The pursuit of happiness : how classical writers on virtue inspired the lives of the founders and defined America / Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO, National Constitution Center.
The Declaration of Independence identified “the pursuit of happiness” as one of our unalienable rights, along with life and liberty. Jeffrey Rosen, the president of the National Constitution Center, profiles six of the most influential founders—Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton—to show what pursuing happiness meant in their lives.By reading the classical Greek and Roman moral philosophers who inspired the Founders, Rosen shows us how they understood the pursuit of happiness as a quest for being good, not feeling good—the pursuit of lifelong virtue, not short-term pleasure. Among those virtues were the habits of industry, temperance, moderation, and sincerity, which the Founders viewed as part of a daily struggle for self-improvement, character development, and calm self-mastery. They believed that political self-government required personal self-government. For all six Founders, the pursuit of virtue was incompatible with enslavement of African Americans, although the Virginians betrayed their own principles.The Pursuit of Happiness is more than an elucidation of the Declaration’s famous phrase; it is a revelatory journey into the minds of the Founders, and a deep, rich, and fresh understanding of the foundation of our democracy.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781668002476
- ISBN: 1668002477
- Physical Description: vii, 355 pages ; 24 cm
- Edition: First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition.
- Publisher: New York : Simon and Schuster, 2024.
- Copyright: ©2024
Content descriptions
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 287-334) and index (pages 335-355). |
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Genre: | Biographies. |
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
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Webb City Public Library | New 973.309 Rosen, Jeffrey (Text) | 38262300011002 | Adult Non-Fiction | Available | - |
LDR | 01641nam a2200349 i 4500 | ||
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100 | 1 | . | ‡aRosen, Jeffrey, ‡d1964- ‡eauthor. |
245 | 1 | 4. | ‡aThe pursuit of happiness : ‡bhow classical writers on virtue inspired the lives of the founders and defined America / ‡cJeffrey Rosen, President and CEO, National Constitution Center. |
250 | . | ‡aFirst Simon & Schuster hardcover edition. | |
264 | 1. | ‡aNew York : ‡bSimon and Schuster, ‡c2024. | |
264 | 4. | ‡c©2024 | |
300 | . | ‡avii, 355 pages ; ‡c24 cm | |
336 | . | ‡atext ‡btxt ‡2rdacontent | |
337 | . | ‡aunmediated ‡bn ‡2rdamedia | |
338 | . | ‡avolume ‡bnc ‡2rdacarrier | |
504 | . | ‡aIncludes bibliographical references (pages 287-334) and index (pages 335-355). | |
520 | . | ‡aThe Declaration of Independence identified “the pursuit of happiness” as one of our unalienable rights, along with life and liberty. Jeffrey Rosen, the president of the National Constitution Center, profiles six of the most influential founders—Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton—to show what pursuing happiness meant in their lives.By reading the classical Greek and Roman moral philosophers who inspired the Founders, Rosen shows us how they understood the pursuit of happiness as a quest for being good, not feeling good—the pursuit of lifelong virtue, not short-term pleasure. Among those virtues were the habits of industry, temperance, moderation, and sincerity, which the Founders viewed as part of a daily struggle for self-improvement, character development, and calm self-mastery. They believed that political self-government required personal self-government. For all six Founders, the pursuit of virtue was incompatible with enslavement of African Americans, although the Virginians betrayed their own principles.The Pursuit of Happiness is more than an elucidation of the Declaration’s famous phrase; it is a revelatory journey into the minds of the Founders, and a deep, rich, and fresh understanding of the foundation of our democracy. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aFounding Fathers of the United States ‡xBooks and reading ‡vBiography. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aFounding Fathers of the United States ‡xHistory ‡vBiography. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aHappiness ‡xPhilosophy. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aVirtue ‡xLiterary themes, motives. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aEthics, Ancient ‡xInfluence. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aPhilosophy, Ancient ‡xInfluence. | |
651 | 0. | ‡aUnited States ‡xPolitics and government ‡xPhilosophy. | |
651 | 0. | ‡aUnited States ‡xPolitics and government ‡xHistory. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aFounding Fathers of the United States ‡xHistory. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aPhilosophy, Ancient. | |
651 | 0. | ‡aUnited States ‡xHistory. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aCharacter ‡xPolitical aspects ‡zUnited States ‡xHistory. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aSocial values ‡zUnited States ‡xHistory. | |
650 | 0. | ‡aDemocracy ‡zUnited States ‡xHistory. | |
655 | 7. | ‡aBiographies. ‡2lcgft | |
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