Also, as far as the founding fathers being slave holders - at the time they were born, slavery was universal. It existed in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia - even among the Native Americans. One reason the Atlantic slave trade was so profitable was that it was easy for the British slave ships, since African and Arab traders already had captured African slaves. So slavery in the New World was not some fiendish invention unique to the founding fathers. It existed in the world they were born to.
As far as the facts regarding their slave ownership - some did own slaves. Since they tended to be the elite, they were more likely than Americans at large to own slaves. Some, such as Samuel Adams, John Adams and Thomas Paine, never owned slaves. Alexander Hamilton was vehemently opposed to slavery.
Many of the founding fathers tried to end slavery. Others predicted the issue would tear the country apart - which it did during the Civil War.
Some who held slaves later became abolitionists. Washington is one example. Another is John Jay, who freed his slaves and then led the fight to outlaw the slave trade in New York. As Governor of New York, he would sign an abolition law.
Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine and John Adams were against slavery their entire lives. Benjamin Rush wrote a pamphlet condemning it. He asked the colonists to petition the King of England to end the British African Company which was part of the Atlantic slave trade. Benjamin Franklin was a founder of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. He did originally own slaves, but he set them free and helped found a society for slavery's abolition.
Stephen Hopkins introduced one of the earliest anti-slavery laws. Hamilton became an officer of the New York Manumission Society. He, along with John Jay and others formed the African Free School in New York City to educate the children of free blacks and slaves.
So it's not factual to imply that all the founding fathers were slave holders, or even that they accepted slavery. Many realized how evil slavery is and worked to end it.
