The Founding Fathers left behind a wealth of writings, and recent discoveries continue to enhance our understanding of some of America’s key historical figures.
With advances in areas like archaeology and DNA analysis, we’ve unearthed forgotten documents and artifacts, shedding light on the early years of the nation.
In the last hundred years, the following discoveries have sparked new insights into the lives and legacies of the Founding Fathers, transforming how historians view them.
Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemings
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation notes that Thomas Jefferson, who drafted the Declaration of Independence, fathered at least six children with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman who lived at Monticello.
Although rumors had circulated during Jefferson’s life regarding his relationship with one of his enslaved women, it wasn’t until 1998 that groundbreaking DNA evidence emerged, seemingly confirming those claims.
Hemings was brought to Paris from 1787 to 1789 to serve in Jefferson’s household.
While in Paris, where enslaved individuals had the opportunity to petition for freedom, she worked out an arrangement with Jefferson to return to Monticello as a slave, negotiating for certain privileges and the freedom of her unborn child, according to the TJF’s account.
Years later, Jefferson did eventually free all of Hemings’ children, but other enslaved families remained in bondage.
After analyzing various forms of evidence, including documentary and oral histories, the Foundation concluded that Jefferson was likely the father of Hemings’ children, a perspective that many historians now accept.
Yet, this view isn’t universally shared. Some historians, as stated on the TJF’s website, believe that Hemings played a minor role in Jefferson’s life and doubt he was the father of her children.
Additionally, the Thomas Jefferson Heritage Association suggested in a 2001 report, revised in 2011, that it might have been Jefferson’s brother, Randolph, who fathered some of Hemings’ children.
George Washington’s Distillery
In 1999, archaeologists at Mount Vernon found the long-missing remains of George Washington’s whiskey distillery, revealing that he ran the largest commercial distillery in the United States by the time of his death in 1799.
Although there were historical records indicating Washington had a distillery, the archaeological work showcased its extensive scale and sophistication.
According to Mount Vernon’s website, the distillery was “one of the largest and highest-producing facilities in the area.”
The evidence indicates that this operation functioned on an industrial scale, in stark contrast to the smaller farmhouse distilleries typical of that time period.
Excavations uncovered stone foundations, teacups, glasses, and remnants of the distillery’s copper stills and boilers, allowing researchers to piece together how this sizable operation was managed.
Mount Vernon’s site emphasizes that George Washington was notably an innovative and enterprising farmer, illustrated by features like the 16-sided stepping barn and flour mill.
Thomas Jefferson’s Draft Declaration
In 1947, historian Julian P. Boyd stumbled upon a previously unknown draft of the Declaration of Independence among Jefferson’s papers. This particular draft is described by the Library of Congress as “short but highly significant,” and it predates the more well-known “rough draft” that Jefferson later produced.
Historians, while comparing the earlier fragments to the rough drafts, realized that Jefferson made more substantial revisions than previously recognized.
This newly found draft provided clarity on the drafting process, helping historians to trace Jefferson’s edits alongside the amendments made by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Congress before the document was officially adopted.
The fragment, heavily marked by Jefferson’s precise handwriting, has become crucial in revealing the writing process of the Declaration, supporting earlier arguments about the existence of a thoroughly edited draft before the one Jefferson approved as the original.
