Founding Fathers

No evidence Jefferson said: 'When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty'

Written by: Jordan Liles

March 19, 2025

Some social media users shared the quote in early 2025 to express dissatisfaction with U.S. Pres ...

Did Ben Franklin Pen Famous 'Tell Me and I Forget' Quote?

Written by: Madison Dapcevich

Jan. 11, 2025

A number of well-known quotes are attributed to the Founding Father.

Did Jefferson Say Government Big Enough To Give 'Everything You Want' Can Take It All Away?

Written by: Caroline Wazer

Sept. 15, 2024

The alleged quote could be found on a bumper sticker sold on Amazon, a 4-foot banner sold on Caf ...

Jefferson Said, 'When the People Fear the Government There Is Tyranny...'?

Written by: Anna Rascouët-Paz

Aug. 25, 2024

Fake quotes attributed to U.S. Founding Fathers are a dime a dozen.

10 Fact Checks About Fourth of July and Founding Fathers

Written by: Izz Scott LaMagdeleine

July 4, 2024

In honor of the holiday, we rounded up 10 of our best fact checks about it and the Founding Fathers.

Every US Founding Father Was a Felon?

Written by: Jack Izzo

June 6, 2024

You have to be convicted of a crime to be called a felon.

How Old Were the US Founding Fathers on July 4, 1776?

Written by: Madison Dapcevich

March 26, 2024

"The constitution was basically a Reddit post," wrote one social media user commenting on the yo ...

Who Said 'Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God'?

Written by: David Emery

April 9, 2023

The quote has been ascribed to both Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. It's possible that n ...

Did Benjamin Franklin Want a Turkey, Not a Bald Eagle, on USA's Great Seal?

Written by: Alex Kasprak

Dec. 23, 2022

The bald eagle "is a bird of bad moral character," the Founding Father once wrote.

Did Ben Franklin Pen the Famous 'Death and Taxes' Quote?

Written by: Jordan Liles

July 20, 2022

The quote about nothing being certain in life other than death and taxes has recently been attac ...

Did Thomas Jefferson Say Religious Institutions 'Undermine All Our Civil Rights'?

Written by: Jordan Liles

June 28, 2022

We looked into the history of a quote attributed to Jefferson on the subjects of religious insti ...

Did Ben Franklin Say 'Beer Is Proof that God Loves Us and Wants Us To Be Happy'?

Written by: Jordan Liles

April 11, 2022

The passage about God, beer, and being happy has for years appeared in internet memes, on bar si ...

Were the Founding Fathers Not Involved in Pledge, Anthem, 'In God We Trust'?

Written by: Dan MacGuill

July 15, 2021

A popular meme argued that Washington, Jefferson, et al had no role in the creation of four majo ...

Benjamin Franklin Said to 'Question Authority'?

Written by: Kim LaCapria

May 22, 2016

We were unable to locate any evidence that Benjamin Franklin ever said it was the first responsi ...

Did Michelle Obama Say Founding Fathers Weren't 'Born in America'?

Written by: David Mikkelson

July 19, 2014

The first lady spoke on the subject of immigration reform at a swearing-in ceremony for new U.S. ...

Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation?

Written by: David Mikkelson

Nov. 19, 2012

George Washington was the first United States president to issue a Thanksgiving proclamation.

John Hancock on His Declaration of Independence Signature

Written by: David Mikkelson

July 29, 2001

Did John Hancock say this when he signed the Declaration of Independence?