I chose to practice the virtue of Resolution, because I don't feel like I make that many, and often when I do I don't follow completely through with them. Franklin defines the virtue of resolution with two short simple sentences: "Resolve to preform what you ought. Preform without fail what you resolve." I hope I do well with this because it seems like something I already should be doing.
Sunday:
Today I made a pretty simple resolve, but it wasn't the easiest to keep however. I resolved to not get frustrated with my siblings on the long ride to and from church. It is about an hour and a half ride one way, and I have six younger siblings, so it can get a little crazy and I often get stressed out, but today I think I did pretty well. They kicked my seat, got loud, and put (accidentally) a dirty shoe on my book, but I took a few deep breaths and just read some of Ashley's Autobiography.
Monday:
Today I resolved to make my bed all week. I kind of slack off in that area and my mom doesn't like it too much. So I made my bed, but otherwise I didn't do anything special. Not the best day.
Tuesday:
I made my bed! I'm finding this more difficult than I thought at first because I don't know what to resolve. I don't want to just make something up, but I'm getting a little desperate!
Wednesday:
Franklin said "Resolve to preform what you ought." So if I just resolve to do every chore and help out when I should, does that count? Anyway, that's what I did for today.
Thursday:
So today was another failure to think of something good to resolve to do, but I do all the regular things I'm supposed to do today; including making my bed, and making the bed for Ashley to sleep in with new clean sheets and all that. =]
Friday:
Today I did all the usual things again, but I did resolve something else! I've been meaning to start running again and get back in shape, and so, I figured now was a good time to start. So, I did. =]
Saturday:
Today was bad. I didn't go running because I got some bad news and didn't really feel like doing much of anything, and didn't. Kind of a bad way to end the week, but the circumstances weren't so great, however, virtues are virtues and should probably be practiced at all times. Most people don't usually like excuses. I plan to continue my running resolution though tomorrow.
Evaluation:
I think besides my last day I did pretty well. It was hard trying to think of something to resolve every day, but eventually I decided to think of everyday as one big resolution to do my best at "preforming what I ought". That might seem pretty simple but it isn't always as simple as it seems. And besides my last day, I did try every day to follow through.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
History: Author's Intent for A Midwife's Tale
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich is a professor at Harvard University and also a historian of women and early American history. Along with A Midwife’s Tale she has written other books including Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History and Good Wives and The Age of Homespun. A Midwife’s Tale was likely her most recognized and won the Pulitzer Prize for history and was the source for a documentary. Ulrich had three main reasons for writing her book A Midwife’s Tale; for Martha, for women, and for herself.
Martha Ballard was an incredible hard working woman even by eighteenth and nineteenth century standards. Martha took care of her neighbors through sickness and troubles while maintaining her own home and watching over her family. She delivered over eight hundred and fourteen babies, carefully documenting each along with her daily activities. The fact that Martha kept such a diary that documented so much was amazing; but few other people seemed to feel this way. Ulrich realized the unique and remarkableness of the diary and of Martha herself and wanted to give them some justice. Many people found Martha Ballard’s diary to be dull or to have too many topics that related to sexual behavior, so not much was done with it. Ulrich wanted to change that, and so wrote her book; not as a substitution for Martha’s diary, but to shed some light on the importance of the diary and on Martha’s unique and laborious life.
As a feminist, Ulrich was especially drawn to Martha Ballard’s diary. Through her diary one can see that some of the common assumptions about woman during Martha’s time might not be completely true. It is clear in the diary that women not only kept house and garden while raising children, (hard work in itself) but many also had other jobs such as midwifery, or in the area of textiles and were business women in their own way. Ulrich wanted to show the importance of women in early American communities as they don’t always get their due; she wanted to show all the work that women really did do.
As a historian Ulrich was interested in Martha Ballard’s diary on a personal level as well. By researching events in Martha’s diary Ulrich delved into many historical documents and learned a great deal of history not only about Martha, but about the community in which she lived and other historical events surrounding the diary and revelations on the ways people lived during Martha’s time.
The history of Martha and the history hidden in her diary, also the ability to explore the roles of women in Martha’s time and show their crucial place interested Ulrich. She wanted to give Martha Ballard’s under appreciated diary some of the attention it deserved, and so with these reasons combining she wrote her book A Midwife’s Tale: The life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812.
Martha Ballard was an incredible hard working woman even by eighteenth and nineteenth century standards. Martha took care of her neighbors through sickness and troubles while maintaining her own home and watching over her family. She delivered over eight hundred and fourteen babies, carefully documenting each along with her daily activities. The fact that Martha kept such a diary that documented so much was amazing; but few other people seemed to feel this way. Ulrich realized the unique and remarkableness of the diary and of Martha herself and wanted to give them some justice. Many people found Martha Ballard’s diary to be dull or to have too many topics that related to sexual behavior, so not much was done with it. Ulrich wanted to change that, and so wrote her book; not as a substitution for Martha’s diary, but to shed some light on the importance of the diary and on Martha’s unique and laborious life.
As a feminist, Ulrich was especially drawn to Martha Ballard’s diary. Through her diary one can see that some of the common assumptions about woman during Martha’s time might not be completely true. It is clear in the diary that women not only kept house and garden while raising children, (hard work in itself) but many also had other jobs such as midwifery, or in the area of textiles and were business women in their own way. Ulrich wanted to show the importance of women in early American communities as they don’t always get their due; she wanted to show all the work that women really did do.
As a historian Ulrich was interested in Martha Ballard’s diary on a personal level as well. By researching events in Martha’s diary Ulrich delved into many historical documents and learned a great deal of history not only about Martha, but about the community in which she lived and other historical events surrounding the diary and revelations on the ways people lived during Martha’s time.
The history of Martha and the history hidden in her diary, also the ability to explore the roles of women in Martha’s time and show their crucial place interested Ulrich. She wanted to give Martha Ballard’s under appreciated diary some of the attention it deserved, and so with these reasons combining she wrote her book A Midwife’s Tale: The life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
History Post 2: A midwife's Tale Thematic Question 2
What was the role of a Midwife during the late 18th and early 19th century Maine? What changes did Martha Ballard see in medical practices during her life time?
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century midwives had many duties and were often skilled in more than just delivering babies. Being a midwife at that time was hard and tiring work for skilled women. During Martha’s career and especially toward the end, male doctors became more common and pushier and began to change medical practices of the time.
Being a midwife was difficult for many reasons. There were troubles and annoyances, even dangers before they even got to the birth site. Midwives had to be prepared to be called at any hour of the day or night while they were busy or sleeping. “Snowd. I was calld at 7 hour Evening to see Mrs. Mthews who is in labor. I tarried all night. Slept none.” (1) Martha was almost always deprived of sleep, because delivering babies was not the only thing a midwife had to do. When Martha arrived home after a tiring delivery had to be prepared to finish her house hold work of baking, mending, washing and more before she could act on the thought of rest.
Braving the travel to the patient’s house was often a dangerous part of being a midwife. Crossing rivers in the night and the cold of winter, and being thrown from horses were only some of the troubles encountered by Martha Ballard and other Maine midwives.
Midwives had to be prepared to deliver babies and know what to do if the birth did not go properly on its own. Not only did they have to know how to deliver babies, but how to care for them or their mothers if they became ill. Many Midwives were not just skilled in midwifery, but also often in herbal medicines, and treatment of the sick. Martha Ballard made many hundreds of sick calls as well as the calls that came from mothers in labor. This often called for extra work at home for the midwife, such as more gardening than the average woman because of the special herbs needed and also medical attention for family members as well as those who pay for the service. “I have done my hous work and dug gardin.” (1)
Originally a midwife was much more common to be called for a delivery than a doctor. If a doctor was called it was usually only in extenuating circumstances. The midwives were very competent and the people knew it. During Martha Ballard’s time this began to change, especially toward the end of her life, doctors called for sickness and births were becoming more common.
For a time it seemed as though doctors knew their place; and that place was taking care of the more serious issues. Midwives delivered babies unless there were serious complications and then a doctor was called. For sicknesses or discomforts healers had their herbs. Doctors were sometimes consulted or even worked with without real competition or hostility, and midwives and healers were even invited to attend dissection autopsies. “I was Calld to my sons to see the Desection of the Son of Esquire Davis which was preformd very Closly.” (1)
Quietly competition came and grew as doctors became more determined to deliver the services that had long since been the woman midwife or healer’s tasks. Many midwives and healers disapproved of some of the doctor’s methods such as bleeding and always seeming to use the most drastic methods first. “They inform me that Dr Page says it must be opined, which I should think improper from present appearance.” (1) They also did not like the lack of experience of some doctors, midwives and healers had to stand by quietly as they were slowly pushed out of the way. Eventually it became unfitting for a woman to perform the duties that they had been practicing for so long.
Being a midwife in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries took skill, diligence, competence, sacrifice and the good heart of a neighbor. Being a midwife meant long days and nights of hard work, whether for their practice or what was expected of them as a woman running a house hold. Martha Ballard delivered over eight hundred and fourteen babies in her life time while also keeping up her house, taking care of her own family and tending to hundreds of sick people. Male doctors eventually took this away from the women, making midwife and healer duties not fit for women and therefore taking over their practice, but they couldn’t keep the women away from medical practices forever. Women began trying to gain their rights to attend the sick once again. Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in the United States to graduate from medical school, and one of her followers, Mary Hobart, who was related to Martha Ballard, was herself a pioneer in the medical world of women.
Source:
(1) A Midwife's Tale by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century midwives had many duties and were often skilled in more than just delivering babies. Being a midwife at that time was hard and tiring work for skilled women. During Martha’s career and especially toward the end, male doctors became more common and pushier and began to change medical practices of the time.
Being a midwife was difficult for many reasons. There were troubles and annoyances, even dangers before they even got to the birth site. Midwives had to be prepared to be called at any hour of the day or night while they were busy or sleeping. “Snowd. I was calld at 7 hour Evening to see Mrs. Mthews who is in labor. I tarried all night. Slept none.” (1) Martha was almost always deprived of sleep, because delivering babies was not the only thing a midwife had to do. When Martha arrived home after a tiring delivery had to be prepared to finish her house hold work of baking, mending, washing and more before she could act on the thought of rest.
Braving the travel to the patient’s house was often a dangerous part of being a midwife. Crossing rivers in the night and the cold of winter, and being thrown from horses were only some of the troubles encountered by Martha Ballard and other Maine midwives.
Midwives had to be prepared to deliver babies and know what to do if the birth did not go properly on its own. Not only did they have to know how to deliver babies, but how to care for them or their mothers if they became ill. Many Midwives were not just skilled in midwifery, but also often in herbal medicines, and treatment of the sick. Martha Ballard made many hundreds of sick calls as well as the calls that came from mothers in labor. This often called for extra work at home for the midwife, such as more gardening than the average woman because of the special herbs needed and also medical attention for family members as well as those who pay for the service. “I have done my hous work and dug gardin.” (1)
Originally a midwife was much more common to be called for a delivery than a doctor. If a doctor was called it was usually only in extenuating circumstances. The midwives were very competent and the people knew it. During Martha Ballard’s time this began to change, especially toward the end of her life, doctors called for sickness and births were becoming more common.
For a time it seemed as though doctors knew their place; and that place was taking care of the more serious issues. Midwives delivered babies unless there were serious complications and then a doctor was called. For sicknesses or discomforts healers had their herbs. Doctors were sometimes consulted or even worked with without real competition or hostility, and midwives and healers were even invited to attend dissection autopsies. “I was Calld to my sons to see the Desection of the Son of Esquire Davis which was preformd very Closly.” (1)
Quietly competition came and grew as doctors became more determined to deliver the services that had long since been the woman midwife or healer’s tasks. Many midwives and healers disapproved of some of the doctor’s methods such as bleeding and always seeming to use the most drastic methods first. “They inform me that Dr Page says it must be opined, which I should think improper from present appearance.” (1) They also did not like the lack of experience of some doctors, midwives and healers had to stand by quietly as they were slowly pushed out of the way. Eventually it became unfitting for a woman to perform the duties that they had been practicing for so long.
Being a midwife in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries took skill, diligence, competence, sacrifice and the good heart of a neighbor. Being a midwife meant long days and nights of hard work, whether for their practice or what was expected of them as a woman running a house hold. Martha Ballard delivered over eight hundred and fourteen babies in her life time while also keeping up her house, taking care of her own family and tending to hundreds of sick people. Male doctors eventually took this away from the women, making midwife and healer duties not fit for women and therefore taking over their practice, but they couldn’t keep the women away from medical practices forever. Women began trying to gain their rights to attend the sick once again. Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in the United States to graduate from medical school, and one of her followers, Mary Hobart, who was related to Martha Ballard, was herself a pioneer in the medical world of women.
Source:
(1) A Midwife's Tale by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
Friday, July 11, 2008
Honors English 11 Spirit Bear 2
While on the island, Cole works very hard on his Totem Pole almost every day carving animals that have taught him something into it. I chose to research the totem pole to understand them more fully seeing as Cole’s totem pole is very important to him and seems to help him calm himself.
For Native American’s on the Pacific Northwest coast totem poles are a long running tradition. Edward Malin, author of Totem Poles of the Pacific Northwest Coast, thinks that totem poles started by the Haida people in the Queen Charlotte Islands and from there it spread to the Tsimshian and Tlingit and then down to British Columbia (Where the Spirit Bear is from) and northern Washington state. As the poles progressed through the different areas they also expanded from being used as house posts to other things like memorial markers and funerary containers to symbols that expressed clan or family wealth, position, and importance.
Some anthropologists think that Native Americans did not start making totem poles until after the Europeans arrived, however the Native American’s oral tradition says differently. Because totem poles are made from wood they decay easily and relatively quickly so there is no evidence beyond oral tradition for evidence except that the forms and designs of the poles are so distinctive and developed that it seems to support that they aren’t the tradition is not a very recent one. European wood carving tools did spur the amount of poles made though.
Totem Poles are still made today, but in order to have one you would have to be willing to spend a lot of money. The real totem poles are made from only one tree usually cedar; only one solid piece, hand carved, and carefully painted.
Cole used his totem pole to symbolize all he had learned and together he and Peter found forgiveness and balance and together completed the totem pole carving those feelings into a circle on the top.
Works Cited
"American Indian Totem Poles." Nativelanguages.Org. 11 July 2008 http://www.native-languages.org/totem.htm.
"Totem Poles." Crystalinks.Com. 11 July 2008 http://www.crystalinks.com/totempoles.html.
For Native American’s on the Pacific Northwest coast totem poles are a long running tradition. Edward Malin, author of Totem Poles of the Pacific Northwest Coast, thinks that totem poles started by the Haida people in the Queen Charlotte Islands and from there it spread to the Tsimshian and Tlingit and then down to British Columbia (Where the Spirit Bear is from) and northern Washington state. As the poles progressed through the different areas they also expanded from being used as house posts to other things like memorial markers and funerary containers to symbols that expressed clan or family wealth, position, and importance.
Some anthropologists think that Native Americans did not start making totem poles until after the Europeans arrived, however the Native American’s oral tradition says differently. Because totem poles are made from wood they decay easily and relatively quickly so there is no evidence beyond oral tradition for evidence except that the forms and designs of the poles are so distinctive and developed that it seems to support that they aren’t the tradition is not a very recent one. European wood carving tools did spur the amount of poles made though.
Totem Poles are still made today, but in order to have one you would have to be willing to spend a lot of money. The real totem poles are made from only one tree usually cedar; only one solid piece, hand carved, and carefully painted.
Cole used his totem pole to symbolize all he had learned and together he and Peter found forgiveness and balance and together completed the totem pole carving those feelings into a circle on the top.
Works Cited
"American Indian Totem Poles." Nativelanguages.Org. 11 July 2008 http://www.native-languages.org/totem.htm.
"Totem Poles." Crystalinks.Com. 11 July 2008 http://www.crystalinks.com/totempoles.html.
Monday, June 30, 2008
History Post One: A Midwife's Tale
Why is there so little evidence of women’s roles in the early 19th century? What revelations does Ulrich’s research bring?
In the late 18th and early 19th century Maine women had many roles and were crucial to the family. The women were the glue of the family, house keepers, business people, and neighborly companions. Much about the women’s lives beyond keeping house was not known large to do with the fact that most women did not keep written records. With the help of Martha Ballard’s diary Ulrich looks into her life and the life of the other women as well.
We learn most about history from written accounts. The parts of history that are the most hazy are the ones with no documents, literature, or any form of writing to go by. Many women in the nineteenth century did not keep writings on what they did through out the day or their transactions with neighbors; at least not that survived. Because of how little written material there is that would show what the women’s roles were, little was known and the general assumption was that they worked hard, but the work did not extend far beyond the door of their homes. Ulrich’s research, backed up by Martha’s diary shows that to be untrue, and that women played many roles in the home and community.
Martha Ballard’s diary is so unique because it chronicles the life of a woman day to day, and not only that but it shows that she, and other women in the town, had important roles in the community as well as the home. The diary and the research conducted around it by Ulrich gives important and rare insight into the life of the nineteenth century people of Maine, especially the women.
The common conception of the nineteenth century woman is on many levels true. Women worked in the garden and sewed, mended, cooked, worked the flax, spun, had and raised children. They taught their girls how to do all the work that they did, and together kept up the house. For most women though, and Martha in particular, this role of home body was not the only one.
The men were not the only ones who did business. Again, lack of record is likely the reason for the little realization of this. Another reason might be because the business often didn’t require currency, and was more of a trade system. The women would trade service for goods or goods for goods. Much of the women’s business was done with other women, but doing business with men wasn’t something that didn’t happen. The occasional trade of service or goods for money usually came from doing business with men.
Women were neighbors to the very extent of the word. They had a strong social network that exceeds what many people have now. The women came together to help when another woman was going to give birth, and often stay the night. After the baby was born women would come to help the mother until she was able to get back to her daily work. Women would go to each other’s homes and pull flax to help and to be able to take some as their own. Women would send their daughters from home to home to learn from the other women and single women would also move about the town in the same manner.
Apart from these roles some women had another attached to them that was more of a profession. Martha Ballard was not only the home maker, part time business woman and neighbor; she was also a midwife and healer. She would travel around the near by towns, helping the sick and delivering babies, being paid in money, credit or goods. All this she would do without letting her other roles as a woman slip. Having a profession the way Martha did was not a role that all women had, but it was not uncommon.
Women in nineteenth century Maine worked hard, and were not confined to one role. Because of Ulrich’s research into the contents of Martha Ballard’s diary, more light has been shed on the home maker, neighbor, business and professional roles of these women.
In the late 18th and early 19th century Maine women had many roles and were crucial to the family. The women were the glue of the family, house keepers, business people, and neighborly companions. Much about the women’s lives beyond keeping house was not known large to do with the fact that most women did not keep written records. With the help of Martha Ballard’s diary Ulrich looks into her life and the life of the other women as well.
We learn most about history from written accounts. The parts of history that are the most hazy are the ones with no documents, literature, or any form of writing to go by. Many women in the nineteenth century did not keep writings on what they did through out the day or their transactions with neighbors; at least not that survived. Because of how little written material there is that would show what the women’s roles were, little was known and the general assumption was that they worked hard, but the work did not extend far beyond the door of their homes. Ulrich’s research, backed up by Martha’s diary shows that to be untrue, and that women played many roles in the home and community.
Martha Ballard’s diary is so unique because it chronicles the life of a woman day to day, and not only that but it shows that she, and other women in the town, had important roles in the community as well as the home. The diary and the research conducted around it by Ulrich gives important and rare insight into the life of the nineteenth century people of Maine, especially the women.
The common conception of the nineteenth century woman is on many levels true. Women worked in the garden and sewed, mended, cooked, worked the flax, spun, had and raised children. They taught their girls how to do all the work that they did, and together kept up the house. For most women though, and Martha in particular, this role of home body was not the only one.
The men were not the only ones who did business. Again, lack of record is likely the reason for the little realization of this. Another reason might be because the business often didn’t require currency, and was more of a trade system. The women would trade service for goods or goods for goods. Much of the women’s business was done with other women, but doing business with men wasn’t something that didn’t happen. The occasional trade of service or goods for money usually came from doing business with men.
Women were neighbors to the very extent of the word. They had a strong social network that exceeds what many people have now. The women came together to help when another woman was going to give birth, and often stay the night. After the baby was born women would come to help the mother until she was able to get back to her daily work. Women would go to each other’s homes and pull flax to help and to be able to take some as their own. Women would send their daughters from home to home to learn from the other women and single women would also move about the town in the same manner.
Apart from these roles some women had another attached to them that was more of a profession. Martha Ballard was not only the home maker, part time business woman and neighbor; she was also a midwife and healer. She would travel around the near by towns, helping the sick and delivering babies, being paid in money, credit or goods. All this she would do without letting her other roles as a woman slip. Having a profession the way Martha did was not a role that all women had, but it was not uncommon.
Women in nineteenth century Maine worked hard, and were not confined to one role. Because of Ulrich’s research into the contents of Martha Ballard’s diary, more light has been shed on the home maker, neighbor, business and professional roles of these women.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Touching Spirit Bear
Edwin tells Cole that “Off the coast of British Columbia, there is a special black bear called the Spirit Bear. It is pure white and has pride, dignity and honor.” I was interested to find out if the bear was more of a legend, or if it was something people could actually still see. Also, because the book is called “Touching Spirit Bear” I figured there would probably be a lot of interaction between the bear and Cole and that it would be important.
Spirit Bears are not just a legend, but in order to see one you would have to go to Princess Royal Island or Gribbell Island and areas around there to see one because that is the only area in the whole world that they exist. I thought these were two nice pictures of them: http://sudoku.com.au/Prizes/H337.jpg and http://www.kermode-terrace-bc.com/spirit_bearcub1.jpg. Because they have lived mostly secluded for so long they do not have a natural fear of humans.
The Spirit Bear is called the Kermode after a British zoologist named Francis Kermode from the British Columbia Provincial Museum who helped W. T. Hornaday in learning about the Spirit Bear.
I learned that the legend of the Spirit Bear comes from the Tsimshian people, and that for a long time they were called Moksgm’ol. When the earth was in an ice age, the Raven decided to change the world back to green plants but as a reminder of the ice and snow turned every tenth Black Bear white. The Raven also gave them special powers. One was to be able to dive deep for fish and the other to be able to lead special people to their places. I think that maybe this is what the spirit bear in this book will do for Cole; he needs the help.
Works Cited:
"Legend and History." Spiritbearyouth.Org. 25 June 2008 http://www.spiritbearyouth.org/spiritbear.php?page_id=7.
"Princess Royal Island." Britishcolumbia.Com. 25 June 2008 http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=4014.
Spirit Bears are not just a legend, but in order to see one you would have to go to Princess Royal Island or Gribbell Island and areas around there to see one because that is the only area in the whole world that they exist. I thought these were two nice pictures of them: http://sudoku.com.au/Prizes/H337.jpg and http://www.kermode-terrace-bc.com/spirit_bearcub1.jpg. Because they have lived mostly secluded for so long they do not have a natural fear of humans.
The Spirit Bear is called the Kermode after a British zoologist named Francis Kermode from the British Columbia Provincial Museum who helped W. T. Hornaday in learning about the Spirit Bear.
I learned that the legend of the Spirit Bear comes from the Tsimshian people, and that for a long time they were called Moksgm’ol. When the earth was in an ice age, the Raven decided to change the world back to green plants but as a reminder of the ice and snow turned every tenth Black Bear white. The Raven also gave them special powers. One was to be able to dive deep for fish and the other to be able to lead special people to their places. I think that maybe this is what the spirit bear in this book will do for Cole; he needs the help.
Works Cited:
"Legend and History." Spiritbearyouth.Org. 25 June 2008 http://www.spiritbearyouth.org/spiritbear.php?page_id=7.
"Princess Royal Island." Britishcolumbia.Com. 25 June 2008 http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=4014.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Leadership. The last Honors 10 History Essay
Abstract: This paper will discuss what was required of leadership to guide the colonies into a working government and how The Founding Brothers achieved this not as individuals but collectively and because of this created a unique form of government. Support comes from Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis, http://www.britannica.com/, and class notes.
The American government was not established with firm rules set for what should happen and how the country should be run; instead checks and balances were set up that give the people freedoms but protect the rights of others. This precarious tug of war that keeps the country stable came about because of the unique leadership and unusual but affective collaboration of Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Hamilton and Madison, that is continued today. The formation of this government required these men to use their opinions, skills, quirks and passions in a mix as the Founding Brothers.
Leadership is not up to it's full potential when only one person is leading. In order for something hugely important to be lead, such as the establishing of the American government, and for it to succeed there needs to be a collaboration of leaders who stop each other as much as they help. The Founding Brothers did this, using their personal talents to progress and preventing destruction to the country by checking the other's flawed ideas.
Washington possessed the qualities the people of the country needed to see in their leader. He was physically impressive, could command the room and was a person of great integrity. Washington had lead the army through the war and was regarded as hero among the people. Everyone; most of all the Brothers, realized that Washington was the only choice for the country's first president. Washington fulfilled the needs of the country at the time. He was a figure of strength that the new government needed for people to trust that there was stability in there government. When after two terms he resigned, he exemplified the true non-marnachial government that had begun to be established. However, as skilled a president as Washington was, he was not perfect and could not have had as affective a terms as he did if not for other members of the Founding Brothers. Washington had wonderful charisma, but compared to some of the Brothers he was not as masterful at the higher level politics. He often collaborated with Madison and especially Hamilton when it came to very official business and articulating his ideas; they even helped him write his famous farewell address.
Just as Washington would not have had the ability to hold office the way he did without the help of the brothers, Hamilton also was not a one man show. Hamilton on his own was skilled in the area of finances. He set up the national banking system and is considered the father of modern capitalism, and was very useful in military areas, but he too needed to be checked. His confidence in the early American army was over estimated, and when Washington set him up in charge of the armies he would have sent the country to it's doom by putting it into a war with England and France. Adams used his presidential powers to prevent this from happening. Hamilton and Adams also disagreed about where the power of the government should be. Hamilton believed that it should be a National power, while Adams leaned more to local control, leading to our systems today that incorporate both.
Madison was a convincing speaker in congress, but he also worked closely with many of the brothers quieter and more behind the scenes. He and Jefferson had a close relationship and when Jefferson was in France; he was his chief corespondent for knowledge about the affairs of the developing government, and when Jefferson came back Madison remained his confidant and someone he trusted. Madison knew how to get inside peoples heads without them hardly noticing.
Ideology belonged to Jefferson. He had the most opinionated ideals and wanted only purity for the government he was helping to mold. Unfortunately, all though these ideals were perfect for the constitution, his actions were not always prompted by the same motives and sometimes his high ideals left him short when he failed to see the bad sides of things. He had a naivety that caused him to not just see the best in things, but refusing to see the danger. When vice president to Adams he was enthralled with the French Revolution and wanted Adams as president to support it. Adams knew better and could see past the mask of ideals that blocked Jefferson's view to the mess that the French were in rightfully refusing to take any part in it and reprimanding Jefferson for his blind oppinion.
Adams was quite level headed and intelligent and played a key role in convincing the congress of war with England. He was the second president and carried the country though his time without serious issues. He often had the insight to prevent some of the other brothers from leading the country into catastrophes; namely Jefferson and Hamilton. Even with these traits he was not a favorite of the people and didn't have the personality type that many people wanted to see leading and making decisions for their county, so people like Washington and Jefferson balanced him out for the public.
The leadership needed for a newly born country required many things; more than one person could possess, but all the Founding Brothers stepped up to the challenge and in doing so created a government unlike any other. This government took from each of the Brothers their best contributions brought forth through their own individual leadership style. It needed the image of Washington, the financial savviness of Hamilton, the brains of Madison, ideals of Jefferson and Adams cool head.
Each Founding Brother possessed particular aspects in their personality that spoke leadership; but as they were all human and thus flawed; none of them could lead a new country alone. Their collective leadership qualities were needed to balance out the other brother's ideas that were doomed to failure and establish a working government. One man could not have done it alone; all the Brothers best qualities were needed to have what was required of leadership necessary to start the government of the United States of America.
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