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Samuel Huntington was born in 1731, on a farm, in Windham, Connecticut. As a young child, he received very little education, but still loved learning. He taught himself law using books he borrowed. Huntington would later become a lawyer using this knowledge. He also received several honorary degrees, including ones from Princeton, Yale, and Dartmouth. In his early 20’s, he was admitted to the Connecticut Bar (advancement of law principles). Lawyering was his main profession but he also had many other jobs. Samuel served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, President of the Continental Congress from 1774-1781, a 2nd Continental Congress delegate in 1776, and governor of Connecticut from 1785, to when he died in 1796.

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Charles Carroll was born in 1737 in Annapolis, Maryland. In 1765, he went back to Maryland after spending 20 years attending colleges in France snd England. Carroll attended the first Maryland Revolutionary convention and supported nonimportation measures. From 1789 to 1792, he served as one of the two senators. In 1776, Carroll was appointed by the Second Continental Congress to a commission to urge Canadians to support the American colonies against the British. Carroll was elected to the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Charles Carroll died in 1832 at age 95.

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Arthur Middleton was born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1742. He was educated in many schools in Britain, including Cambridge. Intending to follow in his father's footsteps, Middleton was chosen to replace his father in the Continental Congress in 1776, but did not attend most of the sessions. Also, he subsequently signed the Declaration of Independence. Additionally, Middleton was the leader of the American Party, and was also a member of the Council of Safety and its Secrete Committee. In 1776, he and William Henry Drayton designed the Great Seal of South Carolina. Middleton was sent to St. Augustine, Florida in 1780 as a prisoner, and was held captive for over a year. After his release in 1781, he returned to politics and joined the Virginia state legislature, and was a trustee of the College of Charleston. He died on January 1, 1787 at the age of 44.

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William Williams was born in Lebanon, Connecticut in 1731. During his lifetime, he graduated from Harvard College and intended to join the clergy, but instead established himself as a merchant and politician. His political career spanned fifty years with time working in the Windham County Court as a judge. Also, Williams was elected into the Second Continental Congress, but was too late to vote on whether Independence should be declared. Although he was late for the official voting, he was still able to sign the Declaration of Independence. During the times of war, he often contributed his own wealth to the war efforts. In addition, during his political career William Williams framed the articles of Confederation. After his long span of being a politician and merchant, Williams died at the age of 80 in 1811.

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Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was born in Boston, Massachusetts. As a teenager, he was asked to work at a printing company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Later, in 1730 he began publishing the Pennsylvania Gazette. One famous "cartoon" that he drew in the Pennsylvania Gazette was the "Join, or Die" representation on the 13 colonies, but only considered 11 out of the 13 total colonies (excluding both Delaware and Georgia).  To continue, Benjamin Franklin was also a Diplomat, meaning being an official representing a country abroad. Also, he "sat" on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Franklin was a printer-publisher, a philosopher, an author, a scientist, an inventor, and a philanthropist. He also was a self-made businessman, a self-educated intellectual, politician, author, and scholar. Moreover, Benjamin Franklin improved the understanding of electricity, oceanography, and meteorology.  To add, Benjamin Franklin joined the Continental Congress in May 1775.  A famous quote during the signing of the Declaration of Independence, "Gentlemen, we must now all hang together, or we shall most assuredly all hang separately." A charming and persuasive diplomat, Benjamin Franklin was responsible for negotiating the treaty of alliance with France in 1778.  In 1783, along with John Adams and John Jay, Benjamin Franklin traveled to France to sign the Treaty of Paris and bring an official end to the Revolutionary War. In 1787 he was elected as first president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, a cause to which he had committed himself as early as the 1730s. Benjamin Franklin died on April 17, 1790 when he was 84 years old. The cause of his death was empyema brought by attacks of pleurisy, which he had suffered earlier in his life.

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John Penn was born in 1741 in Caroline County, Virginia. After practicing law in his home state, he moved to North Carolina in 1774. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1775 and he also signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. He was a member of the Board of War in 1780 which shared responsibility for military affairs with the governor. Penn declined an appointment to the Governor's Council in 1781. In 1784, he became a state tax receiver under the Articles of Confederation. After retiring from politics, he practiced law until his death in 1788 at age 47.  He devoted most of his life to his law practice.

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Samuel Chase was born in Maryland in the year 1741. In 1764 he was elected to the colonial legislation. In 1774 to 1775 he took part in the Maryland committee of correspondence, the committee of safety, and the provincial convention. Chase was elected to the 1st Continental Congress in 1774. He was remembered as the most responsible person for persuading the Maryland delegation to vote for independence on July 2nd, 1776. Chase later died in Baltimore in 1811 at the age of 70.

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Edward Rutledge (1749-1800) was born in Charleston, South Carolina and, in his early life, was educated in the classics. Later on, Rutledge studied law at Oxford University in London and was admitted to the English Bar, but decided to return to his native city to practice law in 1773. He became widely known, after returning from England, by obtaining the release of a newspaper publisher who had been imprisoned by the Crown for printing an article critical of the Loyalist members of the assembly. In 1774, he is elected to the 1st Continental Congress, but Rutledge was overshadowed by more experienced SC delegates including his brother-in-law, Arthur Middleton. As time passes, in 1776, Rutledge found himself the head of his delegation as various experienced members had become sick or called to business, leading him to be the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence at 26. He soon decides to retire and defend SC in the local Charleston Battalion of Artillery militia through fighting in several important battles and attaining the rank of Captain from 1776 to 1779, where he returns to the Continental Congress and captured by the British when Charleston falls in 1780 along with his brother in law. Rutledge is released by the British in July 1781 and elected to the State Legislature in 1782 where he become part of the College of Electors for the presidential elections of 1788, 1792, and 1796. He became elected governor of SC in 1798, but died before his term ended in 1800 at age 50.

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Caesar Rodney was born near Dover, Delaware on his family's 800-acre plantation in 1728. In 1755 he was commissioned High Sheriff of Kent Country Delaware under the royal government. Rodney served as a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1777. He served his colony in a variety of offices such as justice of the Superior Court, registrar of wills, recorder of deeds, clerk of orphan's court, and justice of the peace. After signing the Declaration of Independence, Rodney served as Delaware's president from 1778 to 1781.

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Matthew Thornton was born in Ireland in 1714. His family immigrated to America when he was 3 years old. There, he became a physician and practiced medicine in Londonderry, New Hampshire. He served as a surgeon in the New Hampshire militia during a British expedition to capture Louisbourg, a French fortress in Nova Scotia. In 1775, Thornton created a draft of a plan of government that later became New Hampshire's first constitution. He was also the first president of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Thornton was late to the formal signing of the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776, so he had to sign the document three months later. He died in 1803 at the age of 89.

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(Shriyaan R)
James Wilson was born in Scotland in 1742.He started a U.S law practice serving in the Pennsylvania delegation.He signed the Declaration of Independence and in 1778 he signed the constitution.James Wilson was suffering from physical and mental fatigue and died in 1798

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Edward Rutledge (1749-1800) was born in Charlestown, South Carolina and, in his early life, was educated in the classics. Later on, Rutledge studied law at Oxford University in London and was admitted to the English Bar, but decided to return to his native city to practice law in 1773. He became widely known, after returning from England, by obtaining the

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Thomas Jefferson  was born in 1743 in Goochland (now Albemarle) County, Virginia. He had several accomplishments in both physical sciences as well as humanities. He explored linguistics, music, agriculture, botany, meteorology, and geology. He was a graduate from the College of William and Mary and eventually pursued law. Jefferson was a successful lawyer, politician, diplomat, architect, and inventor. He was also an associate envoy to France in 1784 and the minister to the French court in 1785. Jefferson was an active member in the Virginia House of Burgesses and was also elected as the governor of Virginia from 1779 to 1780. Most importantly, he was a member of the Committee of Five and drafted the Declaration of Independence and due to this he is known as on the of the founding fathers of America. Therefore, he attended the Second Continental Congress also was a signer of this crucial document. After America gained its independence, Thomas Jefferson was the first United States Secretary of State, the second Vice President, and the third President of the United States of America. He also laid the foundation for the westward expansion of the United States by overseeing the Louisiana purchase and ordering the Lewis and Clark exploration. Additionally, he sold his extensive library to the government which became the basis of the Library of Congress. He then spent the last years of his life establishing the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. To end, Thomas Jefferson sadly died on July 4, 1826, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

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Benjamin Rush was born in 1745 in Pennsylvania. He was a civic leader in Philadelphia. He was also a physician, politician, a social reformer, humanitarian, and a educator. He was founder of Dickson college. Between 1783 and 1787, he helped organize Dickson college, he established the first medical clinic in the United States to treat the poor, and aided in founding the Pennsylvania society for promoting the abolition of slavery. He attended the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. He served surgeon General of Continental Army. He was considered to be "Father of American Psychiatry". He mostly known as a doctor and medical instructor in the United States. He opened a private medical practice in Philadelphia.

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Thomas Stone was born into a prominent family in Maryland in 1743. He was a planter and a lawyer. he was one of the most conservative singers. he was elected for congress from 1775-1778 and re-elected in 1787. He was elected to delegate the constitutional convention in Philadelphia in 1787 but declined because his wife was sick. He and his wife died in 1787. he was 44 years old. his wife died from illness and he died from depression.

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William Ellery was born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1727. At the age of 15 he went to college at Harvard university. He was a merchant , custom collector and clerk. later in life he was part of the Rhode Island sons of liberty. He was a delicate of the 2nd continental congress. he regarded commercial affairs, foreign relationships and naval issues. His support of the cause of independence caused his house to be burnt down by the British.

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Arthur Middleton was born in 1742 in South Carolina.

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Charles Carroll was born in 1737 in Annapolis, Maryland.

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William Williams was born in Lebanon, Connecticut

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Thomas Heyward Jr was First a planter and then a Layer. He was one of the singers from South

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Josiah Bartlett was born in 1729. He had served in congress until 1779 and refused re-election due to fatigue.Josiah was a physician and a statesmen and had signed the Declaration of Independence. Bartlett had become the first Chief of Justice of the Superior Court, Common Pleas, and Associate. Josiah in his time founded the Medical Society in 1791 and became the governor of New Hampshire. He eventually died in the year 1795.

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Francis Hopkinson was born in Pennsylvania in 1737. He was the eldest of eight children. When he grew up he became a lawyer and a judge. Because of his love for literature, he wrote different essays that we supporting the patriot cause. He was on of america's first native composers. Due to his boredom he drew caricatures of his colleagues. In 1774, he began a two year term in the colonial legislature. In, 1776 he was elected from New Jersey to go to the 2nd continental congress. Later in 1791 he died.

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William Ellery was born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1727. At the age of 15 he went to college at Harvard university. He was a merchant , custom collector and clerk. later in life he was part of the Rhode Island sons of liberty.

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Benjamin Harrison was one of the signers for the 2nd continental congress and he was a delegate for the Virginia colony. He had nickname which was "Falstaff of congress." This was his nickname because people said he had a large frame, a good sense of humor, love of luxury, and fine food. Benjamin served as Virginia governor 3 times and was the 9th and 23rd president of the united states. He was born in 1726 in Charles City County. Benjamin was a member of the House of Burgesses

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Stephen Hopkins was born in Scituate, Rhode Island. He was a surveyor, merchant, shipbuilder, and an astronomer. But was expected to be a farmer. He was a delegate to the Albany congress in NY. He also attended both continental congresses. At first he was a very unwilling man to advocate complete separation from England, however, he saw American independence inevitable. He then left congress in 1778 to go back to Rhode Island and serve in legislative. Finally, he died in province in Rhode Island, 1778, at age 78.

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James Smith was born in Ireland, but later immigrated to Pennsylvania. He worked as a lawyer and surveyor and later organized a militia company in York, Pennsylvania, of which he became the Captain. He also served at the provincial convention, the state constitutional convention, and the continental congress. After leaving Congress, he served in the state assembly as a judge in the state court. In 1785, he was reelected to Congress, but declined due to his age, and chose to continue practicing law. James Smith later died in 1806

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He was born in Virginia but later on moved to Georgia and became one of the most successful lawyers in Georgia. He later became governor of Georgia. George Walton continued state and national service including serving as chief justice of the state superior court, delegate to the state constitutional convention, presidential elector, U.S. senator, and was governor of Georgia.

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Caesar Rodney was born in they 1728 on his parents large plantation. Throughout the course of his childhood he never had recieved a proper edcuation. His father died when he was a teenager and since Rodney was the oldest sibiling he got control of the plantation. Rodney was very active in the government jobs. In the year 1775 he was High Sheriff of Kent County Delaware. After that he continued to serve the colony and worked as justice of Superior Court, registrar of wills, recorders of deeds, clerk of orphans court, and justice of peace. He joined the Delaware Legislature in 1767 and became a delegate for the Continental Congress. He was so determined on gaining independence, Rodney got an urgent message that he needed to be the tie breaker vote so he rode horses for 80 miles on a stormy night to be in Pennsylvania to cast his vote in favor of independence.

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William Whipple was born in Maine, in 1730. He was a former sea captain, merchant, and politician. William Whipple was a state legislator for New Hampshire from 1780-1784, an Associate Justice of the New Hampshire Superior Court from 1782-1785, and a receiver for finances for Congress of the Confederation. He was also a general in the Revolutionary War, and defeated General John Burgoyne at the Battle Of Saratoga in 1777. William Whipple represented New Hampshire at both Continental Congresses, from 1776-1779. In 1785, Whipple suffered from heart problems and died while traveling his court circuit.

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Lyman Hall was born in Connecticut in 1724. Hall was a physician, clergyman, planter and statesman. He was also an ordained minister who later turned to medicine.  In 1758 Hall joined a group of New Englanders who relocated to Georgia and established the town of Sunbury in St. John's Parish. Hall joined other local transplanted northerners in encouraging Georgia natives to support the patriot cause.  St. John's Parish, guided by Hall, was a revolutionary stronghold in a mostly Loyalist colony. Georgia was the last to join the Continental Association. During the Revolutionary War Hall's property was destroyed and he was accused of treason. He left Georgia and spent time in South Carolina and Connecticut to escape prosecution. He was elected governor in 1783. Hall died in 1790.

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Abraham Clark was a former farmer/surveyor from New Jersey who self-taught himself how to become a lawyer. He wanted to be a "poor man's counselor" and provide cheap legal advice to farmers in dispute over land. He was soon elected into the 2nd Continental Congress in 1776 and later signed the Declaration of Independence. Despite being an avid supporter of independence he was also concerned about his home because it was very close to the British and they even managed to capture and put his sons in jail. Regardless, Clark fought on but soon due to illness, he wasn't able to make it to the Constitutional Convention. After that, when it came time for him to ratify the US Constitution, he originally opposed because it didn't include a Bill of Rights but later, he agreed on it after it was added. Sadly, not long after that, he died in 1794 of old age.

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Born in Braintree, Massachusetts and orphaned as a boy, John Hancock was raised by his uncle and mentored by Samuel Adams. Though most wealthy people like him were loyalists, John was a firm patriot and took part in the Boston tea party.

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Samuel Adams was born in 1772 in Boston. Graduating from Harvard's college with a master degree. He soon tried businesses, but he was rather unsuccessful. After that, he went back to his first love in politics. He helped form the Son's of Liberty and also stirred the men into doing the Boston Tea Party. He was considered so dangerous to the British that they sent an entire fleet of solider for his arrest. Adams served in the Continental Congress until 1781. He died in Boston in 1803. He was 81 years old.

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William Hooper was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1742. Since Hooper didn't join his family businesses he wasn't very close with his family.
William Hooper studied law with James Otis and graduated Harvard to became a lawyer. In 1770 Hooper was appointed deputy attorney general of North Carolina. In 1774 he was elected to the First Continental Congress. Hooper resigned from Congress in 1777 and returned to his estate outside Wilmington. He also had political aspirations which were motivated sometimes by self-interest and sometimes by patriotism. William Hooper's house was destroyed during the war. He died in 1790 at the age of 48.