Declaration of Independence, by John Trumbull
On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, a document primarily drafted by Thomas Jefferson that explained the colonies’ decision to break free from British rule and assert their sovereignty.
For the original signers, adding their name to the document was an act of treason in the eyes of King George III. In so doing, these men pledged their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” to preserve the freedoms enshrined in the Declaration of Independence.
The 56 signers came from widely different backgrounds and from all 13 colonies. Some were among the wealthiest men in the colonies; several would be considered poor. The majority were lawyers, merchants and plantation owners. Other signers were farmers, physicians, land speculators, scientists, printers, even a musician and a minister.
Many of the signers were educated in colonial schools, private academies, or taught by classical tutors. It was common among well-to-do Southern families to have their sons privately tutored at home in their early years, and then they would be sent to England to complete their formal education.
Homeschooling as a recognized educational model did not exist in the 18th century, so the term technically does not apply historically. However, if you look at references to education prior to the existence of a public school system, you will see phrases such as “tutored at home,” “self-taught,” or “no formal education,” referring to individuals we might now call homeschooled.
Some of the signers went on to attend Harvard, William & Mary, Yale, or Princeton – the first institutions of higher education in America. The colonies had no formal law schools, so aspiring lawyers typically apprenticed under established attorneys.
Here is a list of 20 signers who were privately tutored or learned through self‑study, apprenticeships, or experience.
John Adams – He was first taught to read at home, and then he took lessons from The New England Primer with a handful of local children in the kitchen of a neighbor woman. At age 14, John prepared for college with a private tutor, and at age 15 he proceeded to Harvard College, the very first institution of higher education in the American colonies.
Carter Braxton – Although wealthy, he had no documented formal schooling. His education came from real experiences managing estates, trade, and political life rather than structured academic instruction.
Samuel Chase – He was apprenticed to a merchant at 18 years of age, with no evidence of formal schooling before that. He studied law independently and passed the bar through self‑directed reading.
Abraham Clark – “At a young age, his father noticed that Abraham was extremely sharp in math, so he hired an instructor to teach him surveying. Clark worked as a surveyor for many years. During this time, he taught himself law. When he felt that he had learned enough, Abraham started his own practice.”
George Clymer – “George had no formal education but was an avid reader.” He began his career as an apprentice to a merchant, and later created a trading firm of his own.
Benjamin Franklin – Growing up in a household where he was taught reading, writing, and arithmetic by his father, he apprenticed as a printer while teaching himself science and mathematics, later becoming an inventor and statesman.
Button Gwinnett – His early life is sparsely documented, and historians consistently note the absence of any educational background. He learned farming and business through experience, not schooling.
Samuel Huntington – He worked on the family farm, but was encouraged by the family’s minister to educate himself. The minister kindly gave him access to his own library.
Thomas Jefferson – He received a classical education at home from his father, who was a planter and scholar. At age 17-18, Thomas attended the College of William & Mary in Virginia, the second-oldest colonial college. This was his formal education, which laid the intellectual foundation for his later career in law and politics.
Francis Lightfoot Lee – “Frank and his younger brother were homeschooled; he took a particular interest in science. In spite of his mediocre education, he took an interest in local politics, studied hard, and learned the rest by observing his older brothers.”
Robert Morris, Jr. – Young Robert, who seemed ill suited to formal education, was taught by a private tutor in Maryland before he was sent to apprentice at a mercantile firm in Philadelphia, eventually becoming a partner in the company. He used his shipping connections and financial acumen to help amass the money and supplies to create the American colonies’ Army and Navy.
John Penn – His father was a farmer who did not see the need of formal schooling in order to become successful. “Growing up, John relied on the library of his uncle, Edmund Pendleton, for his education.” Pendleton was an attorney whose friends included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams. In Pendleton’s library, John found a wealth of legal education and by age 21 he was admitted to the bar and licensed to practice law.
Caesar Rodney – His education began with private tutors who instilled in him a love for learning and a passion for public service. He attended The Latin School at the age of about 13 or 14, until age 17 when his father’s death ended his formal studies. After that, he focused on managing the family’s large plantation, eventually entering public service and the military.
George Ross – He received a classical education at home before studying law with his brother, later becoming a lawyer and political leader.
Roger Sherman – Roger Sherman’s early education was limited, primarily consisting of his father’s library and a one-room grammar school. Despite this, he pursued self-education, reading extensively on subjects like mathematics, law, and history. His aptitude for learning and access to a good library allowed him to gain a significant amount of knowledge, which eventually led to his legal career and political involvement.
George Taylor – Having arrived in America from Ireland as an indentured servant with no formal schooling, he learned ironworking, business and management entirely through hands‑on experience.
Matthew Thornton – An Irish immigrant whose early education is undocumented, he is described as being largely self‑taught before apprenticing in medicine.
George Walton – His early education was shaped by self-direction and practical training. Apprenticeship as a carpenter, combined with study under a local barrister, enabled him to become a prominent lawyer and political leader.
William Williams – His education is described as “practical,” “self‑taught,” and “self-directed,” with no record of formal schooling or tutors. He trained in his father’s trade and militia service.
George Wythe – He was mostly self-educated, though some of his early knowledge came from his well-educated mother. “When Wythe was a boy, his mother did not just teach him the subjects he needed to learn for a proper education, but taught him to love learning.” He was sent to receive legal training from his uncle when he was around 15 years old. After two years of apprenticeship, Wythe returned home where he studied law and classical languages on his own for a few years. He was admitted to practice law at age 20, and later became Justice of the Virginia High Court.
Some of the signers became famous; others are not so well-known – but each of them helped shape the early history of our nation. While none of the Founding Fathers were homeschooled in the 21st-century sense, their individualized schooling through hands-on learning and self-study was a hallmark of education in the Colonial Era.
