Recommended Reading for America's 250th Anniversary: The Virginia Dynasty: Four Presidents and the Creation of the American Nation by Lynne Cheney

In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, Hillsborough Township is proud to partner with the SCLSNJ's Hillsborough Branch to bring you a weekly reading recommendation. Join us as we explore the stories, people, and milestones that define New Jersey and our nation’s rich history.

The Virginia Dynasty: Four Presidents and the Creation of the American Nation by Lynne Cheney, 2020.

Out of the first five presidents, four were born, raised, and made their homes in a 60-mile circle east of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe were friends and rivals who led the country in gaining its independence, writing the Constitution, and building the new nation. Cheney focuses on their roles as warriors, intellectuals, and statesmen during a time of Enlightenment. Interestingly while they advanced the ideals of liberty and equality, all were slaveholders even until their deaths which Jefferson called a “fatal stain” on Virginia. They paved the way for future leaders, and their lives, letters, and writings still hold meaning and continue to be studied today.

This book is located in the Nonfiction Collection (973.099 CHE.)