"The little known story of perhaps the most productive Congress in US history, the First Federal Congress of 1789-1791. The First Congress was the most important in US history, says prizewinning author and historian Fergus Bordewich, because it established how our government would actually function. Had it failed--as many at the time feared it would--it's possible that the United States as we know it would not exist today. The Constitution was a broad...

"After George Washington retired, many Americans genuinely wondered if the presidency would work, and the nation would survive. John Adams stepped into the role, knowing it would be nearly impossible. The task required all his diplomatic experience, independence, fierce stubbornness, intelligence, and the unflagging support of his brilliant wife, Abigail. In four years, he secured valuable peace in the face of opposition from his closest advisors...

Describes several aspects of the life of Founding Father George Washington, covering his military career, his presidency, his life at Mount Vernon, his treatment of his slaves, and his legacy. Includes fourteen primary documents, discussion questions, a chronology, and a further reading list.

A spellbinding history of the epic rivalry that shaped our republic: Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and their competing visions for America ... The decade of the 1790s has been called the 'age of passion.' Fervor ran high as rival factions battled over the course of the new republic-- each side convinced that the other's goals would betray the legacy of the Revolution so recently fought and so dearly won. All understood as well that what was...

A collection of letters, diary entries, speeches, and other documents written by George Washington, with brief introductions and archival photographs.