Knights & Knaves Alehouse

So I'm a little familiar with the Revolutionary War, but less so with the time period immediately after it (which I suppose comprise the nuts and bolts of our Democracy, when things were unknown still). Jefferson is probably unseating Washington for my #1 spot. But then I haven't started in on reading post RW Washington history. I am not a fast reader, but I'm working my way threw Jefferson's biography. Some of it is pretty incredible. It really makes a difference reading source material when you can.

AxeMental wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 31, 2020 4:57 pm

I am not a fast reader, but I'm working my way threw Jefferson's biography. Some of it is pretty incredible. It really makes a difference reading source material when you can.

The Art of Power about Jefferson is indeed an incredible book. I want to read John Adams by David McCullough which also won a Pulitzer.

One thing I didn't realize was how the British were playing their "divide and concur" scheme between American segments early on. The British didn't see the Louisiana Purchase coming I suppose...America can't be THAT big. Indeed it can. Thanks for the suggestion. Yeah, John Adams is probably my third. Will check that out once I finish these.

My favorite founding father is St. Augustine.

E. Gary Gygax

George Washington, a cliched choice but for a specific reason: The ability to carry that mantle of leadership, with so much honor and principle, through such incredible stress, fear, and uncertainty - only in hindsight do we know it was heroic. For all he knew, it would end with his soldiers massacred, he and his friends hanging, and his family in poverty, for nothing. A footnote in history. In fact, that was the likely ending. To hold himself and everyone together, and be an effective, daring commander through it all is amazing to me.

As we know, when danger or fear increase, people's morals and morale can slip rapidly. As far as I know, his did not.

francisca wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:59 pm

E. Gary Gygax

I second this!

garhkal wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 01, 2020 12:32 am

francisca wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:59 pm

E. Gary Gygax

I second this!

Thirded

Palamedes...for inventing dice. Otherwise D&D would be hella boring.

Washington, without a doubt.

Ethan Allen because he kicked ass

AxeMental wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 31, 2020 4:57 pm

+1

Either Paine or Jefferson.

Washington, the Indispensable Man

For those who want the best biography of Jefferson, read Jefferson and His Time (6 vols) by Dumas Malone

Late 18th Century American history has been a lifelong study for me. It was an incredible couple of generations and all of the following have an incredibly lot to offer: John Adams, Samuel Adams, Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Mason, George Washington, James Wilson, and more...

PJ's Thomas Paine is a great choice, although he was more "revolutionary" than "founder". His Common Sense pamphlet, though, is at least equal in import to every other document of the era. It is a direct causal precursor to Independence. That's something I like to read often.

My "favorite" founder, though, is probably James Otis, Jr.. Forgotten by many, Otis established the intellectual framework for revolution on the basis of protecting our fundamental rights way back in the early 1760s (see case "Against the Writs of Assistance" and "The Rights of the Colonies Asserted and Proved"). John Adams, himself, gives credit to Otis for igniting the revolution in the famous Writs of Assistance case. The events around that case make for an incredibly exciting story (esp. to me!) and Adams notes on the case are uplifting. It's almost certainly out of print, but this is one of the most entertaining books I"ve ever read on the period and Otis is central to it:
https://www.amazon.com/Three-Men-Boston ... 205&sr=8-3

If you are looking to dig very deeply into the era, esp. philosophically, the follwoing two books are absolutely essential. I own and have read hundreds of books on the era and these might be the two secondary sources I would grab from my collection if I could only have two:

https://www.amazon.com/Creation-America ... 164&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/Radicalism-Ameri ... 161&sr=1-1