Megan Stover, age 15, of Dayton, Ohio, for her question:

WHO WAS HAYM SALOMON?

One of the American Revolution patriots who isn't well known but should be is a man named Haym Salomon, who gave up a fortune for his new country.

Born of Jewish parents in Poland, Salomon came to New York in 1771 and opened a brokerage business that quickly became successful. He then joined the Sons of Liberty, a patriotic organization that supported the revolution.

When the British occupied New York, Salomon was arrested as a spy but soon escaped. He went to Philadelphia, where he helped raise money for the Continental Congress.

Solomon loaned money to the new government and persuaded others to do the same. After the war he organized the Bank of North America. Congress never paid back the money he had loaned the government.

Solomon helped change a Pennsylvania law saying that a person taking a government job had to swear an oath to both the old and New Testaments. The old law was discriminatory, since it kept Jews from holding public office.