriage - what's not (for me) to like?

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  7. I notice the other commenters have all put their favourite founding father, but I am not American, and you did say "historical figure"!

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  8. I'm also a Ben Franklin fan. In addition the being a founding father, he was a scientist and a pretty prolific writer. Also, I spend some time in Philly, so it's kind of mandatory!

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  9. fan of Lincoln!!lomazowr@gmail.com

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  10. I'm going to make a break from everyone and say John Jay. A fellow New Yorker, staunch abolitionist (passed the emancipation laws for NY), co-writer of the Federalist Papers, and set some pretty huge paving stones (judicial review!) for the Supreme Court to lay their foundations on. Amazing man.

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  11. Well, I would have probably said Ben Franklin if so many others hadn't already, but I like to be different, so I'm going to say Sacagawea. If not for her, Lewis and Clark probably wouldn't have gone very far. I'm proud that she was such a strong woman at a very young age.

    Poisnivyred@gmail.com

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  12. Ben Franklin. Fascinating and brilliant. An original!

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  13. I admire George Washington. He had to be the first at a lot of things. The first leader of the this nation and no footsteps to follow in. AND all while be ing in the Revelutionary war. He had to be brave.
    chaarmedone1512@aol.com
    I would love to win this book

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  14. You said founding "father," but I want to go with Abigail Adams :) She was an incredible woman, and John Adams wouldn't have been half the man he was if it weren't for her. Go Abigail! :)))

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  15. Congratulations to Kaye (paper reader)! I have a soft spot for John Jay, partly for the reasons you mentioned and partly because one of my dorms in college was named after him. Please email your contact information to samantharowan at gmail dot com and I'll get FROST in the mail.

    Thank you to everyone for participating in this, particularly Pamela and her excellent argument for Benjamin Franklin and Mike's push for Alexander Hamilton (I have a huge soft spot for Hamilton as well).

    One more thing: I really loved FROST. It's a hard book for me to give away. But I want to spread the word about it so please read it and write about it. It's a good one.

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  16. That's amazing, thank you so much! I've been looking forward to this release and now I have the chance.

    It's a bit difficult to pick any one Founding Father, and I loved reading everyone's individual reasons.

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