American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic

Product Description:
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.

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Customer Reviews

Rating: - Good Coverage of the Post Revolutionary Period
Having read biographies of Washington, Jefferson, Adams and Hamilton and Vidal's quasi-fictional work on Burr, in addition to other works by McCollough on the revolutionary era, I was far from impressed by the beginnings of this work by Joseph Ellis.You can only rehash the same history from every conceivable angle before the story grows stale.

Fortunately, however, only the first third of this audiobook dealt with the period of 1775-1782.Thereafter, the story turns to the often ... Read More
Rating: - A Liberal Progressive Revisionist History of American Creation
An interesting read with some new information, most of which can be found in any number of other Revolutionary History books, without all the opinion.Ellis' book is a comprehensive analysis of the founding of the USA from a modern-day Progressive viewpoint.Whether it's boldly (and without any supporting evidence) claiming that many of the key Founders were either atheist or agnostic, or stating as a matter of fact that multiculturalism is the ideal form of society, Ellis pulls no punches in forcing ... Read More
Rating: - hooray for ellis
This has to be one of the most reader/friendly histories around. Ellis has afine of the absurd as wellas of the important. He writes simply and does not bury a reader in academic trappings. he also is a scholar. That is a trifecta.
Rating: - History made exciting
Another excellent book by Joseph Ellis.His writing has a tinge of humor that makes a big difference for the reader.
Rating: - American History As It Should Be Told and Taught
JJ Ellis has a unique way of presenting history that's both engaging and enjoyable to read.I was enthralled with his Pulitzer Prize-winning book Founding Brothers, which led me to purchase American Creation.I was not disappointed.Unlike most history books, the historical characters and situations discussed in his books are relegated to the reader's long-term, rather than short-term, memory.I highly recommend both of these books for anyone seeking to really understand the individuals, personalities ... Read More