Teaching and Celebrating American History

February 2026

Tyson Reeder's new book, Serpent in Eden: Foreign Meddling and Partisan Politics in James Madison's America, recently received the George Washington Prize in a ceremony in New York City.

“This prize represents the best literature that is produced in my field,” says Reeder, a BYU history professor. “I say that with a little hesitation now because it makes it sound like I’m bragging about my book, but it’s just the type of prize that you’d look at and say, ‘Wouldn’t that be cool if I ever actually won the Washington Prize?’”

The Washington Prize winner is selected for the historic insights the book offers to the general public. The award is cosponsored by Washington College, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Past recipients include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Annette Gordon-Reed, and Nathaniel Philbrick.

Serpent in Eden is Reeder’s examination of primary sources, such as letters between diplomats and rulers, that uncover connections to James Madison’s political wrestle. Of the book’s title, Reeder says, “Foreign powers would meddle in US politics, and US political parties would then accuse each other of colluding with the foreign power that was doing the meddling—of being that serpent in Eden.”

Receiving the award prompted Reeder to look inward, and he hopes his book will encourage readers to do the same. “I see this as my attempt to fulfill President [Russell M.] Nelson’s recent plea that we be peacemakers,” Reeder says. “To look at what were some of the problems that plagued the early United States and help Americans avoid that today—to help them be peacemakers.”

Reeder hopes to pass that same message on to his students. In addition to his research and writing, he is teaching a Declaration of Independence course in conjunction with the United States' 250th anniversary celebration. He will be taking students to Washington, DC, and Philadelphia to interact with and better understand historic sites.