Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation
| Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation |
Cover art for the hardback edition |
| Author(s) |
Joseph Ellis |
| Country |
United States |
| Language |
English |
| Genre(s) |
Non-Fiction |
| Publisher |
Alfred A. Knopf |
| Publication date |
2000 |
| Media type |
Print (Hardback) |
| Pages |
304 (248 without source notes) |
| ISBN |
0-375-450544-5 |
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation is a Pulitzer Prize–winning book written by Joseph Ellis, a professor of history at Mount Holyoke College. It explores selected interactions among a group of individuals both gifted and flawed; interactions that profoundly influenced the early development of a new nation, the United States of America.
Contents
- Chapter One: The Duel covers the deadly political and personal rivalry between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, which ultimately led to the Burr-Hamilton duel. This duel is very elusive and mysterious and only a few facts are known about "the most famous encounter of its kind in American history" (pg 20) Given all the facts, on July 11, 1804, Burr and Hamilton rowed out to a secluded spot in separate boats and exchanged pistol shots at about 10 yards from each other. Hamilton was shot in his right side and died.
- Chapter Two: The Dinner explores the secret conversations and negotiations leading to selection of the Potomac River site for construction of the new national capital, in exchange for Virginia's support of Hamilton's plan for assumption of state debts by the federal government.
- Chapter Three: The Silence describes the tacit agreement by the nation's founders to avoid any discussion regarding the future of Slavery in the United States, concluding that any early attempt at abolition would doom the union before it had a chance to become established.
- Chapter Four: The Farewell dissects the Farewell Address of President George Washington, and Washington's views on the best future course for the new nation.
- Chapter Five: The Collaborators analyzes two important relationships; one between John Adams and his wife Abigail during Adams' presidency; the other between Thomas Jefferson and James Madison during the same time period.
- Chapter Six: The Friendship is devoted to the extensive correspondence between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson during the last fourteen years of their lives, reviving their lost friendship and expounding on their opposing political views.
Awards
Reviews
Joyce Appleby of the Washington Post Book World commented that, "In lesser hands the fractious disputes and hysterical rhetoric of these contentious nation-builders might come across as hyperbolic pettiness. Ellis knows better, and he unpacks the real issues for his readers, revealing the driving assumptions and riveting fears that animated Americans' first encounter with the organized ideologies and interests we call parties." [2]
Movie
In 2002, The History Channel produced a three and a half hour documentary covering the various topics of the book.[3]
Notes
External links
|
|
|
| 1917–1919 |
|
|
| 1920–1929 |
|
|
| 1930–1939 |
|
|
| 1940–1949 |
|
|
| 1950–1959 |
|
|
| 1960–1969 |
|
|
| 1970–1979 |
|
|
| 1980–1989 |
|
|
| 1990–1999 |
|
|
| 2000–2009 |
|
|
| 2010-2019 |
|
|