Like most people on this blog, I love the reading. McCullough's writing style makes an already fascinating subject even more real, more vivid, and more interesting. Some random thoughts:
1. "He was a known talker," (pg. 17). This just made chuckle and think of the scene from 1776-The Musical where it is agreed that Adams should not propose independence because he's "obnoxious and disliked." Well, we like you now Adams.
2. Although we can remember John and Abigail as having a wonderful, loving relationship, I think it's important to remember her contribution to the discussion of the American experiment. She was WAY ahead of her time when she tells John in a letter to "remember the ladies." I get irritated when my students dismiss historical figures like Abigail as nothing more than a spouse of so and so. Her thoughts on the young Republic, slavery, and revolution are important to study as well.
3. Just to mess with my students, I teach the American Revolution from the British perspective. For example, I point out the citizens in the Mother country were paying considerably higher taxes than the colonists, and that Parliament actually LOWERED the tax on tea prompting the Boston Tea Party (which is why the modern Tea Party movement confuses me with their name) which would have meant cheaper tea for the colonists. McCullough's description of the Stamp Act, the violence in Boston, and the war itself (pg. 59) will give me added fodder for my discussion. I never knew that the phrase "No taxation without representation" had already been used by the Irish years before (pg. 61).
4. Adams' quote on pg. 101 will help my discussion on the birth of political parties and the Federalist Party: "I am more convinced that man is a dangerous creature, and that power whether vested in many or few is ever grasping."
5. Lastly, the one key concept I push on my American Government students more than any other is that we are a nation of rules, not rulers. I really emphasize to my kids that this had NEVER been done before, that every other civilization had been ruled by a king, queen, prince, pope, emperor, dictator, czar, or Sith Lord. I'm still not sure they appreciate that fact. Thank you James Harrington when he talks about creating "an empire of laws and not of men," (pg. 102).
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Very, very nice. It's interesting how we all take something different away from the whole, isn't it? I have read the same material, and yet, I have different insights and thoughts. It is a lot Like seven blind men describing an elephant. It's all in your perspective. Brett, I really like your enthusiasm for the subject at hand and your insights mean a lot to me. I agree totally with you about Abigail. She, indeed, was just as important as the man - John Adams. She had his children, raised them, kept the house and the servants they hired, oversaw the activity on their farm, etc., (mind you, it was the woman herself who accomplished all this, allowing John to succeed in his "calling", and succeed he did) all the time writing letter after letter, questioning, opinioning, (that's a new word I guess - probably already an English word for it, but, oh well...)supporting, loving, praying, and being such a big part of forming the new government/nation. Anyway, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Wonder if anyone else is still adding to the blog?
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