Summary Of Joseph Ellis Founding Brothers

Joseph J. Ellis is an American author and historian whose main focus is a chronicle on the lives of the Founding Fathers. Other than the Pulitzer Prize Winner Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation, Ellis has also written eight other books, the newest of which was written in 2015. In the preface of the book, Ellis addresses his reasoning for writing about the Founding Fathers, saying, “In my opinion, the central events and achievements of the revolutionary era and the early republic were political. These events and achievements are historically significant because they shaped the subsequent history of the United States, including our own time.” (13). Ellis believes that knowing the foundation of our past is important for our society to be able to move forward. Part of his work is to establish how the past has affected our current nation, and the other part is to separate rumors from facts when it comes to certain historical events.

Everyone knows George Washington as the first president, but most people do not know his other roles in the creation of the United States of America. In Joseph J. Ellis’s book, His Excellency George Washington, Ellis tells about Washington’s life. He includes his time as a general in the Revolutionary War, his life in retirement after the war, and also his time as the president. Ellis’s main focus in the book is to paint a picture for the reader so it almost feels like they are right next to Washington as his life is explained. The information in his book allows for readers to have a better understanding of what Washington went through in his life and also ,at times, gives educated guesses on what Washington might have been thinking. Through this book, it is easy to see why George Washington is referred to as one of the greatest Americans to ever live.

In the book Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis, the author relates the stories of six crucial historic events that manage to capture the flavor and fervor of the revolutionary generation and its great leaders. While each chapter or story can be read separately and completely understood, they do relate to a broader common theme. One of Ellis' main purposes in writing the book was to illustrate the early stages and tribulations of the American government and its system through his use of well blended stories. The idea that a republican government of this nature was completely unprecedented is emphasized through out the book. Ellis discusses the unique problems that the revolutionary generation experienced as a result of governing under the

Ellis describes a heated House debate in 1790 where slavery was reluctantly addressed. Benjamin Franklin and James Madison’s reactions are discussed. Ellis recognizes that in this moment, compromise was absent and the divisions within the country were becoming increasingly conspicuous. Ellis emphasize that making slavery a non-issue eventually led to the Civil War. The next event described by Ellis was the publishing of George Washington’s Farewell Address. Ellis addresses Washington’s legacy and regard for future generations of America. In his next story, Ellis examines how the relationships of 1776 turned into more sensible collaborations that would mold American history. Ellis focuses mainly on the relationship between Jefferson and Adams as well as Adams’ collaboration with his wife, Abigail. In his final piece of evidence, Ellis tells the story of the extensive communication between Adams and Jefferson during the last fourteen years of their lives, restoring their lost friendship after a political betrayal.

Overall Joseph J. Ellis showed the significant role the leaders played in the founding of our country. Each character that Ellis brings forth in a story had a great impact not only on America then, but also where America’s nation is concerned today. Ellis also shows the importance of knowing about the roots of the founding fathers of our nation. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation is not only informative, but also compelling in its stories to keep the reader intrigued.

The following chapters portray the sections of Washington life when he was a soldier, his days as a general, and his duty as the president. The book details the military plights Washington faced as a leader. Ellis says that Washington “lost more battles than he won; indeed, he lost more battles than any victorious general in modern history.” The War for Independence emerged as the most significant milestone in George Washington's life, a time in which he evolved into a grown man, a notorious politician, and a national icon. Ellis does not take us through each battle in detail, but describes the events that shaped Washington’s life and made him a human

The founding fathers, or as the book calls them the founding brothers, are an assorted group of men from wildly different backgrounds. In political terms, they were divided. Yet, they came to together to help shape this country into the place it is today. Now on their journey towards the making of this country they did encounter some trouble. They encountered heated debates among themselves though for getting through these debates they show just why they deserve to be called, founding brothers.

The Founding Brothers tells the tales of the ordinary lives and challenges that the founders or framers of the United States faced. One of the challenges was the common goal to ensure that the nation that the forefathers helped build would stand the test of time. The author, Joseph Ellis, wants the reader to understand better that the founders were more than just men, that were all white and male. Instead, the founders were men that knew the problems that the country was facing after its gaining independence from the British in the American Revolutionary War. They all fought each other tooth and nail over things that they felt were essential for this new republic to survive. Nevertheless, they all met each other to form political compromises that would aid in building the strength and future position of the new republic. These compromises would help settle many disputes that threatened to divide the new nation in half. Even though, they dealt with issues -like slavery, they understood that the entire world was watching and waiting to see what would become of this new government system that.

The Quartet by Joseph Ellis was a novel to provide detail of the years following the American Revolution, and how the Quartet of George Washington, James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton each provided a quality in guiding America toward the right direction. Ellis creates a theme almost as if the reader is on a tour guide, because he explains the perspective on how America was being created between the “Second Revolution” of the years 1783-1789. But, the main goal Ellis wanted to make clear was this time period was the process of how America became a Nation. After finishing the book, Ellis was effective in making the case that the Quartet of Washington, Jay, Hamilton, Madison, as well as other major influences, greatly affected the “transition from confederation to nation.” Each Quartet presented a value in help transitioning America into a Nation, and Ellis provides excellent examples to solidify that claim.

The book Founding Brothers - The Revolutionary Generation consists six stories, each of them focuses on a significant creative achievement or failure of seven important men of the early United States. They are George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and Aaron Burr. Joseph Ellis has depicted these founding brothers – or founding fathers - in their efforts to lay the republic’s foundation of the most liberal nation – states in the history of Western Civilization.

Through vivid descriptions of George Washington, I learned that he was not the best military leader. There were multiple times in the war where Washington was faced with difficult decisions, and proved to be very indecisive. Also, there were times where action needed to be taken, but he couldn’t decide what to do. Even though I learned Washington wasn’t as great as the history books explain him to be, it makes me respect him more to know that he, just like any other American, flawed.

Joseph J.Ellis provides an insight of how a nation emerged, with a group of memorable individuals that founded the American Republic. Founding Brothers deals with confrontations and crucial issues that Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington encountered during an undefined decade where a fragile nation was being formed. With its main and secondary theme that focuses on the struggles the leaders of the Revolutionary Generation dealt with for the success of a Union, Founding Brothers is a marvelous book for historical readers that want an understanding of the political chaos of the early republic.

George Washington was a president upon a hill. He set a first-rate example for future presidents by making difficult yet necessary decisions for the developing nation. His words and actions have resonated throughout history and can be seen through feats of other presidents. Some notable acts of Washington include his domestic and foreign policies, selection of the first presidential cabinet, helping the nation’s financial crisis, deciding whether to follow in Great Britain’s or France’s footsteps, his dealings with rebellion, and he even made a lasting impression through his farewell speech of which the

The revered and respected first president, George Washington, gave the US hope during one of its most difficult times. Using the events and circumstances of his life to learn and advance his position, he grew from humble beginnings into a legend. George Washington had a valuable, well-rounded education from ages seven to fifteen, studying all the subjects (Nevins and Graff). Due to his father’s death, George grew up under the supervision of his half-brother Lawrence at Mount Vernon, learning many lessons and developing thoughts, actions, and manners he used later in life (Nevins and Graff). He worked as a surveyor for his first career and learned the benefits of hard work, endurance, and resourcefulness (Nevins and Graff). After Lawrence died, George took over running the family plantation and found farming an honorable, delectable, amusing, and profitable occupation (Nevins and Graff). Standing six feet tall with broad shoulders, Washington cultivated a lavish lifestyle of dancing, cards, billiards, and hunting as a prominent and active member in his community and church (Nevins and Graff). George Washington started his military career in November of 1752, and in 1755 he took the position as commander of all the Virginian troops at the young age of 23 years (Nevins and Graff). Washington desired more honor and respect than he received, so he resigned from the military in the fall of 1758 full of frustration (Nevins and Graff). War moved slowly, troops did not receive enough