Fears of a Setting Sun: The Disillusionment of America's Founders

The founders of America, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, came to believe that their constitutional experiment was an utter failure that would not last beyond their generation. This disillusionment was caused by various factors such as partisanship, federal government weakness, civic virtue, and sectional divisions. James Madison was the only major founder who retained his faith in the constitutional order to the end.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 02 March 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press

The surprising story of how George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson came to despair for the future of the nation they had created is a captivating tale that has received too little attention in the annals of American history. While Americans still tend to hold the Constitution and republican government in high regard, it is important to note that the founders themselves were far less confident in what they had wrought, particularly by the end of their lives. In fact, most of them, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, came to deem America's constitutional experiment an utter failure that was unlikely to last beyond their own generation.

Fears of a Setting Sun, the first book to delve into this disillusionment, offers a comprehensive account of the various factors that led the founders to lose faith in their creation. Washington, for instance, lost his faith in the political system due to the rise of partisanship, which he saw as a threat to the stability and unity of the nation. Hamilton, on the other hand, believed that the federal government was too weak and needed to be strengthened to ensure the prosperity and security of the country. Adams, meanwhile, felt that the people lacked civic virtue and needed to be more engaged in the political process to ensure the success of the republic. Jefferson, for his part, was deeply troubled by sectional divisions laid bare by the spread of slavery, which he saw as a threat to the very fabric of the nation.

Despite these concerns, one major founder who retained his faith in America's constitutional order to the end was James Madison. The book explores why Madison remained relatively optimistic when so many of his compatriots did not, and offers insights into the factors that contributed to his unwavering belief in the American experiment.

As much as Americans today may worry about their country's future, it is important to recognize that the founders faced even graver problems and harbored even deeper misgivings. Fears of a Setting Sun provides a vivid and engaging account of a chapter of American history that has received too little attention, and will change the way that we look at the American founding, the Constitution, and indeed the United States.

In conclusion, the surprising story of how George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson came to despair for the future of the nation they had created is a testament to the human condition and the complexities of building a successful society. While Americans still hold the Constitution and republican government in high regard, it is important to remember that the founders themselves were far less confident in what they had wrought

The surprising story of how George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson came to despair for the future of the nation they had created is a captivating tale that has received too little attention in the annals of American history. While Americans still tend to hold the Constitution and republican government in high regard, it is important to note that the founders themselves were far less confident in what they had wrought, particularly by the end of their lives. In fact, most of them, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, came to deem America's constitutional experiment an utter failure that was unlikely to last beyond their own generation.

Fears of a Setting Sun, the first book to delve into this disillusionment, offers a comprehensive account of the various factors that led the founders to lose faith in their creation. Washington, for instance, lost his faith in the political system due to the rise. Washington, for instance, lost his faith in the political system due to the rise of partisanship, which he saw as a threat to the stability and unity of the nation. Hamilton, on the other hand, believed that the federal government was too weak and needed to be strengthened to ensure the prosperity and security of the country. Adams, meanwhile, felt that the people lacked civic virtue and needed to be more engaged in the political process to ensure the success of the republic. Jefferson, for his part, was deeply troubled by sectional divisions laid bare by the spread of slavery, which he saw as a threat to the very fabric of the nation.

Despite these concerns, one major founder who retained his faith in America's constitutional order to the end was James Madison. The book explores why Madison remained relatively optimistic when so many of his compatriots did not, and offers insights into the factors that contributed to his unwavering belief in the American experiment.

As much as Americans today may worry about their country's future, it is important to recognize that the founders faced even graver problems and harbored even deeper misgivings. Fears of a Setting Sun provides a vivid and engaging account of a chapter of American history that has received too little attention, and will change the way.

In conclusion, the surprising story of how George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson came to despair for the future of the nation they had created is a testament to the human condition and the complexities of building a successful society. While Americans still hold the Constitution and republican government in high regard, it is important to remember that the founders themselves were far less confident in what they had wrought.

Weight: 610g
Dimension: 165 x 251 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691210230