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Friendships In Jonathan Ellis's The Founding Brothers

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The story The Founding Brothers is focused on a group of important leaders and specific events that were made following the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Jonathan Ellis examines relationships during the Revolutionary generation of the founding fathers and their influences, showing modern readers how their differences helped mold the development of the United States. By explaining personal friendships that were tested, the character of the founding brothers, and revealed the diversity in political beliefs and arguments these men conquered that influenced the early development of the United States. The book focuses on a plethora of stories following a variety of different events pertaining to how they dealt with shaping the United States and how tough it was. These key members were making history by working hard to do something that was never done before. They experimented, argued, failed, and succeeded in …show more content…

Washington wants to give a message of guidelines to the people after he is finished serving his second term. “It should, by all rights, be called the farewell letter, for it was in form and tone an open letter to the American people, telling them they were now on their own.” (Ellis 122) Washington's main goal for the country was to stay at peace. Washington said this would happen by staying out of foreign affairs and focusing on ways for the country to become more strong. “The rest of the Farewell Address was then devoted to foreign policy, calling for strict American neutrality and diplomatic independence from the tangled affairs of europe.” (Ellis128) Unity and independence was essential to Washington's plan. Jonathan Ellis writes this revealing Washington's character of being loyal to how much power he had and the proper way to use it. Washington retires in his most prime time of being a leader because he wanted to prove that he was loyal to the

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Founding Brothers In the "Founding Brothers" by Joseph Ellis he tries to tell us a story about our founding fathers and their great generation. He tells us about some of our founding fathers and what they had to do to set the frame work for our government today. He also talks about some of the issues they face and how they will later dissolve into issues to follow later. These leaders are considered to be our revolutionary leaders. They argued that succession from the British empire is enviable.

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Despite the thirteen colonies defeating Great Britain and gaining independence, new problems erupted regarding how their new nation should be governed. Founding Brothers, written by Joseph Ellis, highlights the challenges the founding fathers faced when attempting to establish a functioning government. Although there were many differing ideas, the widely known men discovered a middle ground allowing them to combat the challenges both at home and abroad, which resulted in the United States of America. Compromises were reached when solving a conflict, but before that stage, the founding brothers had many differing ideas preventing them to move forward. For example, the Compromise of 1790 was discussed with Madison and Hamilton over dinner hosted

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After a fiercely fought revolution, the newly independent American nation struggled to establish a concrete government amidst an influx of opposing ideologies. Loosely tied together by the Articles of Confederation, the thirteen sovereign states were far from united. As growing schisms in American society became apparent, an array of esteemed, prominent American men united in 1787 to form the basis of the United States government: the Constitution. Among the most eminent members of this convention were Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson. These men, held to an almost godly stature, defined the future of the nation; but were their intentions as honest as they seemed?

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Washington would see that individual communities and movements have created change for themselves, while working against others. It’s amazing what could be done if we stopped working against each other. While political parties aren’t going away, which would be to Washington’s dismay, he would suggest that the next president figure out a way to stop the two main parties, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, from being convinced their beliefs are the “correct” beliefs. If we cannot get rid of political parties, the best we can do is unite them. The only way to change our country is by working with each other, not against each other.

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George Washington also acknowledge that he made mistakes himself and is far from a perfect individual but made clear to be open minded of criticism and corrections and to seek challenges by taking the easy routes in life. Washington’s Farewell Address is important part of our history and is taught up till this day to young American children in our schools and by Historians but few people understand the meaning and the importance behind the Farewell Letter. The Farewell Address the federal government, warnings against the party systems, the importance of religion and morality, warnings against forming a permanent foreign alliance, and a powerful military. George Washington has an overwhelming reputation by his military service, his position as our first president of the United States of America, and by leaving his position in office by leaving behind his Farewell Address to give present and future Americans insight on the history of our country and what it’s known for. It’s well encouraged to research what American history is about and how we can apply the Farewell Address into our life by living in peace, exercising our freedom of speech and choice or religions, along with respecting our governments and live in unity to achieve success.

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‘’He did not think of his course of action as suicidal, but as another gallant gamble of the sort he was accustomed to winning’’ (87). Reading the book Founding Brothers advanced my comprehension of creating a country, and how important it is to work together. In order for someone to understand what lesson Joseph Ellis was trying to teach, one must first come to an understanding of these five short stories. The first story to understand is called the duel. The duel is one of the most historical conflicts in history.

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