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Grade 5 · Founding Fathers

Founding Fathers of America Worksheet

Grade 5 worksheet with matching, multiple-choice, true-false, and short-answer questions about Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, and Hamilton.

15 questions · Matching · Multiple choice · True or false · Short answer · Application

This worksheet helps fifth graders connect each major Founding Father to a specific role during the founding era. Students begin by matching names to contributions, then work through multiple-choice and true-false questions before writing short answers that ask for reasoning. Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Madison, and Hamilton each played a distinct part in building the United States, and this sheet keeps those roles clear and separate. It works well as a review after a unit on the American Revolution and the Constitutional Convention, or as a pre-assessment before a deeper study of the Constitution. Allow about 20 to 25 minutes for all four sections.

Founding Fathers of America Worksheet — Grade 5

Show what you know about the Founding Fathers by completing each of the four sections below.

Remember

  • The Declaration of Independence (1776) announced that the American colonies were breaking free from British rule.
  • The U.S. Constitution (1787) set up the structure and rules for the new American government.
  • The Federalist Papers (1787-1788) were essays written to explain and defend the proposed Constitution.

Part A — Match each Founding Father to his contribution

Match each Founding Father in the left column to his contribution in the right column by writing the correct letter.

Choose from

  • A. Primary author of the Declaration of Independence in 1776
  • B. First Secretary of the Treasury and co-author of the Federalist Papers
  • C. Known as the Father of the Constitution and drafted the Bill of Rights
  • D. Commanded the Continental Army and served as the first U.S. President
  • E. Served as diplomat to France to help gain support for the Revolution
  1. 1.

    George Washington

  2. 2.

    Thomas Jefferson

  3. 3.

    Benjamin Franklin

  4. 4.

    James Madison

  5. 5.

    Alexander Hamilton

Part B — Choose the best answer for each question

Read each question and circle the letter next to the best answer.

  1. 6.

    Which document did Thomas Jefferson primarily write in 1776?

    1. A.The U.S. Constitution
    2. B.The Declaration of Independence
    3. C.The Bill of Rights
    4. D.The Federalist Papers
  2. 7.

    What position did Alexander Hamilton hold in Washington's first government?

    1. A.Secretary of State
    2. B.Vice President
    3. C.Secretary of the Treasury
    4. D.Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
  3. 8.

    Which Founding Father served as the first President of the United States?

    1. A.John Adams
    2. B.Benjamin Franklin
    3. C.James Madison
    4. D.George Washington
  4. 9.

    The Federalist Papers were written to persuade people to support which document?

    1. A.The Declaration of Independence
    2. B.The Articles of Confederation
    3. C.The U.S. Constitution
    4. D.The Treaty of Paris
  5. 10.

    To which country did Benjamin Franklin travel as a diplomat during the Revolutionary War?

    1. A.Britain
    2. B.Spain
    3. C.Netherlands
    4. D.France

Part C — Decide if each statement is true or false

Read each statement, write True or False on the line, and correct any statement that is false.

  1. 11.

    Thomas Jefferson was the second President of the United States.

  2. 12.

    James Madison helped draft the Bill of Rights after the Constitution was ratified in 1788.

  3. 13.

    George Washington signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Part D — Answer each question in one or two sentences

Answer each question in one or two complete sentences, using what you have learned in this unit.

  1. 14.

    Alexander Hamilton and James Madison both wrote the Federalist Papers. Why were the Federalist Papers important to the new U.S. government?

  2. 15.

    George Washington chose not to become a king after the Revolution. What does this choice tell you about his beliefs about government?

Answer key

Part A — Match each Founding Father to his contribution

  1. 1.Commanded the Continental Army and served as the first U.S. President
  2. 2.Primary author of the Declaration of Independence in 1776
  3. 3.Served as diplomat to France to help gain support for the Revolution
  4. 4.Known as the Father of the Constitution and drafted the Bill of Rights
  5. 5.First Secretary of the Treasury and co-author of the Federalist Papers

Part B — Choose the best answer for each question

  1. 6.The Declaration of Independence
  2. 7.Secretary of the Treasury
  3. 8.George Washington
  4. 9.The U.S. Constitution
  5. 10.France

Part C — Decide if each statement is true or false

  1. 11.False - John Adams was the second President; Jefferson was the third.
  2. 12.True
  3. 13.False - Washington commanded the Continental Army and was not a delegate to Congress; he did not sign the Declaration.

Part D — Answer each question in one or two sentences

  1. 14.Example: The Federalist Papers explained why the new Constitution was a good plan for the country. They helped persuade people in the states to ratify, or approve, the Constitution so the new government could begin.
  2. 15.Example: Washington believed that power should not belong to one ruler alone. By stepping down and allowing elections, he showed that the new country would be governed by the people, not by a king.

What this sheet teaches

  • Identify each Founding Father and the specific contribution he made to American independence
  • Connect key documents such as the Constitution and Declaration of Independence to the founders who shaped them
  • Explain decisions made by founders and evaluate why those decisions mattered for the new government

Notes for the adult

  • Students often confuse the Declaration of Independence with the Constitution — clarify that they are separate documents from different years.
  • Clarify that not every Founding Father signed every document; Washington did not sign the Declaration of Independence.
  • A student is ready to move on when they can name each founder and one accurate contribution without looking at notes.

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