Founding Brothers

Joseph J. Ellis wrote Founding Brothers to portray the difficulties of early stage America in 1790. Ellis wants people to know that the decisions made weren’t easy and not everyone (colonial states) agreed on everything (slavery). There were many moving parts and key characters to win the decisions on laws we know and follow today. Ellis also wanted to show how people felt about certain subjects and will do anything to see it pass in Congress and protect it.   There was a connection between some of the main characters like James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. In chapter two Ellis shows the deals being made to have a financial plan set and the bond between Jefferson and Madison. This book is more than the decisions that were made, it’s also about the men who made them.
In the first chapter Alexander Hamilton reluctantly goes on a duel with Aaron Burr. Burr wanted Hamilton to take back all the libel he put in the media about him changing sides frequently and not having any political agenda. Hamilton accused Burr of being an opportunist and only took the side that would give him the biggest political position. Hamilton didn’t take any of it back because most of what he said was true and didn’t want to discredit himself. So, the duel was set in place to be the most known duel in American history. Hamilton didn’t want to take part, but he didn’t want to seem a coward and took the challenge. In the back of his mind he wasn’t going to shoot Burr and had an ominous feeling that we was going to die.
Dueling was illegal then (and still is) so Burr and Hamilton had to go to a secluded island across the Hudson River. They also made sure there were no eye witnesses just incase either side were to be questioned. Hamilton had no intention on shooting Burr so he purposely missed giving Burr the winning shot. Bur was surprised he shot Hamilton and knew it was a fatal wound. I think he wanted to apologize to Hamilton when he walked towards him, but he was told... [continues]

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