Founding Brothers
Review
by : Li
Rapkin 
Written
by : Joseph J. Ellis (Ford Foundation Professor
of History at Mt. Holyoke College)
|
Founding
Brothers presents six episodes of Revolutionary-era history,
from the point of view of events in the lives of Alexander
Hamilton, James Madison, Aaron Burr, George Washington, Abigail
and John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. These
names are familiar even to those who slept through American
history classes…and have more faux mythology surrounding them
than an episode of Xena, Warrior Princess. Ellis puts these
legendary figures back into the context that is often lost
to the nonprofessional reader.
The first
chapter, which is the only one out of chronological order,
discusses a duel so famous it was even featured in a “Got
Milk?” commercial—Alexander Hamilton vs. Aaron Burr. Ellis
walks the reader through the events that led to the duel,
including quotations from an increasingly nasty exchange of
quotations in a contemporary press that had no fear of libel.
After a quick lesson on the etiquette of dueling, Ellis presents
a couple of interpretations of the events. The most salient
feature of this chapter is the emphasis on the fact that even
at the time, nobody was sure what really happened, as all
the potential witnesses deliberately left the scene in order
to avoid becoming witnesses.
Further
chapters go into the same amount of detail and exposition.
Ellis explores the Compromise of 1790, the Congressional non-debate
on slavery, Washington’s Farewell Address, personal relationships
among the key players in the context of events during John
Adams’s presidency, and the correspondence that brought about
the reconciliation between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Personally,
I found the fifth chapter, which delves into the complex web
of relationships during the second presidency, to be the most
interesting. The XYZ Affair and the U.S. relationship with
France are featured prominently, as is the lurking specter
of John Q. Adams succeeding his father as President. More
than any other chapter, this one makes the connections between
events that provide a view of the time that is greater than
the sum of its parts.
Another
feature of the book that I found appealing is that Ellis shows
us the roots of 200-year-old debates that reverberated through
history, resurfaced during the Civil War (State’s rights,
the long-postponed debate on slavery) and continue to be relevant
today (“entangling alliances”, judicial review, and Constitutional
guarantees of freedom of speech and the press.). Furthermore,
Ellis makes a point of telling his readers that Washington,
Adams, Madison, Jefferson, and the rest were distinctly conscious
of the fact that they were writing for posterity. Even private
letters were written with the future in mind, as if the authors
knew that they would be closely scrutinized for years to come.
Overall,
I highly recommend the book, especially for readers who are
not specialists in American history. The information is well
organized and easy to absorb, and provide a satisfying amount
of detail. I would also highly recommend its use as a textbook,
particularly at the high-school level.
L.
I. Rapkin is a technical writer, public radio announcer, Senior
Writer for www.shotgunreviews.com, and recovering graduate
student.
|
