American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic by Ellis, Joseph J - 2007

New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2007. xi, 283 p. ; 24 cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. An ironic examination of the founding years of our country. We are guided through the decisive issues of the nation's founding, with an illumination of the emerging philosophies, shifting alliances, and personal and political foibles of our now iconic leaders. Ellis 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. 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, making 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. Ellis strips the mythic veneer of the revolutionary generation to reveal men possessed of both brilliance and blindness. As New Condition in like dustjacket. Hard Cover.