how old were the founding fathers in 1776

The age of the Founding Fathers in 1776 varied widely, with many being younger than commonly imagined. For example, Thomas Jefferson was 33, Alexander Hamilton was 21, Benjamin Franklin was 70, and George Washington was 44 in 1776. The average age of the signers of the Declaration of Independence was about 44, with many being 35 or younger at the time. Some notable young figures included James Monroe at 18 and Edward Rutledge, the youngest signer, at 26. There were even teenagers involved in the broader revolutionary effort, though not all were signers of key documents.