Founding Brothers:
The Revolutionary Generation - Joseph J. Ellis
This Pulitzer Prize winning history features six long essays on the founders during the 1790s, the early national era.
The Duel narrates the events and revolutionary
passions that lead up to the duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton,
which ended in Hamilton’s death.
The Dinner explores Jefferson’s assertion that one
of his dinner parties resulted in the deal that established a site on the
Potomac River as the capitol in exchange for Virginia's support of Hamilton's
plan for assumption of state debts by the federal government. Ellis argues that
it was probably a host of conversations that lead to this swap.
The Silence covers the agreement that promised
silence on the question of race-based chattel slavery among the founders
despite the fact that the founders knew the
institution flew in the face of revolutionary ideals of liberty and
freedom.
The Farewell discusses the role of George Washington
in providing stability during a time when anybody with a brain feared for the
continuance of the young nation.
The Collaborators examines two fascinating dyads.
One was the marriage of between John and Abigail Adams, especially during his
presidency. The other was between mentor Thomas Jefferson and mentee James
Madison during Adams’ administration.
The Friendship tells about the reconciliation by
letter-writing between Adams and Jefferson during the last fourteen years of
their lives.
Ellis is an excellent writer, fair and sympathetic to
shortcomings and failures to be found even among visonaries and especially among revolutionaries.
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