All the most prominent Founding Fathers who conducted the American War of Independence and created the U.S constitution - George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin - had deep British roots. Washington, for example, expected to be schooled in England (like his brothers) and hoped to win a commission in the British army; while Franklin hailed Britain’s victory against France in the Seven Years’ War thirteen years before he signed the Declaration of Independence “not merely as I am a Colonist, but as I am a Briton”. We will trace their British ancestry, track their early lives, and examine the reasons why they all, in the end, worked for independence, cut their ties with their past (and, in some cases, their own family), chose to be defined as “Americans” - and, in doing so, changed the course of history.
Before They Were Famous: The Early Lives of the U.S. Founding Fathers
Overview
Programme details
Session 1
Introduction: British America, 1607-1783
Session 2
The Founding Fathers: Who They Were & What They Did
Session 3
George Washington (1): A Royalist Past
Session 4
George Washington (2): The Surveyor-Soldier Turned Revolutionary
Session 5
John Adams: The Harvard Scholar with Essex Roots
Session 6
Thomas Jefferson: The Virginian Wordsmith with Welsh connections
Session 7
James Madison: From Jamestown to Yorktown
Session 8
Alexander Hamilton: The Economist with Scottish Aristocratic Links
Session 9
Benjamin Franklin: The London Resident Who Switched Sides
Session 10
Becoming American: The Emergence of a New National Identity
Session 11
The British Americans: Where They Went After 1783
Session 12
After The American Revolution: What The Founding Fathers Did Next
Recommended reading
Please view your recommended Reading List by clicking here
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Programme Fee (No Accommodation - inc. Tuition, Lunch & Dinner) | £850.00 |
| Programme Fee (Standard Single Room - inc. Tuition and Meals) | £1485.00 |
| Programme Fee (Standard Twin Room - inc. Tuition and Meals) | £1245.00 |
| Programme Fee (Superior Single Room - inc. Tuition and Meals) | £1600.00 |
| Programme Fee (Superior Twin Room - inc. Tuition and Meals) | £1345.00 |
Tutor
Dr Simon Targett
Tutor
Simon Targett is a writer, historian and award-winning journalist. A former Associate Editor of the Financial Times, he has written for the Economist, Washington Post and Boston Globe, and lectured on British and American history.
Course aims
This course aims to provide an introduction to the U.S. Founding Fathers—their British ancestry, their formative experiences, and what drove them to take up arms against Britain. By knowing their back story, it will be possible to have a better understanding of the moment when Americans became Americans and changed the course of history.
Teaching methods
All summer school courses are taught through group seminars and individual tutorials. Students also conduct private study when not in class and there is a well stocked library at OUDCE to support individual research needs.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be expected to understand:
- The British ancestry of the most prominent U.S. Founding Fathers
- The personal journeys of the revolutionary leaders from British “subject” to American “citizen”
- How British America became the United States of America
- How Americans became Americans and forged a distinct and distinctive national identity
Assessment methods
Students are assessed during the summer school by either a 1500 word written assignment or a presentation supported by individual documentation. To successfully gain credit (10 CATS points) students should attend all classes and complete the on-course assignment. There is also a pre-course assignment of 1000 words set. Although this does not count towards credit, it is seen as an important way of developing a student's ideas and therefore its completion is mandatory.