Apostles of Revolution
Jefferson, Paine, Monroe, and the Struggle Against the Old Order in America and Europe
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- $23.99
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- $23.99
Publisher Description
From acclaimed historian John Ferling, the story of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and James Monroe's involvement in the American and French Revolutions and their quest for sweeping change in both America and Europe.
Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and James Monroe hazarded all in quest of revolutions. As founding fathers, they risked their lives and their liberty for American independence, and as reformers, each rejoiced at the opportunity to be part of the French Revolution, praying that it in turn would inspire others to sweep away Europe's monarchies and titled nobilities.
For these three men, real revolution would lead to substantive political and social alterations and an escape from royal and aristocratic rule. But as the eighteenth century unfolded, these three separated onto different routes to revolution-two became soldiers, two became writers, and two became statesmen-and their united cause but divided means reshaped their country and the Western world.
Apostles of Revolution spans a crucial time in Western Civilization. The era ranged from the American insurgency against Great Britain to the Declaration of Independence, from desperate engagements on American battlefields to the bloody Terror in France. It culminates with the tumultuous election of 1800, the outcome of which – according to Jefferson – saved the American Revolution.
Written as a sweeping narrative of a turbulent and pivotal era, Apostles of the Revolution captures the spirit of our founding fathers and the history of America and Europe's great turning point.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
History professor Ferling (Whirlwind: The American Revolution and the War That Won It) effectively blends narrative history with analysis to provide a new perspective on the U.S.'s founding. He traces the evolution of "three politically engaged Founders who shared a sense of hopeful possibilities about liberating and empowering ordinary people" and the consequences of their ambitions. Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and James Monroe had all hoped that the revolt against England would catalyze political upheaval throughout Europe, and they struggled to accept both the disappointing results of the French Revolution and forces within their own country that they considered antidemocratic. Ferling walks readers through the arc of each man's life, injecting nuance and avoiding idealization; for example, he contrasts Jefferson's advocacy of treating people equally with his persistent refusals to publicly condemn slavery. Ferling brings the political struggles of his subjects to life, enriching readers both familiar and unfamiliar with the period's history with discussion of the now-obscure Federalist schemes to deny Jefferson the presidency in 1800. By noting present-day parallels to the risks that 19th-century oligarchs posed to democracy, Ferling has produced the best kind of popular history, one that illuminates why remembering the past is vital for the present.
