The 2024 Society of the Cincinnati Prize honors Eli Merritt, M.D., M.A., for his book Disunion Among Ourselves: The Perilous Politics of the American Revolution (University of Missouri Press, 2023), which explores the politics of the Continental Congress during the American Revolution.
Far from a harmonious collaboration, the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War was so filled with political strife that the delegates feared the war would end in disunion or civil war. But instead of disbanding, these founders managed to unite for the sake of liberty and self-preservation, forging grueling compromises and holding the young nation together. In filling this critical gap in our historical understanding of the Revolution, Disunion Among Ourselves serves to remind readers that the founders overcame political challenges through a commitment to ethical constitutional democracy and compromise. Merritt’s study of the fear of disunion and civil war contributes to our knowledge of the influences on the political rhetoric of the American Revolution, while demonstrating that the founding fathers had good cause to fear internecine conflict.
In this special event, Dr. Merritt, receives the 2024 Society of the Cincinnati Prize and draws from his book to discuss the deep political divisions that almost tore the Union apart during the Revolution. The Society of the Cincinnati Prize was established in 1989 to recognize authors of outstanding books that advance understanding of the American Revolution and its legacy.