The Founding Fathers Book Review
Does the term “Founding Fathers” ring a bell? Warren G. Harding was the first man on record to refer to the first statesmen of America as the “Founding Fathers;” over fifty years after the last American Revolutionary soldier had died (Bernstein pg. 4). How interesting that this common term that we associate George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, just to name a few, was not such a common term. R.B. Bernstein’s The Founding Fathers Reconsidered, gives us a different view of what we associate “Founding Fathers” to be. All of the founders showed an outstanding ability to adapt not only to unstable environments during the birth of a nation, but to their political environment as well. The author's primary argument was in fact that all the "Fathers" did not get along and share the same views.
First, the author's leading argument was in fact that all the …show more content…
John Adams, on the other hand, obtained several bad reviews for showing up in duds that were so out of style – though Adams protested that using his old clothing was more economical. The author is showing an accurate account of how the people of the colonies looked at these “wise and powerful” men. How interesting that our second president was disapproved by the people because his fashion did not suit that era. The viewpoint from the average student who learns about these men definitely shifts. “Modern students of the U.S. Constitution hail federalism as its most creative feature--- yet federalism was a byproduct of individual decisions by the Federal Convention rather than a carefully devised system of relations between the federal government and the states” (Bernstein pg. 63). Students of the U.S. praise this federalism for being creative, however it was the Fathers who fought their way through writing
First, the author's leading argument was in fact that all the …show more content…
John Adams, on the other hand, obtained several bad reviews for showing up in duds that were so out of style – though Adams protested that using his old clothing was more economical. The author is showing an accurate account of how the people of the colonies looked at these “wise and powerful” men. How interesting that our second president was disapproved by the people because his fashion did not suit that era. The viewpoint from the average student who learns about these men definitely shifts. “Modern students of the U.S. Constitution hail federalism as its most creative feature--- yet federalism was a byproduct of individual decisions by the Federal Convention rather than a carefully devised system of relations between the federal government and the states” (Bernstein pg. 63). Students of the U.S. praise this federalism for being creative, however it was the Fathers who fought their way through writing