The Youth Made America, A Few Average Ages of Our History

I'm not a historian, rather have been inspired to learn our history again. I've currently started reading several American History books (old and new). The one thing I have found rather interesting is the average age of the very first Jamestown settlers, the Revolutionary War soldiers, and colonists as a whole around the time of the Revolutionary War. The majority of the Jamestown settlers were in their upper teens and early 20s ("The American Pageant, p. 62). Many soldiers in the Continental Army were also very young. The Colonial Williamsburg website talks about this in "A Common American Soldier", how New Jersey armies had members even in their teens. "Like many soldiers in America's conflicts, the common Continental was, on average, quite young. One historian found that in nine New Jersey towns nearly 75 percent of boys who were fifteen and sixteen at the onset of hostilities served in the army or the militia....Thousands more were under twenty." And the average age of American colonists in the mid 1700s were in their mid-upper 20s. (I remember reading it but have to find the source again)

But what really strikes me is how much these young people accomplished. During the signing of the Declaration of Independence, there were a total of 73 delegates chosen by the states with only 55 that attended the constitutional convention in 1787. Their average age was 42 (average probably high because Benjamin Franklin was 81 at the time). (Dr. Quintard Taylor, Jr, professor of American history, Univ. of Washington).

Not all of us who support Dr. Paul and this liberty movement are in our 20s or 30s. I know people in their 80s who support him. But for those of you who are youthful, do not be discouraged. There is a lot that you can do to shape this country. Look at what our ancestors did. It is foolish for the political establishments to discredit the young; for you are the future. I have hope now because of you.