The Return of George Washington - 1783-1789

Zusatztext "Astonishes with continual revelations of a Washington deeply engaged in national affairs and concerned for the floundering United States on the verge of collapse." Informationen zum Autor EDWARD J. LARSON is University Professor of History and holds the Hugh & Hazel Darling Chair in Law at Pepperdine University. His numerous awards and honors include the Pulitzer Prize for History. Klappentext In this groundbreaking new look at our first citizen! Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward J. Larson masterfully chronicles how George Washington saved the United States by coming out of retirement four years after the War of Independence to lead—and unite—the struggling new nation. Though the period between the Revolution and the Presidency has previously been neglected in studies of Washington’s life! Larson’s striking reassessment shows that Washington’s greatness in fact rests on these years—1783 to 1789—and rightfully elevates our foremost Founding Father’s “forgotten years” to a central place in the American story. From the moment of General Washington’s resignation! to his victory in the first federal elections and triumphant inauguration in New York! The Return of George Washington is a landmark work that will forever change our understanding and appreciation of America’s great founder.  Zusammenfassung Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward J. Larson recovers a crucially important—yet almost always overlooked—chapter of George Washington’s life! revealing how Washington saved the United States by coming out of retirement to lead the Constitutional Convention and serve as our first president. After leading the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War! George Washington shocked the world: he retired. In December 1783! General Washington! the most powerful man in the country! stepped down as Commander in Chief and returned to private life at Mount Vernon. Yet as Washington contentedly grew his estate! the fledgling American experiment floundered. Under the Articles of Confederation! the weak central government was unable to raise revenue to pay its debts or reach a consensus on national policy. The states bickered and grew apart. When a Constitutional Convention was established to address these problems! its chances of success were slim. Jefferson! Madison! and the other Founding Fathers realized that only one man could unite the fractious states: George Washington. Reluctant! but duty-bound! Washington rode to Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 to preside over the Convention. Although Washington is often overlooked in most accounts of the period! this masterful new history from Pulitzer Prize-winner Edward J. Larson brilliantly uncovers Washington’s vital role in shaping the Convention—and shows how it was only with Washington’s support and his willingness to serve as President that the states were brought together and ratified the Constitution! thereby saving the country. ...

Product details

• Authors: Edward Larson, Edward J Larson, Edward J. Larson
• Publisher: Harper Collins Usa
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 28.10.2014
• EAN: 9780062344090
• ISBN: 978-0-06-234409-0
• No. of pages: 592
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 30 mm
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; HISTORY: WORLD, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY: Political, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY: Presidents & Heads of State, HISTORY: United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800), PHILOSOPHY: Essays, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY: Military, HISTORY: Military / General, HISTORY: Americas (North, Central, South, West Indies), POLITICAL SCIENCE: Constitutions, PHILOSOPHY: Political