Download or read book The Founding Fathers Reconsidered written by R. B. Bernstein and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009-05-05 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is a vividly written and compact overview of the brilliant, flawed, and quarrelsome group of lawyers, politicians, merchants, military men, and clergy known as the "Founding Fathers"--who got as close to the ideal of the Platonic "philosopher-kings" as American or world history has ever seen. In The Founding Fathers Reconsidered, R. B. Bernstein reveals Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton, and the other founders not as shining demigods but as imperfect human beings--people much like us--who nevertheless achieved political greatness. They emerge here as men who sought to transcend their intellectual world even as they were bound by its limits, men who strove to lead the new nation even as they had to defer to the great body of the people and learn with them the possibilities and limitations of politics. Bernstein deftly traces the dynamic forces that molded these men and their contemporaries as British colonists in North America and as intellectual citizens of the Atlantic civilization's Age of Enlightenment. He analyzes the American Revolution, the framing and adoption of state and federal constitutions, and the key concepts and problems--among them independence, federalism, equality, slavery, and the separation of church and state--that both shaped and circumscribed the founders' achievements as the United States sought its place in the world.
Download or read book The Founding Fathers Reconsidered written by Richard B. Bernstein and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Quicklet on R B Bernstein s The Founding Fathers Reconsidered CliffNotes like Book Summary written by Laura Rensing and published by Hyperink Inc. This book was released on 2012-03-12 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Quicklets: Your Reading Sidekick! ABOUT THE BOOK The founding fathers can mean something different to everyone: for many of us, theyre a subject best left in our eleventh grade high school history class. For others, the founding fathers are demigods of democracy. Still others view the founders as idolized symbols of an idealistic government that exists only in WWII Nationalist Propaganda or Captain America blockbusters. R.B. Bernsteins book, The Founding Fathers Reconsidered, asks us to open our minds to a completely different (and somewhat scandalous) option: that the founding fathers were human. The book looks in detail at the hidden objectives, underlying goals, and twisting power plays that made up the American Revolution, the War of 1812 (often referred to as the Second War for Independence), and the creation of the government of the newborn nation. His research reveals the strengths of such near-mythological figures as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin to name a few. More importantly, he reveals the often glossed-over weaknesses that time (and overly-glorified school textbooks) have erased from the character study of the founders. MEET THE AUTHOR Laura Rensing is a writer and performer who occasionally has difficulty distinguishing fact from her pet fire-breathing dragon. A graduate of UC Irvine with dual degrees in Drama and Comparative Literature, Lauras experience onstage and on paper has given her a unique world view that allows her to move from present day politics to medieval literature at the drop of a pen. Dont let her frivolous tone fool you: her analysis of Public Sphere Theory in social media during the 2008 Presidential Election as well as her experience in local start-ups reveal that her critical thinking can be as daring as Lady Gagas latest Grammy appearance. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK Its easy to imagine the American Revolution as one big Boston Tea Party, in which all the colonists were eager participants. However, the reality is that the revolution was unpopular on both sides of the pond, and one-third of the colonists did not fight for the patriots. In fact, there were more American colonists fighting with the British than against them. Even the most courageous of the founders were more interested in preserving good relations between the colonies in England. According to historical record, many of the early so-called patriots had anything but a revolution in mind at the start of the ruckus. In fact, Colonial protest started out as simple complaints to Parliament not a direct attack on the monarchy (though England felt it to be so). Most of the colonialists thought fondly of England and enjoyed the status of their connection to the Great Empire including the founders. Benjamin Franklin used his status as a distinguished inventor and scientist (having just successfully performed his experiment with lightning) to establish himself in British politics, and lived in London for seven years, while John Adams wore... Buy a copy to keep reading! CHAPTER OUTLINE R. B. Bernstein's The Founding Fathers Reconsidered + About the Book + About the Author + Meet the Founders + Overall Summary + ...and much more
Download or read book James Madison written by Lynne Cheney and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2015-05-05 with total page 578 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A major new biography of the fourth U.S. president, from New York Times–bestselling author Lynne Cheney James Madison was a true genius of the early republic, the leader who did more than any other to create the nation we know today. This majestic new biography tells his story. Outwardly reserved, Madison was the intellectual driving force behind the Constitution. His visionary political philosophy—eloquently presented in the Federalist Papers—was a crucial factor behind the Constitution’s ratification, and his political savvy was of major importance in getting the new government underway. As secretary of state under Thomas Jefferson, he managed the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the size of the United States. As president, Madison led the country in its first war under the Constitution, the War of 1812. Without precedent to guide him, he would demonstrate that a republic could defend its honor and independence while remaining true to its young constitution.
Download or read book The Founding Fathers A Very Short Introduction written by R. B. Bernstein and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2015-11-16 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Founding Fathers is a concise, accessible overview of the brilliant, flawed, and quarrelsome group of lawyers, politicians, merchants, military men, and clergy known as "the Founding Fathers"--who got as close to the ideal of the Platonic "philosopher-kings" as American or world history has ever seen. R. B. Bernstein reveals Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton, and the other founders not as shining demigods but as imperfect human beings--people much like us--who nevertheless achieved political greatness. They emerge here as men who sought to transcend their intellectual world even as they were bound by its limits, men who strove to lead the new nation even as they had to defer to the great body of the people and learn with them the possibilities and limitations of politics. Bernstein deftly traces the dynamic forces that molded these men and their contemporaries as British colonists in North America and as intellectual citizens of the Atlantic civilization's Age of Enlightenment. He analyzes the American Revolution, the framing and adoption of state and federal constitutions, and the key concepts and problems that both shaped and circumscribed the founders' achievements as the United States sought its place in the world. Finally, he charts the shifting reputations of the founders and examines the specific ways that interpreters of the Constitution have used the Founding Fathers. A masterly blend of old and new scholarship, brimming with apt description and insightful analysis, this book offers a digestible account of how the Founding Fathers were formed, what they did, and how generations of Americans have viewed them. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Download or read book Thomas Jefferson written by R. B. Bernstein and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2005-09-15 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A short biography of Thomas Jefferson covers such topics as his life as a Virginia gentleman, his passionate belief in democracy, his defense of slavery, his relationship with Sally Hemings, and his contributions to America as a writer, inventor, and party leader.
Download or read book God and the Founders written by Vincent Phillip Muñoz and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-10-08 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: God and the Founders explains the church-state political philosophies of James Madison, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson.
Download or read book Founding Brothers written by Joseph J. Ellis and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2002-02-05 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A landmark work of history explores how a group of greatly gifted but deeply flawed individuals—Hamilton, Burr, Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, Adams, and Madison—confronted the overwhelming challenges before them to set the course for our nation. “A splendid book—humane, learned, written with flair and radiant with a calm intelligence and wit.” —The New York Times Book Review The United States was more a fragile hope than a reality in 1790. During the decade that followed, the Founding Fathers—re-examined here as Founding Brothers—combined the ideals of the Declaration of Independence with the content of the Constitution to create the practical workings of our government. Through an analysis of six fascinating episodes—Hamilton and Burr’s deadly duel, Washington’s precedent-setting Farewell Address, Adams’ administration and political partnership with his wife, the debate about where to place the capital, Franklin’s attempt to force Congress to confront the issue of slavery and Madison’s attempts to block him, and Jefferson and Adams’ famous correspondence—Founding Brothers brings to life the vital issues and personalities from the most important decade in our nation’s history.
Download or read book Constitutional Myths written by Ray Raphael and published by The New Press. This book was released on 2013-03-05 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Americans on both sides of the aisle love to reference the Constitution as the ultimate source of truth. But which truth? What did the framers really have in mind? In a book that author R.B. Bernstein calls “essential reading,” acclaimed historian Ray Raphael places the Constitution in its historical context, dispensing little-known facts and debunking popular preconceived notions. For each myth, Raphael first notes the kernel of truth it represents, since most myths have some basis in fact. Then he presents a big “BUT”—the larger context that reveals what the myth distorts. What did the framers see as the true role of government? What did they think of taxes? At the Constitutional Convention, how did they mix principles with politics? Did James Madison really father the Constitution? Did the framers promote a Bill of Rights? Do the so-called Federalist Papers reveal the Constitution's inner meaning? An authoritative and entertaining book, which “should appeal equally to armchair historians and professionals in the field” (Booklist), Constitutional Myths reveals what our founding document really says and how we should apply it today.
Download or read book Founding Fathers written by Melvin Eustace Bradford and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published : A worthy company. Marlborough, N.H. : Plymouth Rock Foundation, 1982.
Download or read book The Last Founding Father written by Harlow Giles Unger and published by Da Capo Press. This book was released on 2009-09-29 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the New York Times bestselling author, the larger than life story of America's fifth president, who transformed a small, fragile nation into a powerful empire In this compelling biography, award-winning author Harlow Giles Unger reveals the epic story of James Monroe (1758-1831)-the last of America's Founding Fathers-who transformed a small, fragile nation beset by enemies into a powerful empire stretching "from sea to shining sea." Like David McCullough's John Adams and Jon Meacham's American Lion, The Last Founding Father is both a superb read and stellar scholarship-action-filled history in the grand tradition.
Download or read book Durkheim Reconsidered written by Susan Stedman Jones and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-06-28 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Durkheim is one of the founding fathers of modern sociology and a key figure in the development of social theory. And yet today his work is often misunderstood, since it is commonly viewed through the lens of later authors who used his writings to illustrate certain tendencies in social thought. Durkheim Reconsidered challenges the common views of Durkheim and offers a fresh and much-needed reappraisal of his ideas. Stedman Jones dismantles the interpretations of Durkheim that remain widespread in Anglo-American sociology and then examines afresh his major works, placing them in their historical and political context. She emphasizes Durkheim's debt to the socialist and republican thought of his contemporaries - and especially to Renouvier who, she argues, had a profound influence on Durkheim's approach. This book will be recognised as a major reinterpretation of the work of one of the most important figures in the history of sociology and social thought. It will be of great interest to scholars and students in sociology, anthropology and related disciplines.
Download or read book The Founding Fathers written by Nathan Schachner and published by . This book was released on 1961 with total page 656 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book American Dialogue written by Joseph J. Ellis and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2019-11-26 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The award-winning author of Founding Brothers and The Quartet now gives us a deeply insightful examination of the relevance of the views of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Adams to some of the most divisive issues in America today. The story of history is a ceaseless conversation between past and present, and in American Dialogue Joseph J. Ellis focuses the conversation on the often-asked question "What would the Founding Fathers think?" He examines four of our most seminal historical figures through the prism of particular topics, using the perspective of the present to shed light on their views and, in turn, to make clear how their now centuries-old ideas illuminate the disturbing impasse of today's political conflicts. He discusses Jefferson and the issue of racism, Adams and the specter of economic inequality, Washington and American imperialism, Madison and the doctrine of original intent. Through these juxtapositions—and in his hallmark dramatic and compelling narrative voice—Ellis illuminates the obstacles and pitfalls paralyzing contemporary discussions of these fundamentally important issues.
Download or read book The Education of John Adams written by Richard B. Bernstein and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2020 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book, a free-standing companion to Bernstein's 2003 biography Thomas Jefferson, responds to the public curiosity about Adams, his life, and his work for those intrigued by popular-culture portrayals of Adams in the Broadway musical 1776 and the HBO television miniseries John Adams. As with Bernstein's other work (e.g., The Founding Fathers: A Very Short Introduction), it is a clear, scholarly, concise, well-written, and well-researched account of Adams's life, career, and thought addressing anyone seeking to learn more about him.
Download or read book Jefferson and Hamilton written by John Ferling and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2014-10-07 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of America's foremost historians brilliantly brings to life the fierce struggle - both public and, ultimately, bitterly personal - between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton - two rivals whose opposing visions of what the United States should be continue to shape our country to this day.
Download or read book The Real Story Behind the Founding Fathers written by Rachael Morlock and published by . This book was released on 2019-07-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Founding Fathers are essential to the American narrative. Unfortunately, popular histories have a tendency to gloss over unpleasant truths and harmonize the discordant voices of the past. This book looks beyond powdered wigs and polished portraits to find the human founders of the United States. Multiple and minority perspectives are taken into account, and well-worn stories of the founding era are revisited, from the complex issues of slavery and religion to the myth of George Washington's wooden teeth. Thoughtful text and fun sidebars illuminate primary sources and invite readers to think critically about these familiar figures in American history.
