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12 Books You Should Read This Summer To Celebrate America 250

This is a list of books every patriot should read.

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How well do you know American history? The dramatic battles, the great debates, and the brilliant, determined men who forged this nation? Whether you’re a history aficionado or not, America’s 250th birthday is close at hand, and there’s no better way to celebrate that anniversary than by learning about the history of the country you love so much.

This list could easily encompass 50 books, especially if I included works on all of American history, so I narrowed my recommendations down to 12 entries across three eras: the Revolution, the Antebellum period, and the Civil War. These three eras capture the founding, the expansion, and the ultimate test of the American nation. If you call yourself a patriot, you need to have a robust knowledge of these critical eras.

So, if it’s been a while since you cracked open a book about your favorite country, here’s The Federalist’s official guide to the books you should read to properly celebrate America 250.

The Glorious Cause by Robert Middlekauff

There are a lot of books on the American Revolution. That there are a lot of Civil War books might be the only bigger understatement in the field of American history. So, you’ve got a lot to choose from, and there are a lot of classics out there.

For my money, The Glorious Cause provides the quintessential overview of the founding period, from the end of the French and Indian War in 1763 to the beginning of George Washington’s presidency in 1789. It does a great job chronicling the major events of the era, including all the dramatic episodes you know and love: the Boston Tea Party, Lexington and Concord, the signing of the Declaration, the Battle of Saratoga, and the Siege of Yorktown. If you only have time to read one book on the American Revolution or need a bit of a refresher, this is the one to grab.

Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis

We often think of the founders as larger-than-life characters, almost mythic in their virtue and genius. In some ways, we’re right. They were the intellectual titans of their time, and in general they carried themselves with a sense of dignity and honor that seems foreign in today’s society. But they were also human, and they were susceptible to the same human failings that we are.

In Founding Brothers, Joseph Ellis doesn’t shy away from the rivalries, disputes, and contentious debates among the founders that both helped and hindered the formation of the United States. But he also doesn’t ignore the bonds that this extraordinary generation of Americans shared and which allowed them to create a coherent republic out of 13 separate colonies.

In the book, Ellis explores how the young nation dealt with some of the biggest issues that faced it during its formative years through the relationships between the founders. The ultimately deadly Aaron Burr-Alexander Hamilton feud, Benjamin Franklin’s campaign against slavery, and the friendship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams are all featured. This book helps peel back the mystique around the founders without giving in to the full-on revisionism that is in vogue today.

Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham

There are a lot of biographies of the founders that I could have chosen for this spot. One of Ben Franklin, George Washington, or Alexander Hamilton could have easily fit. But it seemed fitting to place Jefferson, whose legacy is perhaps the most scrutinized of all the Founding Fathers in our modern era, on this list since he’s the primary author of the Declaration of Independence (never forget the other contributors, though).

And he does make such a fascinating subject for a biography. Jon Meacham does a masterful job of capturing the man that was Jefferson, in all of his brilliance, shrewdness, and passion. Jefferson was a true prodigy, and not just about natural rights and politics. If you’ve ever been to Monticello, his home outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, you know that his interests were boundless and his knowledge was vast. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power captures all the facets of Jefferson and should be considered one of the greatest biographies ever written about an American.

Washington’s Crossing by David Hackett Fischer

I have a bit of a bias since George Washington is my favorite Founding Father, so I chose this book on Washington and one of the most famous episodes of the........

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