This is not correct. The fundamental - only, in many cases - goal of a terrorist is to inspire terror. The founders of the United States did not leverage terror in any capacity, rather they waged a conventional war to achieve their aims.
Terrorism is a means to an end, not an end in itself. The fundamental goal of a terrorist is not to inspire terror in itself; it is to inspire terror for the purpose of weakening public support for a policy the terrorists consider abhorrent. The IRA wanted Britain out of Northern Ireland; the ANC wanted the Apartheid government out of South Africa; Hamas wants Israel out of Palestine; and so on.
We can agree or disagree over whether to support the goals of a given terrorist group, just as we can agree or disagree over whether their methods are legitimate (for the record I do not condone violence, even in pursuit of a legitimate end). However, it's hypocritical to decide whether someone is a terrorist based on the goal of their terrorism.
Like all terrorists, the founders of the USA used both violent and nonviolent means, including property destruction, sabotage, assaults, propaganda and so on, for the purpose of overthrowing the government and establishing their own rule in is place. Again, we can agree or disagree over the legitimacy of both their motives and their means, but the facts of their actions are not in dispute.
"Terrorism is a means to an end, not an end in itself."
Precisely, hence my objection. My objection to the original statement is not based on the goals, as the statement below implies:
"However, it's hypocritical to decide whether someone is a terrorist based on the goal of their terrorism."
When we discuss terrorism, we're talking about a tactic. You've described that tactic well above. My objection is based on the fact that I am not aware of any specific activities on the part of the founders of the United States whose goal was to inspire terror in the populace at large. The primary tactics employed ranged from civil disobedience and sabotage (e.g. the original Tea Party) to conventional warfare (e.g. Bunker Hill).
If you are aware of specific actions conducted by the founding fathers prior to or during the Revolutionary War whose only purpose was to inspire fear amongst the general population, please do cite them.
Otherwise, I don't believe the categorization of the founders as terrorists is supportable.
