George Bancroft

author

George Bancroft

1800–1891

Best known for his sweeping multivolume history of the United States, he brought a grand, energetic vision to the American past. His life also reached far beyond scholarship, with major roles in education, government, and diplomacy.

1 Audiobook

Memorial Address on the Life and Character of Abraham Lincoln Delivered at the request of both Houses of Congress of America

Memorial Address on the Life and Character of Abraham Lincoln Delivered at the request of both Houses of Congress of America

by George Bancroft

About the author

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1800, George Bancroft became one of the most influential American historians of the 19th century. He studied at Harvard and continued his education in Germany, where he absorbed ideas that shaped both his writing and his belief in the importance of education.

Bancroft is most closely associated with History of the United States, a large-scale work published over many years that helped earn him the nickname "father of American history." His writing aimed to tell the story of the nation in a broad, confident way, making history feel central to American identity.

He was also deeply involved in public life. Bancroft served as U.S. Secretary of the Navy under President James K. Polk, helped establish the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1845, and later served as a diplomat in Europe, including as minister to Prussia and to the German Empire.