Hugh Williamson, an American Founding Father, was a physician and politician who is most famous for signing the U.S. Constitution and representing North Carolina at the Constitutional Convention. Williamson's interest in science and education indirectly led him to become involved in politics and the Patriot cause. In the 1760s, he pursued independent scientific and educational projects, which led to his membership in the American Philosophical Society and recognition in Europe's intellectual circles. Williamson sailed for England in 1773 to raise funds for a local educational project, stopping in Boston where he witnessed the Boston Tea Party.
