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Henry Adams

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description Henry Adams Overview

Henry Adams (1838-1918) was an American historian, writer, and political thinker from a prominent Massachusetts family. His major historical work, History of the United States of America During the Administrations of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, is a nine-volume study of early national politics, diplomacy, and government. Adams also wrote The Education of Henry Adams, an autobiographical account that reflects on intellectual change and the transformation of American society during the nineteenth century.

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Who was Henry Adams?

Henry Adams was an American historian, writer, and political thinker from a prominent Massachusetts family. He was the great-grandson of President John Adams and the grandson of President John Quincy Adams.

What period does Henry Adams's major history cover?

History of the United States of America During the Administrations of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison covers the years of Jefferson's and Madison's presidencies, including the War of 1812 period. It is a nine-volume study of American political and diplomatic development.

Why does Henry Adams focus on Jefferson and Madison?

Their administrations cover a formative period in the early republic, including expansion, partisan conflict, foreign pressure, and war with Britain. Adams uses those years to examine how American institutions worked under stress.

How is The Education of Henry Adams different from his presidential history?

The Education of Henry Adams is an autobiographical and intellectual account of a nineteenth-century American life. His nine-volume Jefferson and Madison history is instead a large-scale study of national politics and government.

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