The book 1776 by David McCullough tells the story of the military aspects of the American Revolution. McCullough writes the book from both the British and American point of views, creating a better understanding of what both sides were undergoing during the war. Not only does he have a degree from Yale, but McCullough has also been awarded with the nations highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In addition to this, he has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize twice.
He has also written multiple other non-fiction historical books and biographies such as Truman, The Great Bridge and John Adams. Further, McCullough has lectured in all parts of the country including the White House and Congress. The story begins with descriptions of George Washington, Nathaniel Greene and Henry Knox. The author describes the men’s prior experiences and backgrounds, and how they became generals in the war. Based off the descriptions in the story, the men are described as normal, everyday men who devoted their lives to a cause they believed in.
The general’s lack of prior experience leads to an unprepared Continental Army. The first battle described in the story is the Siege of Boston. The author discusses the military fortifications the British put in the city, which the colonists saw as a direct attack against them. The Continental Army managed to seize tons of cannons and artillery from the British army all without them knowing. Later that week, the Continental Army woke the British by firing at them, causing the British to retreat.
The Coursework on British Government Gulliver Swift Book
Gulliver's Travels Coursework - From your study of Gulliver's Travels. Show how Swift Uses Language for Satiric Purpose, to 'lash the vice' he Finds in the World. Gulliver's Travels may have been seen as an adventure story by a few misguided individuals, but it is a satirical novel. Swift wrote the book in order to allow people to understand the overall tribulations that were in the British ...
The army soon began to transform from the small Continental Army to an army that posed a great threat to the greatest military power of the time. McCullough goes on to explain the battles of Brooklyn, Kips Bay, White Plains, and Fort Washington, all of which were loses for the Continental Army. Because of these loses, the enlistments in the army began to drop drastically. The book also explains Washington and his troops feelings of hopelessness and despair. By doing this, McCullough demonstrates the massive obstacles the Continental Army had to overcome.
A major battle in the book 1776, and an important turning point of the year, was the Battle of Trenton. After crossing the Delaware River, the Continental Army opened fire on the surprised Hessian troops that were stationed there. After a 45-minute battle, the Hessians surrendered, giving the Americans a much needed victory. McCullough shows the importance of this battle by describing multiple American victories that followed, such as the Battles of Princeton and Fort Lee.
Through vivid descriptions of George Washington, I learned that he was not the best military leader. There were multiple times in the war where Washington was faced with difficult decisions, and proved to be very indecisive. Also, there were times where action needed to be taken, but he couldn’t decide what to do. Even though I learned Washington wasn’t as great as the history books explain him to be, it makes me respect him more to know that he, just like any other American, flawed.
One thing in the story that shocked me is how different our perception of the Revolutionary War is from the reality. An example of this was how ill trained the American army was at the beginning of the war. The army was undisciplined, disobedient, and motivated only by their paychecks. Many perceive the soldiers as valiant, zealous men, but it wasn’t until much later in the war that the soldiers rose to the occasion and became the warriors that we remember today. Another thing that impressed me was the unconquerable spirits of the soldiers during the year 1776.
Fighting the strongest army in the world definitely was not easy, but the soldiers fought their hardest till the end. Furthermore, despite their lack of professional leadership, the men never gave up. In my opinion, this story was a great explanation of the events that happened in the American Revolution in the year of 1776, with opinions and descriptions of generals and soldiers from both sides fighting the war. I also found this story inspirational and motivational because of the men that were faced with the most difficult of challenges, and continued to fight.
The Essay on The War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War
The War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War are two wars that physically appear two opposites. The War of 1812 involves plenty of naval battles and a few major land battles, while the Mexican-American War involves numerous land battles and few, if any, naval battles. However there are numerous similarities. The War of 1812, The US saw Great Britain as a major problem because of their definition ...
I believe any man who enlisted to fight in the Revolutionary War was a hero, to be brave enough to fight the strongest military power of the time, without much training. In conclusion, David McCullough’s extensive research through British and American archives resulted in a fascinating, well-written, historically accurate story of the turning points during the war and development of the Continental Army. The story of the American Revolution shows the power the common man can have when united with others for a common cause…freedom.
