Flowers, Guns, and Money: Joel Roberts Poinsett and the Paradoxes of American Patriotism

Joel Roberts Poinsett was a forgotten statesman who pioneered a form of patriotism that prioritized self-interest and served the nation's ambitions and financial interests. He was an investor, enslaver, confidant of Andrew Jackson, secret agent, Congressman, and Secretary of War who oversaw the Trail of Tears and the war against Native Americans. He was also a naturalist, after whom the poinsettia is named.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 28 November 2023
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

A captivating historical narrative unveils the remarkable story of Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779 – 1851), a statesman largely overlooked in the annals of American history. Poinsett's brand of self-interested patriotism sheds light on the intricate paradoxes that characterized the antebellum United States. Hailing from South Carolina, he held diverse roles as an investor, enslaver, confidant of Andrew Jackson, and covert operative in South America, actively participating in the Chiles War for Independence. Poinsett's political career soared as he ascended to the position of ambitious Congressman and Secretary of War, overseeing the tragic Trail of Tears and orchestrating the longest and most costly war against Native Americans in American history. Despite these controversial endeavors, he also played a pivotal role in the founding of the Smithsonian Institution.

In addition to his political achievements, Poinsett possessed a remarkable dualism as a naturalist. While serving as the first US ambassador to Mexico, he appropriated the poinsettia, a plant now synonymous with Christmas. This act of appropriation not only enriched his botanical knowledge but also left a lasting legacy, as the poinsettia bears his name.

Through the lens of Lindsay Schakenbach Regele's book, "Flowers, Guns, and Money," Poinsett emerges as a quintessential figure who personified a type of patriotism that emerged in the aftermath of the American Revolution. This form of patriotism saw statesmen serve the nation by prioritizing their own ambitions and financial interests. Whether waging wars, advocating for states' rights while supporting slavery, or championing agricultural and infrastructural improvements in his native South Carolina, Poinsett consistently acted in his self-interest. By delving into the life and actions of Poinsett, Schakenbach Regele offers a profound exploration of an America characterized by opportunity, violence, freedom, slavery, and nationalism, all intertwined with a profound sense of self-interest.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226829623