The Farewell, By Joseph J. Ellis

Book Review
Founding Brothers

America born through the hardships and brave lives that severed and fought the British Army during our American Revolution. The Founding Brothers book by Joseph J. Ellis is about some important people and figures during and after the American Revolution. They are Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, John Adams, George Washington, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson above others. These men contributed to the making of our great country in some way or another. The Founding Brothers explains this in a few short story’s or chapters, to help understand how they contributed. For people to understand what Ellis is trying to teach us they must understand what are famous figures did. “The Duel”, “The Dinner”, “The Silence”,

Elected in 1789, George Washington enjoyed being “The Father of the Country”, his reputation of fighting with his soldiers during the Revolutionary War. But on September 19, 1796 he announced his Farewell Address to the public Washington was leaving office. Alexander Hamilton helped Washington make his speech so the preparations for John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to compete for Presidency had already begun. George Washington has threated to retire from public life before his election and re-election. Washington, being 62 at the time had to deal with a lot of health and mental issues. Ellis thought that Washington feared the possibility of dying while in office, by volunteering stepping down from office he set the model of how the future presidents should leave office. He wanted to quit while he was still well known, to show that presidents were replaceable no matter how well know they are. This Chapter shows Washington is his true kind and responsible nature, Ellis showed Washington during his important moments of leading a country. Ellis message here was how Washington set the terms of how this country should be run. He made sure he didn’t stay for long even though people wanted him too. His last words, “Tis well,” reflects perfectly his hope for the nation’s

When Washington left office, the first presidential race began. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, friends during the Revolution, were now against each other to win the first presidential race. No campaign structure existed, and during the time people were afraid that the country could not handle debates between candidates. At the time the public judged candidates by revolutionary credentials than their political beliefs, Adams and Jefferson were the two main choices. The two were complete opposites, Jefferson was “tall, and skinny” while Adams was “short, and a bit chubby”, Adams let his emotions control his actions while Jefferson was always clear minded. But this made them the perfect match, their friendship defied their political affiliations, they trusted one another and it seemed impossible that they could be revivals. But with these elections the two found themselves against one another in the first Presidential campaign. Adams was the first vice-president to George Washington so he favored a victory in his favor but still faced issues. Ellis discusses the biggest issues that was Jefferson, unfairly criticized him for the sake of getting political votes. Adams did eventually win the electoral vote and became president, he made Jefferson his vice-president but they were unable to get the friendship back to how it was before the elections. Eventually Thomas Jefferson was able to become the third