History of the United States of America, Volume 2 (of 9) : $b During the first administration of Thomas Jefferson

"History of the United States of America, Volume 2" by Henry Adams is a historical account written in the late 19th century. The book focuses on the pivotal years of 1801 to 1805 during the first administration of Thomas Jefferson, highlighting significant events such as the Louisiana Purchase and the political landscape of the early American Republic. The author aims to shed light on the key decisions and diplomatic interactions that shaped the early trajectory of the United States. At the start of this volume, the narrative sets the stage with Congress expired and President Jefferson's Cabinet in a state of tension over looming threats from foreign powers, particularly France. The discussions of the Cabinet revolve around the impending delivery of Louisiana to Napoleon's control, with Monroe and Livingston negotiating to secure U.S. rights in the region. The opening portion reveals the complexity of the geopolitical situation, illustrating how the U.S. government sought to maintain peace and assert its interests amid European conflicts, while also delving into the intricate negotiations that eventually led to a monumental expansion of American territory. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Henry Brooks Adams was an American historian and a member of the Adams political family, descended from two U.S. presidents. As a young Harvard graduate, he served as secretary to his father, Charles Francis Adams, Abraham Lincoln's ambassador to the United Kingdom. The posting influenced the younger man through the experience of wartime diplomacy, and absorption in English culture, especially the works of John Stuart Mill. After the American Civil War, he became a political journalist who entertained America's foremost intellectuals at his homes in Washington and Boston.