"At the dawn of the 19th century, fourteen men will succeed George Washington in leading the young United States. As their personal tales intertwine and overlap with one another on their way to the Presidency, they craft an election system that is, at once, chaotic and orderly. Their ambition forces them to join political parties even as those parties’ agendas are not always clear. Their supporters engage in ever more vicious public and private campaigns. They rely on political favors and a partisan press to win votes and to solicit compromise.And yet, they follow Washington’s example and hand over power after each election to the newest victor, typically with unprecedented grace and humility. These are the practices that survive, even as a Civil War looms that threatens to destroy virtually everything else about the young country."
 
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