DGS49
Diamond Member
Those ages (assuming they are more or less accurate) are quite striking in today's context.
But think about the stage of life we call "adolescence." It didn't exist at that time.
In rough terms, "adolescence" is the period from puberty until adulthood. In 1776 it DID NOT EXIST. at puberty, a young man either went to the university (if he were rich), started an apprenticeship, or started working full time on the family farm.
A 20-year-old in 1776 had been functioning as an adult for 6-8 years. With no radio, television, internet, etc., he had probably read the Bible many times over, the Greek and Roman classics, was familiar with other literature and music that were popular at the time. CONVERSATION was also raised to an art form, and one can see from the writings of the Founding Fathers that they were experienced and making and defending arguments, understanding complex philosophical points, and using logic to apply philosophical theories to practical situations.
On a more personal note, the culture of "instant gratification" had not been invented yet, and they understood that sometimes taking a step in the right direction was a satisfactory activity, even if the final result lay decades in the future.
Moreover, they were able to see fairly quickly that the Articles of Confederation were not working, so they did what was perhaps the finest "do-over" in the history of Government.
Certainly, these were not super-men, but we are fortunate to have had them, and to live with their legacy.
But think about the stage of life we call "adolescence." It didn't exist at that time.
In rough terms, "adolescence" is the period from puberty until adulthood. In 1776 it DID NOT EXIST. at puberty, a young man either went to the university (if he were rich), started an apprenticeship, or started working full time on the family farm.
A 20-year-old in 1776 had been functioning as an adult for 6-8 years. With no radio, television, internet, etc., he had probably read the Bible many times over, the Greek and Roman classics, was familiar with other literature and music that were popular at the time. CONVERSATION was also raised to an art form, and one can see from the writings of the Founding Fathers that they were experienced and making and defending arguments, understanding complex philosophical points, and using logic to apply philosophical theories to practical situations.
On a more personal note, the culture of "instant gratification" had not been invented yet, and they understood that sometimes taking a step in the right direction was a satisfactory activity, even if the final result lay decades in the future.
Moreover, they were able to see fairly quickly that the Articles of Confederation were not working, so they did what was perhaps the finest "do-over" in the history of Government.
Certainly, these were not super-men, but we are fortunate to have had them, and to live with their legacy.
