Events

The 2024 Society of the Cincinnati Prize honors Eli Merritt, M.D., M.A., for his book Disunion Among Ourselves: A Political History 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, will receive the 2024 Society of the Cincinnati Prize and draw from his book to discuss the deep political divisions that almost tore the Union apart during the Revolution. The lecture will be followed by a reception. 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.

Ticket prices: $60.00 per guest for admission | $90.00 per guest for admission and a signed book

Presentation at 6:00 p.m. in the Anderson House Ballroom

Reception at 6:45 p.m. in the Olmsted Gallery

Business casual attire

Registration is required and closes on Friday, August 30. This special event will only be held in-person at Anderson House. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please register by using the link below.

Click Here for Registration and Additional Information

About the Honoree

Eli Merritt is a political historian at Vanderbilt University where he researches the ethics of democracy, the interface of demagogues and democracy, and the founding principles of the United States. He received his B.A. in history and M.A. in ethics at Yale University, and his M.D. at Case Western Reserve University. At Vanderbilt University, he has served as a visiting scholar in three departments: history, psychiatry & behavioral sciences, and the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society. In history, Dr. Merritt has received numerous grants and fellowships, including the 2024 Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Connecticut Gerald Carroon Fellowship, the Virginia Historical Society’s Mellon Research Fellowship and the North Caroliniana Society’s Archie K. Davis Fellowship, as well as twice-awarded grants for archival research in Madrid and Seville from the Program for Cultural Cooperation Between Spain and the United States. His awards in medicine and psychiatry include the Humanism in Medicine Award and Family Systems Award from Case Western Reserve and the Gulevich Humanistic Medicine Award from Stanford.