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Maybe larger families will produce better leaders, as in the early US

By Michael Barone
Published April 17, 2024 12:36pm ET
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Maybe larger families will produce better leaders, as in the early US
FILE - The likeness of Benjamin Franklin is seen on U.S. $100 bills, Thursday, July 14, 2022, in Marple Township, Pa. In preparation for 2024, you can shore up your finances by creating some financial New Year’s resolutions for yourself. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

Why was America in the Revolutionary War era, with 3 million people, able to generate leaders of the quality of Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, while today’s America, with 333 million people, generates the likes of Joe Biden and Donald Trump?

That’s a question I keep asking, as I alternate between writing about current affairs in this space and reading about the Revolution and the early republic for my book Mental Maps of the Founders.

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Andrew Jackson Children Family George Washington John Calhoun Michael Barone Opinion