About
Henry Brooks Adams, born in Boston in 1838, came from a distinguished family: grandson of John Quincy Adams and great-grandson of John Adams. After Harvard, he served as private secretary to his father, U.S. minister to Great Britain during the Civil War. Professor of medieval history at Harvard (1870-1877), he introduced the seminar method to American historical instruction. Editor of the North American Review, he also served as president of the American Historical Association. His magnum opus is the History of the United States During the Administrations of Jefferson and Madison (1889-1891). He published two anonymous novels, Democracy (1880) and Esther (1884).
* 1838-02-16 — † 1918-03-27
Major works
- Democracy: An American Novel (1880)novel
- Esther (1884)novel
- History of the United States During the Administrations of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison (1889-1891)history
- Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres (1904)essay
- The Education of Henry Adams (1907)autobiography
Key milestones
- 1870Appointed professor of medieval history at Harvard, where he introduced the seminar method.
- 1893President of the American Historical Association.
- 1919The Education of Henry Adams wins the Pulitzer Prize posthumously.
Themes
American historyDemocracy and politicsMedievalism and spiritual unityEducation and experienceTheories of history and physics
Sources: nps.gov · historians.org · britannica.com