In Colonization, Founding Fathers are historical figures who offer to join your colonies as you accumulate points in various categories: Military, Trade, Exploration, Religion, and Politics. For example, players receive Exploration points if they meet Native tribes, gaining extra points if they are the first European colony to do so. Similarly, building churches and cathedrals yields Religious points.
To view a complete breakdown of the points system, read this thread on the forums. When playing Colonization, you can access the Founding Fathers screen by pressing the keyboard shortcut F6, allowing you to see your current progress towards developing points. On this page, you can see a list of all available Founding Fathers, as well as their respective bonuses.
Note: There are 52 Founding Fathers, and the table below is updated as of Colonization v1.00.
| Name | Benefit |
| Politics | |
| Samuel Adams | Increases Liberty Bell production by the tax rate |
| Ben Franklin | +3 Liberty Bells per Printing Press and Newspaper |
| Patrick Henry | +3 Liberty Bells per Town Hall |
| Washington Irving | +1 Liberty Bell per Schoolhouse +2 Liberty Bells per College +3 Liberty Bells per University |
| John Jay | +25% Liberty Bells per settlement |
| James Madison | +3 Guns per Armory, Magazine, and Arsenal |
| Thomas Paine | Increases hammer production by the tax rate |
| Pocahontas | Strengthens relations with the natives |
| Betsy Ross | +3 Cloth from Weaver’s House, Weaver’s Shop, and Textile Mill |
| Alexis de Tocqueville | +50% education in every settlement +3 Liberty Bells per University |
| John Winthrop | +1 Cross per Town Hall |
| Exploration | |
| Vaco Nunez de Balboa | +25% defense per settlement |
| Juan de Bermudez | +1 movement for Caravels, Merchantmen, and Galleons |
| Pedro Alvares Cabral | Sailing to and from Europe takes 50% less time |
| Alexander von Humboldt | +50% production of College and University |
| Juan Ponce de Leon | Twice as likely to receive Treasure from Ancient Ruins |
| Lewis and Clark | Pioneers require 50% less Tools +1 movement for Wagon Trains |
| Jacques Marquette | +1 movement for Scouts |
| Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada | Reveals all tiles containing Burial Grounds or Ancient Ruins |
| John Smith | Native lands cost 50% less to purchase |
| Giovanni de Verrazano | Provides 1 Caravel |
| Religion | |
| William Brewster | Native land costs 25% less to purchase |
| Bartolome de las Casas | +50% native conversion rate from Missions |
| John Harvard | Free Schoolhouse for each settlement |
| Nathanial Hawthorne | Provides 3 Elder Statesmen |
| Thomas Hooker | Provides 3 Jesuit Missionaries |
| Sor Juana | +3 Crosses per Church and Cathedral |
| Gabriel Lallemant | +50% production of Church and Cathedral |
| Gregorio de Mattos e Guerra | +2 Liberty Bells per Church +3 Liberty Bells per Cathedral |
| William Penn | +3 Crosses per Town Hall Strengthens relations with the natives |
| Juan de Sepulveda | Provides 2 converted natives |
| Roger Williams | +25% conversion rate from Missions Strengthens relations with the natives |
| Trade | |
| John Jacob Astor | +50% Furs per settlement |
| Lord Baltimore | Increases Cross production by the tax rate |
| Alexander Hamilton | +3 hammers per Town Hall |
| Cyrus McCormick | +1 food on plots with at least 2 food +50% Sugar per settlement |
| Peter Minuit | Units cost 25% less to purchase in Europe |
| John Rolfe | +25% Tobacco per settlement |
| Adam Smith | +50% production of Textile Mill, Coat Factory, Rum Factory, and Cigar Factory |
| Eli Whitney | +50% Cotton per settlement |
| Jan de Witt | 50% fewer Tools needed to construct buildings |
| Military | |
| Ethan Allen | Free promotion of Ranger I and Mountaineer I for Gunpowder Units |
| Francisco de Coronado | +1 movement for Dragoons |
| Hernan Cortes | Free Stockade for each settlement |
| Diego Velazquez de Cuellar | Provides 3 indentured servants |
| Marquis de La Fayette | Increases Gun production by the tax rate |
| John Paul Jones | Provides 1 Frigate |
| Paul Chomeday de Maisonneuve | Free promotion of Formation for Gunpowder Units +1 movement for converted natives |
| Dom Pedro I | +50% Great General emergence Free promotion of Veteran I and Minuteman I for Gunpowder and Mounted Units |
| Francisco Pizarro | Free promotion of Looter for Gunpowder Units |
| Chief Powhatan | +50% strength for converted natives |
| Hernado de Soto | Free promotion of Grenadier I for Gunpowder Units |