Jefferson was the rare student who came to college already knowing that there could be joy in studying.

Jefferson attributes to a college professor and mentor his lifelong habit of questioning conventional wisdom.

The feelings of politicians are rarely transparent.

The author characterizes Hamilton's tone in the Federalist papers by saying that he never spoke of problems but of being at the last stage in the crisis.

For leaders, wars are filled with guesses.

Jefferson determined the lodestar that lay hidden in the motivations of others

Alexander Hamilton reflected as early as the middle of the Revolutionary War that rallying at the last minute was part of the national character of his countrymen.

Established churches not infrequently formed an alliance with the aristocracy , joining arm in arm against change.

Wanting to change only the British position at the top of the American social structure, John Adams feared that a "rage for innovation" would consume what was worthwhile about American culture.

Were people to mingle only with those of like mind, every man would be an insulate being." Thomas Jefferson

The author distinguishes George Washington's leadership from that of another aristocratic general whose temperament was somewhat cold. Unlike him, Washington made the effort to at least appear to suffer with his troops.

Pointing out the possible, and expensive, entanglements that could come with widespread commercial enterprise, the author calculates the Great Britain was at war half the time between 1689 and 1783.