Winner of the 2024 Society of the Cincinnati Prize from the American Revolution Institute

In this eye-opening account, Eli Merritt reveals the deep political divisions that almost tore the Union apart during the American Revolution. So fractious were the founders’ political fights that they feared the War of Independence might end in disunion and civil war.

Instead of disbanding into separate regional confederacies, the founders managed to unite for the sake of liberty and self-preservation. In so doing, they succeeded in holding the young nation together. To achieve this, they forged grueling compromises, in­cluding Declaration of Independence in 1776, the Mississippi-Fisheries Compromise of 1779, and the ratification of the Articles of Confederation in 1781.

In addition to bringing new insights to the history of the American Revolution, Disunion Among Ourselves has inevitable resonances with our present era of political hyperpolarization and serves as a touchstone for contemporary politics, reminding us that the founders overcame far tougher times than our own through commitment to ethical constitutional democracy and compromise.

 

Eli Merritt is a political historian at Vanderbilt University who specializes in the founding era of the United States. A frequent public speaker, he lectures widely on the founding fathers, the American Revolution, the Constitution, patriotism, civic virtue, leadership, and the intersection of demagogues and democracy. He has written for academic journals as well as national news outlets like The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Tribune. Merritt writes a blow-by-blow account, "The Story of the American Revolution," in his Substack newsletter (www.elimerritt.substack.com). To inquire about speaking engagements and interviews, visit elimerritt.com.