This book is a biography of George Bancroft, one of America's most prominent historians and statesmen of the 19th century. Bancroft is best known for his ten-volume History of the United States, which he began writing in the 1830s and which remains an important work of American historiography. The book provides a detailed look at Bancroft's life, including his upbringing in Massachusetts, his education at Harvard, his political career, and his literary achievements. It also includes selections from Bancroft's personal correspondence, shedding light on his personality and intellectual development. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.