Novel Critique on Founding Brothers

Throughout the novel, Ellis conveys the conflicts between eight statesmen that have interconnected personal relationships and as a result of their conflicts our nation was shaped. In the first chapter, Ellis writes of Hamilton and Burr’s duel as a result of their rival political past.

“Burr was there because Hamilton had been libeling him throughout their criss-crossing careers in public life…if he [Hamilton] did not answer Burr’s challenge, he would be repudiating his well-known convictions, and in so doing, he would lose the respect of those political colleagues on whom his reputation depended…If Burr went to Weehawken out of frustratio

n, Hamilton went out of a combination of ambition and insecurity.” P.38

“Taken together [Madison and Franklin], he and Franklin would have made a nearly unbeatable team. But in 1790, they were on different sides.” p. 113

Throughout his six stories, Ellis shows it is evident that impacting decisions for our nation were made in an instant. In chapter two, America’s finance program and the location of the nation’s capital are decided over dinner. These two principle factors were decided in one night. Ellis goes on to show throughout the novel five other moments in history that shaped our nation all over the course of a quarter century.

“Hamilton was both surprised and mystified when Madison came out against his funding scheme.” p. 56

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