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James Ford Rhodes (1848–1927) was an American historian. Born into a prominent industrial family, he initially pursued a career in the iron and coal industry. After achieving financial success, he retired from business in 1885 to dedicate himself entirely to historical research and writing. This unusual path allowed him to work independently, without the constraints of a university position, giving him the freedom to pursue his ambitious historical projects.
Rhodes’s commitment to historical accuracy and his reliance on extensive documentation earned him a reputation as a meticulous and serious scholar. He was a founding member of the American Historical Association and was widely respected by his academic peers. While his historical interpretations have been reassessed over time, his work on the Civil War and Reconstruction remains a testament to his dedication to the craft of history.
