John Witherspoon was a Scottish-American Presbyterian minister, educator, and Founding Father who played a pivotal role in shaping early American political and religious thought. Born in Scotland in 1723, he became president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1768, where he championed Enlightenment ideals and mentored future leaders. Witherspoon was the only active clergyman and college president to sign the Declaration of Independence, and he also contributed to the Articles of Confederation and supported the U.S. Constitution. A staunch advocate of republicanism and resistance to tyranny, he blended Calvinist theology with civic activism, leaving a lasting imprint on both American education and governance2
