Founding Fathers
From Freepedia
Founding Fathers are persons instrumental in the establishment of an institution, usually a political institution, especially those connected to the origination of its ideals. The term is most often used in more reverential treatments of national history.
Objections have sometimes been raised to indicate that the term is inherently partial to the role of men in history, and thus sexist. Alternate terms, such as "Framers", or "Founders" may be used to be more inclusive of female participation. There is, of course, the counter-argument that patriarchal dominance in history has been the rule and that the term is thus more descriptive of an era (or of most eras) than it is truly sexist.
Alternate terms such as these may also be used to indicate a more neutral attitude to the individuals in question, as while anyone may be a founder of a nation, the implication of familial relationship is likely to be something more personal. An American, for instance, might be less likely to refer to the "Founding Fathers" of Canada, and vice versa--the term itself is generally particular to one's own country, and may be more often used in reference to American history than to that of other nations.
Examples
- The creators and early developers of the United States of America, such as the signers of its Declaration of Independence and the framers of its Constitution—see Founding Fathers of the United States.
- Canada has its Fathers of Confederation—see Canadian Confederation.
- The leaders of the Australian federalist movement in the 1890s might also be described as Founding Fathers.
- Robert Schuman, Jean Monnet, Konrad Adenauer, Alcide De Gasperi, Paul-Henri Spaak and Altiero Spinelli have been referred to as the founding fathers of the European Union.
- Simon Bolivar, Jose Antonio Paez, General Rafael Urdaneta, Francisco de Paula Santander have been referred to as the founding fathers of the northern countries of South America (Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Ecuador, Bolivia)
- Giuseppe Garibaldi, Victor Emmanuel II, Count Cavour, Giuseppe Mazzini have been referred to as the founding fathers of the Kingdom of Italy
