Friday, June 17, 2005
It really is quite a feat that this country has survived as long as it has with what it has been through. I'd chalk a great deal of that success up to the men (and one woman) who created it. Their genius is absolutely stunning, yet it is rarely discussed or mentioned. Right now I'm reading two books: Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis and The Federalist Papers by John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton.
Founding Brothers takes on the Founding Fathers from a different perspective than most of the histories out there. Although, Ellis' personal and professional reputation was (understandbly) smeared the same year this book was published (2001), he has nontheless weaved a far more personal account of the relationship between the men who founded this country. Each chapter is devoted to an episode that featured two or more of these people. For instance, the famous duel between Hamilton and Aaron Burr. Each of these episodes attempts to cast a different light on these legendary figures.
The Federalist Papers, the famous collection of essays written in support of constitutional ratification, are indeed dense and rather difficult material. Now, the Constitution (as originally ratified) is about 13 book-length pages long. The Federalist Papers (keeping in mind that they were written for no other reason to explain the ins and outs of the Constitution and why it should be ratified) runs about 570 pages. Granted, a constitution shouldn't have to explain itself in the text; but the fact that the explication of the document runs more than 40 times its length certainly shows just how much thought went into it.
We are all living in the shadows of intellectual giants and couragous soldiers.
Founding Brothers takes on the Founding Fathers from a different perspective than most of the histories out there. Although, Ellis' personal and professional reputation was (understandbly) smeared the same year this book was published (2001), he has nontheless weaved a far more personal account of the relationship between the men who founded this country. Each chapter is devoted to an episode that featured two or more of these people. For instance, the famous duel between Hamilton and Aaron Burr. Each of these episodes attempts to cast a different light on these legendary figures.
The Federalist Papers, the famous collection of essays written in support of constitutional ratification, are indeed dense and rather difficult material. Now, the Constitution (as originally ratified) is about 13 book-length pages long. The Federalist Papers (keeping in mind that they were written for no other reason to explain the ins and outs of the Constitution and why it should be ratified) runs about 570 pages. Granted, a constitution shouldn't have to explain itself in the text; but the fact that the explication of the document runs more than 40 times its length certainly shows just how much thought went into it.
We are all living in the shadows of intellectual giants and couragous soldiers.
Comments:
That is very interesting! I may take some time to have a look at those.
I recently read Lincoln on Leadership which provided a little insight into the position he was in and how he handled it.
What's relevant is that he was fighting for the 'democratic experiment'. He knew that allowing the division of the U.S. would send a message to the world that democracy doesn't work.
We are in debt to him and the millions of soldiers who died to prove people can be free.
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I recently read Lincoln on Leadership which provided a little insight into the position he was in and how he handled it.
What's relevant is that he was fighting for the 'democratic experiment'. He knew that allowing the division of the U.S. would send a message to the world that democracy doesn't work.
We are in debt to him and the millions of soldiers who died to prove people can be free.
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: 3:32 PM