by Ian W. Toll
First published 2006
The newly formed United States faced a critical decision that would define its future as a nation. With the Constitution barely ratified, the founders wrestled with whether to establish a permanent military force. Jefferson, Madison, and Adams found themselves on shifting sides of a heated debate. Would a standing army invite dictatorship? Could a navy defend American merchants from Mediterranean pirates without bankrupting the treasury or provoking war with European powers? Britain commanded hundreds of warships while America had none. Ian W. Toll chronicles how the decision to construct six heavy frigates launched a naval tradition that would reshape global politics. From the early debates through the dangerous Tripoli campaign to the world-changing War of 1812, this account reveals the political calculations and maritime battles that established American sea power. The story culminates when USS Constitution defeated HMS Guerriere in a battle that elevated the United States to first-class power status in just thirty minutes.
Genres: historical-fiction, non-fiction, military-history, 19th-century, naval-history, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-drama
Setting: United States, Mediterranean, Europe
Period: Early Republic
560 pages · Hardcover · W. W. Norton & Company