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 Founding Generation > John Witherspoon
A prominent theologian and president of Princeton University, John Witherspoon was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He served on the Continental Congress for six years as a delegate from New Jersey and was on more than 100 committees. During his time at Princeton, Witherspoon taught many men influential in the nation’s founding including James Madison. Witherspoon’s courses spanned ethics, economics, political science, history, and current events. His assigned reading lists included many notable theorists who would influence Madison and other founders in their attitudes about government and governance, including works by Locke, Montesquieu, and Hume. Thoughts on the Declaration of Independence Witherspoon felt that civil liberties and religious liberty were intertwined, and that independence from the British was necessary to ensure these rights. In response to an argument that the Colonies were not prepared for independence, Witherspoon said, “in my judgment the country is not only ripe, but rotting." “I am satisfied that the confederacy of the colonies has not been the effect of pride, resentment, or sedition, but of deep and general conviction that our civil and religious liberties, and consequently in a great measure the temporal and eternal happiness of us and our posterity depended on the issue.” Thoughts on the Constitution Witherspoon, a federalist, was one of the leaders during the ratifying convention for New Jersey. Like his Federalist peers, he was an advocate for a centralized government with limited powers, supporting a larger union of states. He believed in the need for a strong executive. Witherspoon also wanted to see the country’s diplomatic powers centralized so that the country’s interests could be represented in a unified way overseas. Thoughts on the Bill of Rights and personal liberties Witherspoon supported freedom of religion. Although he believed the morals and ideals expressed in religion were important foundations of government, he didn’t think government should establish a national religion. Friends and Foes John Adams called Witherspoon “as high a Son of Liberty, as any Man in America.'' He had a strong influence on James Madison and many other founders. Witherspoon had as students a president, vice-president, nine cabinet officers, 21 senators, 30 congressmen, three justices of the Supreme Court and 12 state governors. back to Founding Generation |
John Witherspoon biography Princeton University |
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