360:
counterclaims" that deify or vilify the
Founders, particularly those of academic historians who treat the Founders as "racists, classists, and sexists". In contrast, Ellis states his intention to present a balanced portrayal of Founders—acknowledging their successes, such as the creation of a nation-sized, secular republic governed by political parties, as well as their failures to deal with
278:
402:. Madison fails to win approval for a national government that can veto state laws, and initially considers the convention a failure. Instead the Constitution creates a political system in which sovereignty is shared and "blurred", providing a framework for ongoing debate. Madison emphasizes this advantage, as well as the weakness of the prior
516:, said of the book, "Filled with powerful, masterfully drawn word-pictures and eye-opening insights, Ellis's 'American Creation' should be a must-read for anyone prior to going to the voting polls ... 'American Creation' lets us know we still have much to learn from, both good and bad, from the founding of our nation".
443:. Even as he works to undermine Washington's administration from within, however, Jefferson disparages party politics and denies that he is capable of acting in a partisan fashion, thus failing to understand his own accomplishment. "The Purchase", the book's final chapter, explores the story behind the 1803
451:, and that as a result, "tragedy trumped triumph in the story of the Purchase". In the afterword, Ellis states that "perhaps the most creative act of the founding era" was "an expanding liberal mandate that left room, up ahead, for an Abraham Lincoln and a Martin Luther King to join the list of founders."
343:
to the
Founders. His difficulty in properly assessing the Founders made him want to write a book that both acknowledged their achievements and punctured the myth that they were "demigods". He stated in an interview that he wanted to show that "these folks didn't completely understand what they were
359:
consists of a foreword, six chapters, and an afterword. In the prologue, Ellis discusses what he calls the "stunning achievement" of the
Founders in creating a nation that became "the accepted global formula for national success". He criticizes the "wildly extravagant claims and equally hyperbolic
547:, Randy Dotinga wrote that the book's close examination of "dry and tedious" political debates "makes for rough sledding at times", and criticized Ellis' dismissal of academic historians. However, he concluded that "Ellis's sharp writing style and appreciation for irony are saving graces".
40:
540:
wrote that he felt Ellis' portrait of the
Founders was largely accurate, but that in his reading of the slavery issue, he was "a trifle guilty of the 'presentism' – seeing the past through the prism of the present – that he elsewhere deplores". Reviewing for
477:
gave the book a starred review, stating, "This subtle, brilliant examination of the period between the War of
Independence and the Louisiana Purchase puts Pulitzer-winner Ellis (Founding Brothers) among the finest of America's narrative historians."
862:
427:. Though Washington declares the issue one of his highest priorities and successfully negotiates a treaty, it proves worthless in the face of the relentless expansion of white settlers into Creek territory, the intransigence of the
431:
legislature, and McGillivray's attempts to ally with Spain. Ellis calls the inability to make a fair peace with Native
Americans "the greatest failure of the revolutionary generation", second only to their failure to end slavery.
414:
in a debate over
Virginia's ratification of the Constitution. Chapter Four, "The Treaty", considers Washington's failure as president to reach an equitable settlement with Native Americans, with particular consideration to his
488:, called the book "illuminating", writing that it goes "beyond the familiar critique of the founding to explore a point that remains underappreciated: that America was constructed to foster arguments, not to settle them".
391:. The army's poor condition causes a critical shift in strategy that would prove decisive for the Americans, forcing Washington to attempt to control the countryside rather than stage a decisive battle with the British.
447:, discussing President Jefferson's achievement in making the Purchase but also his failure to prohibit slavery in the new territory. Ellis argues that Jefferson thus set the nation on the course that would lead to the
529:
called Ellis "the reigning master of the episodic approach to history"; he complimented the book's style but disagreed with Ellis' conclusion that blurred sovereignty was one of the
Constitution's greatest strengths.
496:
also praised the book, writing that "It is Ellis's achievement that he leaves us with a keen appreciation of the good fortune
America had in having the right men in the right places at the right times".
924:
379:. Ellis discusses how, "latently and surreptitiously", the Declaration held more long-term revolutionary implications than the Founders realized. The second chapter, "The Winter", discusses General
344:
doing... They were improvising on the edge of catastrophe." Ellis did the research for the book personally, rather than working with research assistants. He wrote the manuscript by hand with a
262:, wanted to write a book portraying the Founders neither as demigods nor villains, but as flawed men who were improvising in response to immediate crises. The book reached #4 on
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stated that "'American
Creation' is one of the most enjoyable and thought-provoking books I've read in years." Cindy Kibbe, writing in the
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917:"Myth busting: Joseph Ellis shows how America evolved from a hotbed of revolution into a paragon of stability"
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979:"Imperfect union – The Founders' efforts encompassed mistakes as well as miracles, writes Joseph Ellis"
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American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic
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American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic
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American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic
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199:. Structured episodically, the book examines six turning points in the
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from 1790 to 1793, resigning near the end of Washington's first term.
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and James Madison in creating American party politics by forming the
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Joseph Ellis is an American professor of history who held an endowed
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435:
The fifth chapter, "The Conspiracy", presents the achievement of
1036:"At last, some adult conversation about the country's founders"
648:"Drinking a Sam Adams With John Adams: Historian Joseph Ellis"
398:'s efforts to secure a strong federal government at the 1787
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is a 2007 non-fiction book written by American historian
269:, and received largely positive reviews from critics.
406:government during the Revolutionary War, to defeat
371:The book's first chapter, "The Year", examines the
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304:American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson
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335:negatively comparing presidential candidates
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1230:History books about the American Revolution
394:The third chapter, "The Argument", details
609:Contemporary Authors, New Revisions Series
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568:Jefferson served as George Washington's
884:Kakutani, Michiko (November 29, 2007).
597:
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1034:Yardley, Jonathan (November 4, 2007).
915:Applegate, Debby (November 10, 2007).
462:sold well on release, rising to #4 on
1122:Ellis, Joseph J. (October 30, 2007).
1008:Jonathan Yardley (November 4, 2007).
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1128:. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
646:Weidlich, Thom (December 31, 2007).
364:and to reach a just settlement with
243:and James Madison's founding of the
1096:Randy Dotinga (November 13, 2007).
1067:"Classic review: American Creation"
812:. November 23, 2007. Archived from
927:from the original on March 4, 2016
853:Meacham, Jon (November 11, 2007).
254:Ellis, who had previously won the
201:early history of the United States
25:
977:Brands, H.W. (October 28, 2007).
865:from the original on May 26, 2024
654:from the original on June 5, 2022
611:. January 1, 2009. Archived from
387:together during a hard winter at
1198:Library of Economics and Liberty
946:Kibbe, Cindy (January 4, 2008).
1065:Dotinga, Randy (July 4, 2010).
383:'s achievement in holding the
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1150:Joseph J. Ellis official site
1071:The Christian Science Monitor
952:New Hampshire Business Review
544:The Christian Science Monitor
513:New Hampshire Business Review
441:Democratic-Republican Party
373:Declaration of Independence
245:Democratic-Republican Party
225:Constitutional ratification
205:Declaration of Independence
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377:American Revolutionary War
309:Pulitzer Prize for History
260:Pulitzer Prize for History
948:"Present at the creation"
482:, reviewing the book for
404:Articles of Confederation
400:Constitutional Convention
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1215:2007 non-fiction books
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1220:Alfred A. Knopf books
1182:(September 8, 2008).
425:Alexander McGillivray
291:Mount Holyoke College
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237:Alexander McGillivray
203:: the writing of the
1225:American biographies
1156:"Book Discussion on
1077:on November 18, 2018
1046:on November 17, 2018
321:was his sixth book.
281:Joseph Ellis in 2007
27:Book by Joseph Ellis
1166:. November 29, 2007
1040:The Washington Post
886:"American Creation"
855:"Trust and Caution"
842:. November 5, 2007.
836:"American Creation"
810:Rocky Mountain News
537:The Washington Post
299:National Book Award
256:National Book Award
34:
1014:Washingtonpost.com
890:The New York Times
859:The New York Times
675:, pp. 269–70.
606:"Ellis, Joseph J."
570:Secretary of State
494:The New York Times
485:The New York Times
469:in November 2007.
465:The New York Times
445:Louisiana Purchase
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265:The New York Times
249:Louisiana Purchase
1188:and the Founding"
1186:American Creation
1158:American Creation
1135:978-0-307-26774-0
1125:American Creation
989:on April 14, 2016
958:on March 25, 2016
840:Publishers Weekly
816:on April 14, 2016
735:, pp. 85–86.
711:, pp. 10–14.
699:, pp. 11–12.
474:Publishers Weekly
460:American Creation
381:George Washington
357:American Creation
333:Founding Brothers
326:American Creation
319:American Creation
209:George Washington
191:and published by
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267:Best Seller list
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527:H.W. Brands
480:Jon Meacham
74:Non-fiction
1209:Categories
1184:"Ellis on
793:Ellis 2007
781:Ellis 2007
769:Ellis 2007
757:Ellis 2007
745:Ellis 2007
733:Ellis 2007
721:Ellis 2007
709:Ellis 2007
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685:Ellis 2007
673:Ellis 2007
634:Ellis 2007
551:References
273:Background
247:, and the
1170:March 31,
593:Citations
583:Louisiana
455:Reception
449:Civil War
289:Chair at
116:Paperback
79:Publisher
1193:EconTalk
1081:June 14,
1050:June 14,
993:June 14,
962:June 14,
931:June 14,
925:Archived
900:June 14,
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652:Archived
619:June 14,
429:Georgian
311:for his
258:and the
164:973.3 22
151:83609481
112:Hardback
63:Language
1104:July 6,
1019:July 6,
500:In the
423:leader
410:orator
362:slavery
352:Content
341:Al Gore
235:leader
110:Print (
66:English
1164:C-SPAN
1132:
417:treaty
229:treaty
53:Author
556:Notes
421:Creek
419:with
329:'
233:Creek
231:with
223:over
123:Pages
71:Genre
1172:2015
1130:ISBN
1106:2013
1083:2013
1052:2013
1021:2013
995:2013
964:2013
933:2013
902:2013
871:2013
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660:2013
621:2013
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301:for
145:OCLC
132:ISBN
114:and
94:2007
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519:In
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