American Creation

American Creation, Triumph And Tragedies At The Founding Of The Republic
A 243 page book written byPulitzer Pize winner Joseph J. Ellis, published by Alfred A. Knopf, in 2007.
This historical study details the first 28 years of our nation, starting in 1775 before the Declaration of Independence and ending with the period of organization shortly after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
The events leading up to the Revolutionary War are well known and briefly visited. There were missteps by the King of England and within that a poor understanding of the demographics involved. England was trying to control the colonies which was seperated by the Atlantic had a greater land area and within which was a rapidly growing population. Expansion and the independent spirit that possessed could not be controlled, a point soon to be learned by the first three presidents. It is interesting to point out that Washington considered the Revolutionary War to be a continuance of the French and Indian War.
Following the war the country was operating under the Articles of Confederation, within which the states operated autonomously, with minimal respect for the needs of the national government. Commitment to the nation as a unified body was so low that the capital was not in a fixed location, it kind of floated around sort of like a garden club might shift from home to home. While this was in effect the nation was building debt without an ability to collect taxes, this was causing the fledgling nation have low prestige in its trade with foreign nations.
The future of the country was not looking good. James Madison the Virginian disciple of Thomas Jefferson, through deception and detailed preparation, was the catalyst for organizing the Confederation to meet revise their government system. These men along with James Monroe and Alexander Hamilton were advocating a stronger central government. What followed was not unlike you might expect today, politicians eager to maintain their personal and state’s political power, were reluctant to cede power to a central government. They had just run England out for being a central power not having regard for citizens. Within Madison’s scheming was attaining the commitment of the reluctant George Washington to serve as the first president. A major disappointment to Madison and Jefferson was the compromise that created the two houses of Congress, one representing the population demographics and the additional house which gave equal representation to every state, the Senate. This disappointment was short lived for many soon realized that this design gave the government the ability to be both dynamic in is response to the public while simultaneously being stable and resistant to rapid change.
Washington served two terms as President. At one time, the only time for a sitting president, leading the army into Pennsylvania to quell the Whiskey Rebellion. Other issues included negotiations with growing conflict between an expanding populace and the indigenous Indians. A major treaty was signed in New York between the US government and the Creek tribe of the south. The Creeks lived in the area that is now Georgia west of the Oconee River and west into Mississippi. They were led by a ¼ Creek named Alexander McGillivray, a man born and raised in Carolina of a ½ Scottish father. McGillivray, using is classical training, for a couple of years played the competing interests of the Spanish against the Americans. In the end the Georgians ignored the treaty and affirmed what the English experience confirmed, that demographics can be overwhelming.
Following Washington was Adams, who offered Jefferson a share of responsibility and was declined. Thomas Jefferson at this time, with interests in Virginia and mentality based in agrarian life had come to detest the central bank created and run by Alexander Hamilton. The scheming Jefferson used Madison as his point man, giving life to the two party system, with the central government Federalists and the populist Republicans.
At the time Jefferson became president, Napoleon was rampaging through Europe and preparing for an assault on England. Also having just been trounced in Santo Domingo by revolting slaves, Napoleon realized that running operations so far from his base was folly. Needing cash for the attack on England, Napoleon instructed his diplomat Talleyrand to sell the Louisiana tract just obtained from the King of Spain. For Jefferson to deal without Congressional approval an extra Constitutional act that was to good to resist. Jefferson made the deal and then begged the forgiveness of Congress by then asking for approval. Approval was a slam dunk, the deal was too good to pass up, the land was bought for 4 cents and acre. Jefferson’s administration of the new land created many positive opportunities and some negative omissions. The land provided great expanses for relocating Indians and by selling the land to citizens, provided for income to the government. Omissions centered about Jefferson’s unwillingness make the new lands off limits to slavery, and the initial treatment of established government organizations in Louisiana and New Orleans as colonies having citizens without full rights as Americans.
This was a good book. I would characterize the author as a blue state man because he spent an great deal of time describing how the founders mistreated the Indians and for refusing to deny slavery. I learned a lot and recommend the book
On a scale of 1-10, "American Creation" gets a 7.