Revolutionary Characters: The Second Golden Age

From the cover of the book Revolutionary Characters: what made the founders different, one can be mistaken to think that the book only features revolutionaries from the Victorian era. Far from it; historian Gordon Brown examines individuals whose contributions in the past have, continue to, and will in the future shape the world’s thinking. The cover shows a man on a white horse seemingly looking behind him where there is a semblance of a battleground. The horizon behind the horse rider shows dark clouds and a largely blackened terrain. Immediately behind the horse rider, there is a dried up tree. The cover image, however, does not show anything from the future; probably indicating that a clear examination of the past, it is impossible to accurately what will be of the future. That is why as the horse and the rider move forward, they enter into an uncharted space in time. The author examines leaders from different times in history, thus the two phases present in the book. This documentation of revolutionary leaders from the past delves into their actions and identifies what made them …show more content…
The end of the Second World War led to the demise of this phase. Even though this period occurred over five decades after the Declaration of Independence had been adopted (Wood 4). The generations of Americans that followed were amazed by the brilliance the revolutionaries had exhibited in their thoughts, politics, and achievements. The Second Golden Age is an ongoing era especially since Americans have developed a habit of seeking wisdom from the words and decisions of past leaders. However, Lincoln was categorical in stating that it was necessary for the memory of the great leaders to dim upon the memory of Americans and the world. As the 19th century ended, more historians had come to agree with Lincoln. These historians started questioning and exposing discrepancies in the achievement, ideas and lives of the