Washington and His Colleagues: A Chronicle of the Rise and Fall of Federalism

Ford, Henry Jones, 1851-1925Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.4

Word count: 281K words
Chapters: 29

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Washington and his colleagues; a chronicle of the rise and fall of federalismAuthor: Ford, Henry Jones, 1851-1925,Language: English, Class: E300: History: America: Revolution to the Civil War (1783-1861), Release Date: Mar 1, 2004

Editor's review

This book is a historical chronicle of the rise and fall of federalism in the early United States. Taking the political practice of Washington and his colleagues as its thread, Henry Jones Ford traces the positions, alliances, and divisions of the Federalists in the founding era. As a public-domain historical work, its value lies in presenting an early American political landscape from a particular historiographical perspective, making it suitable as supplementary reading for those interested in the founding era and the origins of party politics. The prose reflects the style of historical writing from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, emphasizing political figures and factional interaction rather than details of social or cultural history. Readers should note the author's period stance and narrative tendencies and should not treat it as the sole authoritative account. This is an English-language public-domain ebook suitable for readers with some English proficiency who wish to engage with primary historical sources, and also as companion reading for courses in American history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the political history of the early United States and the rise and fall of the Federalist Party
History students who need to engage with original English-language public-domain sources
Readers who wish to understand the style of American historical writing from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century
Readers with some English proficiency who prefer political narrative histories

Not a good fit for

General readers with limited English proficiency who prefer a Chinese translation
Readers expecting a systematic social or cultural history perspective
Readers seeking the latest scholarship and contemporary historiographical debates
Readers who prefer light literary reading and have little interest in political faction narratives

Reading tips

First gain a basic understanding of the early American debate between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans, then proceed to the main text.
Take notes on the differences in stance among Washington's colleagues as you read, to help clarify the evolution of factions.
Compare the book with contemporary scholarship on early American history, and note the author's period stance and narrative tendencies.
The English original can be read chapter by chapter; after each chapter, summarize in your own words the core political events and relationships among figures.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What is this book mainly about?

Taking the political activities of Washington and his colleagues as its thread, this book narrates the rise and fall of federalism in the early United States, covering Federalist positions, personal relationships, and factional divisions. It is a work of political narrative history.

What English level is needed to read this book?

This is an English-language public-domain ebook, written in the historical style of the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, with long sentences. A college-level reading proficiency in English is recommended, along with the ability to use a dictionary for historical and political terminology, for a smoother reading experience.

Is this book suitable as an introductory text on American history?

It is not really the best first choice for beginners. The book focuses on the specific topic of the rise and fall of federalism and reflects the author's period stance. Readers should first have a basic framework of the founding era, then use it as supplementary or comparative reading.

What should I note about the public-domain ebook edition?

This book is released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain ebook and typically contains no modern editorial notes or introduction. Readers may wish to consult maps, chronologies, or background materials to help understand the figures and events.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Ford, Henry Jones, 1851-1925 Author · American · 1851–1925

Henry Jones Ford (1851–1925) was an American political scientist and historian. Public information about him is limited, and few details of his life are widely circulated; scholars chiefly know his academic work through his writings. He focused on the historical evolution of American political institutions and political practice. His representative works include The Cleveland Era: A Chronicle of the New Order in Politics, which traces in chronicle form the transformation of the American political landscape in the late nineteenth century, and Washington and His Colleagues: A Chronicle of the Rise and Fall of Federalism, which narrates the rise and decline of federalism. He also wrote The Rise and Growth of American Politics. His writing emphasizes explaining institutional change through historical context, with clear organization that combines scholarship with readability. Two of his works are included in this collection, offering reference for the study of early American political history and federalism.