The Founders on the Founders
Two centuries after the struggle for independence our nation’s Founders often are shrouded in myth and mystery. Their achievements often cloud their personalities and their interactions with each other. In The Founders on the Founders: Word Portraits from the American Revolution Era (University of Virginia Press, 2008) John P. Kaminski compiles word portraits of 30 key people in the formative years of the nation’s history by looking at the words of the Founders as they interacted with one another. Their observations about each other cannot be characterized as a mutual admiration society. Amidst their honesty, however, the pictures that emerge reaffirm the importance and greatness of their achievements. We have selected some observations by various individuals on 15 Founders included in Kaminski’s The Founders on the Founders. We think after perusing these selections, you will find the Founding Generation to be poignant, prickly, humorous, and respectful. We have also included the introductory essay that prefaces The Founders on the Founders (pdf) in hopes that it will lead you to further inquiry into their lives.
Selected Individuals covered in The Founders on the Founders
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