From the prizewinning author of the best-selling Founding Brothers and American Sphinx, a masterly and highly ironic examination of the founding years of our country. The last quarter of the eighteenth century remains the most politically creative era in American history, when a dedicated and determined group of men undertook a bold experiment in political ideals. It was a time of triumphs; yet, as Joseph J. Ellis makes clear, it was also a time of tragedies—all of which contributed to the shaping of our burgeoning nation.
From the first shots fired at Lexington to the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the negotiations for the Louisiana Purchase, Ellis guides us through the decisive issues of the nation’s founding, and illuminates the emerging philosophies, shifting alliances, and personal and political foibles of our now iconic leaders—Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, and Adams. He casts an incisive eye on the founders’ achievements, arguing that the American Revolution was, paradoxically, an evolution—and that part of what made it so extraordinary was the gradual pace at which it occurred. He shows us why the fact that it was brought about by a group, rather than by a single individual, distinguished it from the bloodier revolutions of other countries, and ultimately played a key role in determining its success. He explains how the idea of a strong federal government, championed by Washington, was eventually embraced by the American people, the majority of whom had to be won over, as they feared an absolute power reminiscent of the British Empire. And he details the emergence of the two-party system—then a political novelty—which today stands as the founders’ most enduring legacy.
But Ellis is equally incisive about their failures, and he makes clear how their inability to abolish slavery and to reach a just settlement with the Native Americans has played an equally important role in shaping our national character. He demonstrates how these misjudgments, now so abundantly evident, were not necessarily inevitable. We learn of the negotiations between Henry Knox and Alexander McGillivray, the most talented Indian statesman of his time, which began in good faith and ended in disaster. And we come to understand how a political solution to slavery required the kind of robust federal power that the Jeffersonians viewed as a betrayal of their most deeply held principles.
With eloquence and insight, Ellis strips the mythic veneer of the revolutionary generation to reveal men both human and inspired, possessed of both brilliance and blindness. American Creation is a book that delineates an era of flawed greatness, at a time when understanding our origins is more important than ever.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - The Founding Fathers, Neither Jeckels nor Hydes
This is a great addition to the history books covering the founding of our nation. Ellis covers the facts and corrects the fictions have become lore, and does so in a manner that is interesting and revealing. The Founding Fathers were neither geniuses who walked on water with the foresight of gods; nor were they evil white men hell-bent on establishing a utopia for themselves only. Yes, they were remarkable men with great talent, but they were men nonetheless, with weaknesses and inconsistencies. ... Read More
Rating: - A great starting point
Admittedly, there's not much new here, but this concise, well written, thought provoking book still serves as an excellent introduction to the many complex issues faced by the founding generation. The chapters on early U. S.-Native American relations, and the Louisiana Purchase were particularly illuminating.
Rating: - brilliant as usual
I have read so much about this time period that only Joseph Ellis will give me an excuse to once again read about early US history.
The problem with most popular historic studies is that it tends to be littered with the adjectives of "brave, bold, noble, patriotic, heroic, etc." and therefore eliminates the objective analysis that provokes examination of the situation. Ellis examined Valley Forge, American and Native American treaties, the Constitutional convention and of course the Purchase ... Read More
Rating: - Creation minus One
Joseph Ellis is a well-known writer of popular histories, winner of both the Pulitzer and the National Book Award, so I began American Creation with high expectations. Of course, the major players at the Founding have filled countless books. As the author points out, it's tough to even-handedly write about men who were early cast as heroes or villains in our now almost mythological past. Like his "Founding Brothers," "American Creation" is a series of sketches. Each chapter examines the principal actors ... Read More
Rating: - Historical Op-Ed.
What issues did the Founding Father face and how did they see and approach them? In "American Creation" author Joseph Ellis focuses on the setting, ideas, arguments, dilemmas, and solutions to some of the key issues that faced Founding Fathers during the early period from the 1775-1776 debates leading to the Declaration Independence up to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.The book is more of a lecture series or one-way conversation to the reader than an historical account of the era. Ellis works to get us in ... Read More
- The Founding Fathers, Neither Jeckels nor Hydes
- Creation minus One
