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Introduction
1776, written by David McCullough, is a follow-up to his earlier biography of John Adams and is intended to expand the readers understanding of the early stages of the American Revolution. The book provides a fresh viewpoint on those events in a clear and exclusive manner. This review essay will focus on the year 1776, and King George III, General Howe, Henry Knox, and Nathanael Green will all get significant attention during the paper. This book recounts the account of the decisive wars that the thirteen American colonies waged against Britain, and I think that their fight for independence was significant since the enemy was the most powerful country in the world.
Summary: Thematic Review
The author begins by pointing out the colonialists theme of oppression to illustrate how the United States was emancipated from Great Britain. Only one delegate from the thirteen colonies was sent to Parliament by Great Britain to represent them. Tax collectors were threatened by the colonies, headed by Samuel Adams, who successfully persuaded the British government to remove these levies. On top of that, the British kept up their persecution by taxing primary imports like tea and paper. Despite the American peoples best efforts, the British utilized violent measures to maintain their tyrannical control, such as the execution of five people in the Boston Massacre and the passage of the Tea Act, which required residents to buy tea exclusively from British-accredited firms (McCullough, 2005). The books central focus is the depiction of George Washington as a leader. The books premise asserts that the struggle for American independence would not have been won if not for the Continental forces headed by George Washington.
Hypocrisy is a common motif in the novel depicted where a battle was fought at Bunker Hill. Because of his involvement in the French and Indian wars at age 44, Washington was personable and had extraordinary leadership abilities. Despite his repeated defeats at the hands of the British, George Washington could hold his army together and ultimately prevail. A resurgent American army unexpectedly assaulted and routed the British forces occupying Boston, causing them to flee to ships bound for England. At this point, American patriotism was at an all-time high, but a few hypocritical troops loyal to George III rather than to Washington would derail it. When they returned, the British force had grown even more extensive, and they had high hopes of annihilating their foes in a rout. Washingtons troops were forced to flee while the battle raged, losing valuable territory in the process. Traitors in the inexperienced American army were hence referred to as loyalists for their choice of allegiance, which was to Britain rather than their homeland.
This book is an explicit celebration of creativity as the author vividly shows that a mixture of devotion, drive, and, most all, inventiveness went into writing in 1776. The author eloquently depicts the events that took place throughout the book (McCullough, 2005). Lord General Howe, the British leader, may have underestimated the American resourcefulness since he did not realize the revolution would succeed. American soldiers used darkness and surprise to fight repressive regimes like that of Fort Ticonderogas Henry Knox. He walked three hundred miles each way to transport 120,000 pounds of armaments to Boston from Fort Ticonderoga each trip in the frigid winter weather (McCullough, 2005). Taking Dorchester Heights and reclaiming the whole city was made possible by an American midnight offensive.
Analysis
In the case of McCulloughs argument, the historically accurate events of the American Revolution do not require any additions or creative novelties because they a rich, emotional, and powerful on their own. For the overall quality of the book, he was successful in doing something that I had previously thought was impossible: he piqued my interest in history. It is likely that once someone starts reading 1776, they will find it difficult to put the book down. One cannot completely comprehend what the books title suggests about its content unless they have actually read it. There is no way to refute the fact that the year 1776 was a watershed moment in the history of the United States. Indeed, some may say that it was the watershed moment par excellence. Nevertheless, because I had just a limited amount of experience working on the subject of history, I was unable to comprehend the importance of this until I decided to educate myself on the topic via reading.
I had the notion that the book would be divided into chapters that would center on the most significant conflicts that took place before the United States of America won its independence. In the case of evidence, the author supports his ideas by using little occurrences that have a substantial impact on more important military actions, and this stands in absolute contrast to my earlier assertion. The Siege, the Fateful Summer, and the Long Retreat make up the three main sections of the book, which are presented in chronological sequence (McCullough, 2005). After the arrival of reinforcements at Dorchester Heights, there is a full examination of the military elements of the war that can be found in the first category, which is labeled The Siege. This occurs soon after the beginning of the conflict that happens in the country.
In the case of British soldiers, I could appreciate the troops experiences on both sides of the conflict thanks to the books author. In the letters sent by common troops, snippets revealed that both sides had a legitimate cause to keep fighting. McCulloughs style lacks clarity in places, making it difficult to follow the plot. However, this apparent flaw is also a strength of the book, as he painstakingly sifts through the data to tell a captivating tale. First, the author describes King George IIIs overconfident address, and in conclusion, he offers a more controlled speech when the American and British armies are engaged in brutal conflicts (McCullough, 2005). I believe the author or his publisher could have included additional maps to make the tale simpler to follow. Including three 1776 facsimile maps in the book had little effect, but I generally read it well.
Conclusion
In conclusion, my opinion is that the book highlights the fight for independence as significant since the enemy was the most powerful country in the world. The book recounts the account of the decisive wars that the thirteen American colonies waged against Britain. The events resulting in Americas independence have not garnered the same level of attention as the American Civil War, the First World War, or the Second World War. There is no better time than the present to honor the nations founders than during these trying times for freedom, democracy, and homeland security in the United States. McCullough provides an understanding of the times, the spirit, and the difficulties that set the United States on its current route to greatness, as the 1776 book review essay demonstrated.
Reference
McCullough, D. (2005). 1776. Simon and Schuster.
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