Joseph Ellis Founding Brothers

Postbellum United States required great attention to both its creation, rejuvenation, and restoration as a stable nation. In the book, Founding Brothers, Joseph Ellis presented readers with an insight into some of the more problematic portions of the creation of this nation. Some issues within the border of the Union, namely those surrounding the national debt and establishment of the capitol of the United States were addressed with urgency while slavery, another great problem that inevitably had to be assessed, was turned a blind eye to. A great divide between Northern and Southern states concerning deep rooted, political, economic, and social beliefs was ever present. Top officials who once came together to see this nation rise from the ashes began to adopt a state influenced point of view. Efforts to …show more content…
When George Washington’s Farewell Address was published in newspapers all over, numerous discussions over the topic at had erupted. A main point of the address was to promote American neutrality best summed up as “unity at home and independence abroad” (Ellis, 129). There were supporters and dissenters of this notion alike. But Washington’s main goal was to avoid the infant nation going to war. In attempt to remain neutral, Washington worked with John Jay to draft Jay’s Treaty. The treaty was essentially all in England’s favor, but Washington’s underlying reasoning of creating it was to hopefully gain England’s fleets for naval defense. The terms of the treaty included recognizing “England’s right to retain tariffs on American exports while granting English imports most favored status in the United States” (Ellis, 136). Although the problems concerning foreign affairs were handled accordingly, achieving what was planned, the treaty was widely unpopular in the States, specifically by Thomas