Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis Essay

From reading this chapter, one can learn that the second half of the eighteenth century was one of turmoil, when people were determined to influence changes on more than one level. While the anti-slavery supporters were determined to have justice, they were powerless in front of the institution, considering that it was responsible for much of the capital flowing into America.

Chapter four, "The Farewell," deals with George Washington, his character, and the events surrounding his career. People in the colonies all considered Washington to be their leader and the founder of the United States even before he actually took his place as president. While he was not a brilliant military leader or an extremely intelligent individual, he was very good at keeping the nation together and making it work to its full potential.

The Farewell Address produced by Washington served as inspiration for many Americans following on his footsteps, as it put forward a series of principles which virtually define the American nation.

Washington is often praised for some of the qualities he did not have, instead of being valued for his true attributes. Little people actually know that he was more of a diplomat than a man of action, and even fewer are aware that he was among the first leaders to see the power of a united nation.

Ellis provides a detailed account of each of the events, presenting his readers with new and intriguing information relating to Franklin, Madison, and Washington. The report regarding Washington is likely to be considered more interesting by some, given the fact that the author gives the first American president more attention in comparison to the one he pays to Franklin in the previous chapter.Both Franklin's and Washington's stories show complexity and attention to details, with the author having gone through great efforts to provide the public with more than just boring historical facts.

Both Franklin and Washington were revolutionary in their character and this was proved best through the crucial positions they had in establishing the new nation. In spite of the fact that the author does not hesitate to present the attributes and the deficiencies in both leaders, one can easily observe that their actions absolve them of any error they committed across the period they were in charge of the country.

In both chapters, Ellis depicts some of the most important events in the lives of Franklin and Washington, and concomitantly shows how these two individuals are responsible for the socioeconomic advancements performed by the U.S. In the timeline lasting from the Declaration of Independence and until the present day.

Again, certain elements in the book are rather new to the public, considering that it is not likely for the masses to know specific events from the lives of Franklin and Washington, such as the ones involving Franklin's suppressing by congress or the one relating to Washington's continuous reluctance to be in charge of the country.

All things considered, "Founding Brothers: Revolutionary Generation" is a book meant to provide intriguing insight on the events happened during the second half of the eighteenth century. The book brings forward the heroes from the time and narrates how the founding brothers were key players in creating a nation that has come to lead the world because of their….....