Summary
The second chapter of "Founding Brothers" goes back to the 1700s, before the previous chapter, the Duel's, events occurred. Joseph J. Ellis tells Jefferson's account of the dinner he hosted at his house in the June of 1790. Dining with him were Alexander Hamilton and James Madison to talk about where the capital should be placed. The core of the conversation, though, were conversations about the main economic problem of the time. By the end of the meal, Madison and Hamilton agreed to a compromise: Madison wouldn't severely oppose Hamilton's financial plan, in exchange for the capital's location to be near the Potomac River-- to soothe the South. Ellis hints on his opinion on the dinner-- that the agreement was not a result of a single talk, but several secret discussions. Either way, George Washington decided to place America's capital on the mouth of the Potomac, disappointing the Pennsylvanian's; who were previously promised the capital. Thus Washington named a street near the area the capital was supposed to be placed, before the dinner, Pennsylvania Avenue; satisfying Pennsylvania.