Man spends an entire year living like the Founding Fathers - using quill and ink to sign checks, and wearing a tricorn hat around New York

A bestselling author may have been born in the wrong era, spending a year living like the Founding Fathers.

A.J. Jacobs did his best to live by the Constitution and 'get in the mindset of our Founding Fathers' for a whole 12 months, writing the novel The Year of Living Constitutionally about his experiences - with a quill and all.

'A couple of years ago I realized I had never read the American Constitution,' the author and journalist admitted in an interview with CBS.

'But every day I'd open the news and there's another story about how this 230-year-old document is affecting our lives and I said I need to know more about our founding document and the way I like to learn is I like to go all-in, all-in means total immersion,' the 56-year-old added.

After of year of pulling on woolen tights and making sure his musket was already ready, Jacobs spoke with Fox News Digital about the abundance of distractions from technology, particularly smartphones, claiming he us now a 'better thinker.'

A.J. Jacobs did his best to live by Constitution and 'get in the mindset of our Founding Fathers' for a whole 12 months

'If the Founding Fathers had written the Constitution on an iPhone, they would never have gotten it done. There are too many distractions.'

Jacobs said his year of no technology changed the way he thought and improved his focus. 

'So I was writing, and I didn't get the dings and chimes from the internet. I could actually focus,' he explained.

Jacobs wrote about his experienced detailing, the lessons he learned living like the Founding Fathers for 12 months.

Be more open-minded

Jacobs noted the Founding Fathers were 'very good' at changing their minds when they learned new information - something people in 2024 should be open too.

'It was patriotic to look at the evidence and come up with a different opinion,' he explained.

'[Changing your mind] wasn't a disgrace. It was a badge of honor.'

He also noted Benjamin Franklin addressed this at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, saying: 'The older I get, the less certain I am of my own opinions.'

The author said this was a prime example of individuals thinking they're right, but changing their minds when they learn new information 

'We all think we're right on everything and we're not. So let's be a little more open-minded,' Jacobs said. 

Remember 'We the People'

Jacobs said reading - and seeing the Constitution in person - made him actively want to be more involved in governmental issues.  

'The government is by the people and for the people,' he explained. 

'It is "we the people." It is just a very real, concrete reminder of that.'

Jacobs wrote about his experienced detailing, the lessons he learned living like the Founding Fathers for 12 months

Jacobs wrote the novel The Year of Living Constitutionally about his experiences - with a quill and all

Get involved in democracy

Jacobs said he - and his three children - all learned a lot about democracy during his dedicated year of living like the Founding Fathers, even if he did take it a bit far and embarrass his kids.

The father listed a few examples his kids were less than impressed he'd taken his Founding Fathers task very seriously. 

'We went to visit the Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and I told the security folks who searched our bags that they might be violating our Fourth Amendment rights to unreasonable search and seizure. My kids just couldn't even look at me,' he admitted.

He also signed checks with a quill and ink and wore a tricorn hat around New York - although he did manage to pique their interest in democracy in other ways.

One son ended up joining a Revolutionary War reenactment group and fought in a battle, another got involved in cooking for his 18th Century dinner parties and the third helped him try get petitions signed.

Know that voting isn't a chore

Jacobs noted that voting used to be seen as a celebration - not as a chore or annoyance.

'Election Day was a celebration, at least for those privileged enough to be able to vote,' he explained.

'It wasn't like jury duty. It wasn't annoying. It wasn't some task, a chore. It was an inspiring right that they had never had before.'

Jacobs said election days had a joyous and carnival-like atmosphere around them, with music, parades, and food and drink - adding there's evidence that if elections are more fun people will come and vote.

'And there was cake,' he added enthusiastically. 

'People would bake election cakes and sometimes huge ones. Fourteen pounds of sugar, one recipe called for — and they would bring the cakes to the polls to remind people of this amazing ability to vote and that we should celebrate it.'

Cherish the 'freedom to choose our leaders’ 

Jacobs said the importance of having the freedom to choose who leads the country was a constant theme of the Constitution.

'The Founding Fathers were so afraid of monarchy. They hated monarchy,' he explained.

'And I think I would love to get back to that feeling of "we do not want anything to do with monarchy."'

'Even in our pop culture, it's very funny and weird to me that we have things such as Disney princesses,' he added, joking there should be a 'Disney congress.' 

Help others

Self-sacrifice was also prevalent in the Constitution - and something Jacobs would like to see return.

'Back then, it was just assumed you would be part of the bucket brigade and help put out fires,' he explained.

'You would help people build houses. You would help your neighbor.' 

'And that is another mindset that I think needs to be revived.'