Bancroft Prize
1 appearances
Gordon S. Wood
ゴードン・スチュワート・ウッド
Gordon S. Wood
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1933-11-27 （Concord, Massachusetts, U.S.）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
Career
- Occupations
- Historian, Author, Professor
- Active Years
- 1964-
- Affiliations
- Harvard University, College of William and Mary, University of Michigan, Brown University, University of Cambridge, Northwestern University (School of Law)
- Memberships
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Philosophical Society
- Influenced By
- Bernard Bailyn
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tufts University | — | History | BA | 1951–1955 | United States |
| Harvard University | — | History | MA, PhD | 1955–1964 | United States |
Tufts University
History
Degree:
BA
Period:
1951–1955
Year of Graduation:
1955
Country:
United States
Harvard University
History
Degree:
MA, PhD
Period:
1955–1964
Year of Graduation:
1964
Country:
United States
Earned an MA while serving in Japan with the U.S. Air Force; PhD completed in 1964
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Pulitzer Prize for History | The Radicalism of the American Revolution | — | Pulitzer Prize (Columbia University) | Winner |
| 1970 | Bancroft Prize | The Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787 | — | Bancroft Prize (Columbia University) | Winner |
| 2010 | National Humanities Medal | — | — | National Humanities Medal (awarded by the President of the United States) | Winner |
Pulitzer Prize for History
1993
Work:
The Radicalism of the American Revolution
Organization:
Pulitzer Prize (Columbia University)
Result:
Winner
Bancroft Prize
1970
Work:
The Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787
Organization:
Bancroft Prize (Columbia University)
Result:
Winner
National Humanities Medal
2010
Organization:
National Humanities Medal (awarded by the President of the United States)
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Pulitzer Prize for History
1 appearances
-
Edition 76 (1993) Winner
Works
Major Works
The Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787
1969 HistoryA scholarly analysis of political and social changes during the American Revolution and the early republic, examining the Constitution's formation and the rise of republicanism.
American RevolutionConstitutionRepublicanism
The Radicalism of the American Revolution
1992 HistoryArgues that the American Revolution was radical in transforming social and political life, emphasizing the rise of egalitarian ideas and the dismantling of existing hierarchies.
EqualitySocial changePolitical thought
Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815
2009 HistoryVolume of the Oxford History of the United States covering political, diplomatic and social developments in the early American republic.
Early republicPolitical historyDiplomatic history
Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
2017 Historical biographyExplores the friendship and rivalry between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to illuminate human dimensions of early American politics.
Political biographyFriendship and rivalryEarly American politics
Bibliography
- The Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787 (1969)
- The Radicalism of the American Revolution (1992)
- The American Revolution: A History (2001)
- The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin (2004)
- Revolutionary Characters (2006)
- Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815 (2010)
- The Idea of America: Reflections on the Birth of the United States (2011)
- Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (2017)
- Power and Liberty: Constitutionalism in the American Revolution (2021)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Scholarly yet clear prose accessible to general readersA style emphasizing logical argumentation and extensive use of primary sources
- Recurring Motifs
- Concept of equalityRepublicanism and civic virtueSocial consequences of revolution
Legacy
Gordon S. Wood is one of the leading historians of the American Revolution; his reinterpretations of the Revolution and the early republic have influenced both scholars and general readers. He has received major prizes and holds membership in prominent academic societies.
Academic Societies
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- American Philosophical Society
In Popular Culture
- Mentioned in the film Good Will Hunting, giving Wood a degree of popular-cultural recognition.
- Newt Gingrich publicly praised The Radicalism of the American Revolution, drawing media attention.
Quotes
-
"This powerful sense of equality is still alive and well in America, and despite all of its disturbing and unsettling consequences, it is what makes us one people."
Source: Essay in Our American Story (2019) (2019)
Trivia
- Named in the film Good Will Hunting; Wood joked this gave him "two seconds of fame."
- Won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1993.
- Awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2010.