"Founding Brothers" by Joseph J. Ellis is a book documenting the "historical drama" (pg. 3) that occurred during the formation and unification of the United States of America. This novel displays the conflicts that infant, post-revolutionary America had to face when dealing with foreign policy, power of government, and differing political ideologies. In "Founding Brothers", the thesis states that post-revolutionary America was fragile, prone to conflict, and overall divided. This was because of the differing of opinions on the topics such as slavery and the fiscal debt, but also the constant conflict between the Republicans and the Federalists. This was because of the founding concept of the nation which was that the people hold the power. There is rarely ever a case where two opposing groups shared the same opinions. Due to its complex structure and extensive vocabulary "Founding Brothers" is known as a complicated piece of literature that is aimed to be read by students who want a more in depth understanding in the beginnings of the United States. While many school textbooks give a rough gist of the history, "Founding Brothers" provides a more in depth understanding and more emotional meaning to the struggles that the founders of the country faced. Having this understanding helps to better understand the historical significance of what transpired.
"Founding Brothers" had a structure somewhat like a wheel; each chapter telling stories, the spokes of the wheel, of the problems dealt with by the U.S. government and its founding fathers, which congealed on the center point that early United States history was burdened with conflict. The first chapter is the only chapter put of order intended to capture the reader's attention by telling a gripping story of a duel that took place between Aaron Burr an Alexander Hamilton on the plains of Weehawken.
