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About Me
- Paul Aleckson
- I’m Paul Aleckson. I am the District Social Studies Coordinator. I also teach an Advanced Placement U.S. History and a pre AP Seminar Class. I am the Project Coordinator for our Oral History Project (www.dceoralhistory.com) which received the Beveridge Family Teaching Award. I have coached both boys and girls basketball for many years. I am fortunate to work with an amazing social studies staff. They are dedicated to teaching social studies in a fun, exciting manner and to truly helping students become historians and active citizens. I really like to push students to do their very best!
Amelia Stranz
ReplyDelete"I would not be understood that I should choose to march, but as I am engaged in this glorious cause, I am will[ing]to go where I am called."(Lieutenant Joseph Hodgkins). Reading this quote at the top page 115 made me believe that this section would be filled with battles and maybe even some escapes. Section 2 or The Fateful Summer provided more detail on some of the battles and how people responded.
While previewing this chapter, I found the different maps very helpful because they showed where both sides were actually moving. While reading, I was able to picture some of the movements in my mind and it made it a lot easier to connect with the book and what the author was trying to describe. Also I was able to predict that there was going to be a set back for America with the excerpt of one of Washington's letters to Reed when he said "It is absolutely necessary...for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders." This made me think that maybe someone during the chapters was going to misinterpret one order and it would put the soldiers in jeopardy.
As I started reading the chapter, there were some things I began to question, like the meaning of the word unequivocally. When I looked it up, I found that it means having only one possible meaning or interpretation. I looked back on page 118 and understood what Washington said. He was saying that he was going to try to frustrate the enemy. On page 132 at the bottom of the page, the author started talking about a plot to assassinate Washington and I started to question what would happen if the plotters would have succeeded. Would we still be under British rule today? Who would have taken over for Washington?
During the section, I was able to visualize many different situations. One that stuck in my mind was on page 138, the second paragraph from the bottom. I could see the kaos in the streets and hear the alarms going off. I could even see the flashes of gun fire and how loud they were. Even the peoples faces in the streets were filled with fear. Also the description of the British soldiers on page 168. I could picture their rowdy uniforms and torn stockings. Before reading this, I always pictured British soldiers polished and almost professional looking in their uniforms, but now I've realized they probably look like any other fighting soldier; worn and faded.
Many people have heard this phrase; all men are created equal and everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Many people back when it was written thought nothing of it. On page 136, John Dickinson of Pennsylvania called the Declaration a "skiff made of paper". Today, the Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in our history. This has changed since the American Revolution when some people opposed it. What would have happened if some people refused to sign it? Where would our society be now?
Washington is probably the most famous general from this war, but how did Martha Washington see his work? On page 164, the author says that Martha burned most of his letters to her; all but three. Why would she do this? I believe that Martha Washington was probably always afraid for her husband. If I could see life as it was for her, I would probably see fear and hope whenever she got one of those letters.
The Fateful Summer was a very compelling section of this book. It made me remember the carnage and strategy of war and what the soldiers went through everyday. Reading this section makes me only want to see what happens in the future.
Amelia, great job once again using the reading thought of prediction and visualizing. Some great insights! But what did you think of Washington's escape from N.Y.? Nothing less than a miracle! I too, would like to know more about Martha Washington. As far as Trenton being a turning point, I would have to agree as far as a morale booster! But historians look at the Battle of Saratoga as the true turning point in the American Revolution. This is one of the most interesting battles that I suggest you look into. It was a turning point because it brought the French into the war and that was considered to be a key factor in the American victory. Of course the French dragged their feet and weren't of much consequence until later at Yorktown. But of course they made it a world war and engaged the British at other points in the World. I look forward to reading your third blog response! Keep up the awesome work! Mr. A
ReplyDeleteKatelyn Koepke
ReplyDeleteIn section 2 of 1776, David McCullough began by explaining the extreme disadvantage the American army was already at upon arriving in New York without even realizing it. On pages 117-119, the author explains that Loyalists were a decided majority throughout much of New York, and therefore would be in great support of the British army. From the statistics the author provided about the population of Loyalists in New York I predicted that Washington’s army would be largely outnumbered not only on the battlefield, but also in supporters of the Continental Army’s cause. From the start, Washington knew he needed more troops and only half the soldiers were fit for duty. Washington’s doubts about his army also seemed like a warning that the Americans could potentially be in trouble later because previously Washington had had more confidence in his men. Additionally, with the appearance of smallpox, the army was growing sickly and several soldiers died early on. This made me wonder if Washington truly realized the extremity of his need for more troops? Had Washington had more volunteers from the start, there is a chance things at Brooklyn Heights could have ended very differently.
Throughout this section, the author included a lot of details when describing the layout of the city, the arrival of the British fleet, the British invasion of Long Island, and the retreat of the Continental Army. These were big key parts of the section, however the author used vivid descriptions in a lot of the smaller, possibly less memorable parts as well. I was really able to visualize the part after the American soldiers heard the formal reading of the Declaration of Independence. The author described the celebration on page 137, “…a great mob of cheering, shouting soldiers and townspeople stormed down Broadway to Bowling Green, where, with ropes and bars, they pulled down the gilded lead statue of George III on his colossal horse…. the crowd hacked off the sovereign’s head, severed the nose, clipped the laurels that wreathed the head, and mounted what remained of the head and a spike outside a tavern.” The details made this particular scene easy to visualize and while reading this part, I could almost feel the soldiers’ and townspeople’s bitter disgust and contempt for their ruler.
In this section, there were several times when the author would contrast the differing perspectives of the British and the Americans. A huge difference in perspective was that Loyalists and deserters had overestimated rebel strength in New York and on Long Island to be between 30,000 and 35,000 and among many British officers the main worry was that the Americans might not fight. Contrarily, Washington and other American officers knew they did not have near enough troops and still felt a need for more. As it was, the American army was no match to the superior British force of 32,000. Also, with this new purpose for independence from Great Britain, there was no doubt the American army was willing to fight.
One very interesting point the author made starting on page 158 was about how the Americans of 1776 viewed their world. McCullough stated, “The Americans of 1776 enjoyed a higher standard of living than people anywhere else in the world.” The Americans had felt as if they were living in paradise, and even the Hessian and British troops were amazed to find Americans blessed with such abundance, things like “substantial farmhouses and fine furnishings.” Essentially, everything the Americans had was proof to the English that America had grown rich at the expense of Great Britain. The American people risked everything they had and enjoyed, virtually their entire way of life, in the hope that life would be even better as an independent country. The fight for independence was probably a big step for a lot of people knowing there was a possibility that they could have lost everything.
(Continued...)
Katelyn Koepke
ReplyDeleteIn Amelia’s blog, I thought she expressed a lot of interesting visualizations, including the chaos of the soldiers and civilians alike when the British opened fire on the town, and even the ragged, disorderly look of the British uniforms. I also thought it was remarkable that she tried to view General Washington from Martha Washington’s perspective, considering that her thoughts on his work could very well have been much different from those of the soldiers and of other officers he worked with as portrayed by the author. I look forward to reading section 3 to discover more about the events leading up to the end of the war.
Katelyn:
ReplyDeleteThe battle of Long Island was a terrible defeat for washington's army. He was out numbered and New York was a stronghold for loyalists. The British army was the most powerful in the world at that time. In 1776 the colonists were still undecided about the conflict. Even after the dec. of Independence a majority of colonists were loyalists or moderates, only about 35% of the population was for Independence, and the volunteers were not that willing to fight in another colony. Washington would improve the Continental army over time. In the future they would be able to fight the British on an equal basis, but that would only happen after 1777-78. Washington knew as long as he kept his army in the field he would eventually have a chance to win the war. It would be a good game of cat and mouse with the British making mistakes helping the colonists to come out victorious.
Katelyn:
ReplyDeleteGood insights on Amelia's thoughts. George washington was viewed in a different light by almost everyone at that time until the war was over. Those who knew him best were able to better understand his actions. He did not become the Father of our Country until he had success in defeating the British. Their wer many doubters in Congress and in his own army.
-Leutrime Jusufi-
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the second part of 1776, Fateful Summer, it made me become more familiar with the loyalty soldiers had for fighting for their country. This section of the novel went into more detail about the actually battles and events that occurred throughout the American Revolution. McCullough had done a great job especially with showing the struggles leaders like Washington had to overcome during the strife with great detail. This section had touched the hearts of all readers.
Once again, I used many skills and tools to interpret exactly what I was reading to get more use out of it. When reading the material, my mind was never blank, for I used a variety of “reading thoughts” to be engaged into the material. I also went on with “reading like a historian” to also understand what I was reading and to put myself into the perspective of a character during the time.
In the section, McCullough began to get into greater detail about the conditions. It was easy to visualize what was occurring, for example, the storm on August 21st, 1776. You could hear the thunder through your ears when reading about crash after crash, house after burning house, how soldiers were killed in a single flash. You could almost imagine you were there with the “monstrous thunderclouds” the author described. Along with visuals, a manifest of quotes were used to identify the importance of the willingness to fight for their independence. In the beginning of the section, on page 115, Lieutenant Joseph Hodgkins was quoted by saying, “I would not be understood that I should choose to march, but as I am engaged in this glorious cause, I am willing to go where I am called”. By this, Lieutenant Hodgkins tried to come through that any random man at the time would not actually want to fight with his own will, but Hodgkins, to prove his loyalty to the war, would fight wherever he was needed. The quote McCullough began with really made readers think about how connected soldiers were to the war.
Throughout the section, I came to realize turning points in the war when reading like a historian. Washington’s headquarters would be moved from No. 1 Broadway, in Boston, to New York. In New York, the troops had no determination to when and where they would be attacked. Although Washington was realistic, he still had the faintest fear for naval ships appearing at any second. This change could affect the results of a battle that would come, a turning point in the novel. Another thought when reading like a historian was the different perspectives in general, that England and the Americans had overall. While England believed that one should rule all with a monarchy, Americans begged to differ. They wanted a choice, one man, one vote, a republic for all time. Overall, my opinion on these two perspectives on rule is that the Americans had the longer side of the stick. Everyone should have been equal during that time and with the courage to fight, they finally accomplished that.
Overall, the section was filled with information on the battles of the American Revolution. Generals like Washington, Howe, Greene and more all contributed to the loses and wins that happened. With the Summer bringing hard times for the soldiers, they still had found the will to keep their head up and be loyal to their country.
-Leutrime Jusufi-
ReplyDeleteIn Katelyn's blog, I appreciated the fact that she had a lot of insight on the different perspectives on the American and British armies. It is scary to realize what great of a chance the Americans had to be defeated, with a shortage of everything. From weapons to troops, they were doomed. If it weren't for their great leader, George Washington, they wouldn't have stood a chance. If they would have lost, we would probably be speaking proper british English.
Leutrime:
ReplyDeleteExcellent insights. The war was fought in difficult situations for everyone involved. The summer of 1776 was a time of change and dividion in the colonies. Men like Washington had a difficult time keeping his army together, and even a tougher time in defeating the British Army. Many people did sacrafice for the cause of liberty and a chance to create a republic, but it would take time. The British were fighting to preserve their limited monarchy type of government. The colonists were fighting to have a voice in their own affairs and to protect their rights as Englishmen. 1776 was not a good year for the rebels, but it would improve with time and outside support.
Ashly Novander
ReplyDeleteIn previewing the second section of 1776, I immediately turned my thoughts to what I knew beforehand. The Declaration of Independence was signed in the summer of 1776 so I predicted that the name of the section "Fateful Summer" would largely reflect upon the actions both leading up to and following the document's signing, plus the momentous effect it would have in the outcome of the war. However, as I started reading, I realized also that the section would deal largely with Washington's difficulties in defending New York and Long Island, but more importantly, how his actions would affect the outcome of the upcoming battle. From the start Washington somewhat knew of his disadvantage but chose to largely ignore what his colleagues knew: Who controls the river, controls the town. Before fully reading the chapter I also looked at several of the pictures. However, I didn't find the maps as useful as the previous posters had. What was more interesting were the portraits done by C.W. Peale. It's always important to see that the Americans and the British weren't that different from each other, even in appearances. By seeing this, I could also correctly predict that McCullough would try to thin the gap between these two opponents.
This section was monumental in describing how Washington's greatest assets could be turned against him, and how easy it is to take advantage of the enemy's faults. As described before Washington refused to believe he could not defend New York and Brooklyn without a naval force. On top of that Washington was greatly outnumbered by Loyalists and he had no Intelligence source, unlike before. The threat of an inside force working against him was much greater than at Boston, and with no way of finding out how great a threat that actually was, rumors were allowed to run rampant through the town. Worse, the army would form periodic lynch mobs, forcing Washington to enact stricter punishments for unruly behavior. These were allowed to work against the meticulous Washington over the summer months so that when the time precision was needed, Washington buckled. He was severely concerned over the looming threat of the British navy, and unwisely focused his defenses on that. He split his forces and even during the start of the British invasion had no idea what Howe would do. Perhaps the most fatal flaw were insignificant forces on Long Island, allowing for General Clinton's brilliant plan of slipping past American forces through Jamaica Pass. To be fair, when the fate of his army was at stake, Washington did manage to choose wisely and retreat before the British changed their minds and continued their attack on Long Island.
Once again it is astonishing how the most fateful decisions were left to chance. The British armada was unable to attack New York because of the wind, and Howe decided to hold back after the victory on Long Island. Had those two things been contrary, writing the Declaration of Independence would've been useless; the American army would've been crushed. Writing the Declaration of Independence itself was a risky bet that the American army had any chance of winning. By placing such an unknown chance on the Americans, it pressured the Generals to deliver this suggested outcome and elevated the American army to a false sense of superiority quickly perforated by the first attack on New York. Fortunately, the Declaration of Independence as a morale booster helped ease the edge of the American loss at Long Island. Still, I can't help but wondering what Congress thought of their decision after reading the full report about Long Island and if they regretted it.
(continued)
Ashly Novander
ReplyDelete(continued)
Section two also brought up some other questions and answered others. First of all from section one I had wondered about when Washington took residence in Boston whether it was by force or if he was allowed to stay there. Reading section two helped me understand that most houses were abandoned and that usually the soldiers were grateful for any residence that wasn't a tent. Secondly, I want to learn more about General Clinton's campaign in the southern colonies. It seemed to influence Clinton's decision in writing a letter to Howe instead of voicing his idea face to face. Third, it seemed unfair for McCullough to wait so long to describe the common British soldier. I'm questioning the author's bias because he allowed false assumptions about the British to continue while he took no time to describe the American army as the ragtag army. Lastly, I would like to know why Martha destroyed all her letters from Washington.
In Leutrime's post I enjoyed reading her visualization of the storm on August 21st. It truly was a vivid moment, and McCullough's description of the event helped place a clear picture in one's head. However, I found it amusing that the author noted how such storms were often considered ill omens when in truth the British's following attack was purely as coincidental as the storm. I would also like to disagree with Leutrime in placing the American army's success purely on Washington's shoulders. There were many other Generals, such as Greene, and figures, like those in the Continental Congress, in the war that equally (or near equally) deserve credit for the success of the Revolution. One could even thank a few generals of the British army for their miscalculations and unknowingly helping the American army succeed.
Ashley:
ReplyDeleteExcellent insights. The British army did have distinct advantages over Washington's army. The fact that the British commanders made so many mistakes, which allowed the colonial army to stay active and fight would be a reoccurring theme through out the war. Washington was brilliant in a way. He did not allow himself to get caught, and his army was not forced to surrender. The Dec. of Independence may have had a strong influence on that. They were committing treason after they rebelled, death was the only sentence back then. So in a way washington was forced to stay active, to retreat when necessary and wait for the right time to attack. Congress probably did not have time to think about the Declaration, they had to make the best of their decision and try and get help for the colonial army from other countries. You have a very good thought process, your understanding of the activities going on in 1776 is excellent.
Tim Soja
ReplyDeleteSomething interesting I read in part 2 fateful summer was, Joseph Martin, a new recruit in Connecticut ranks, said, “I never spent a thought about numbers. The Americans were invincible in my opinion.” And while I was reading this I couldn’t help think/predict that this thought wouldn’t stay with him if he were to stay with the army. I say that because the British have greater numbers and weapon supplies. And are determined to win and put down the rebellion. When also I looked at that quote of Joseph Martin on page 117, the thing that changed his opinion to that can be that the Continental army won at Boston and forced them to retreat. And because of that people like Joseph Martin flock to join the Continental army thinking the war is easily won after Boston. When in fact I believe that it is going to start to go down for them because the British are going to New York, which is populated mostly by loyalist. One thing I don’t get is on page 150 it starts to tell of disease spreading in the Continental army but when one reads the British account it says they aren’t as badly sick. Also another thing that the Continental army wasn’t that clean and that they had to be told by Greene to fill up their “latrines” and dig new ones every week. While the British are being clean without even being told to be except for changing clothing every so often and taking baths. The turning point during fateful summer is very interesting and surprising, on page 163 it is said, “Washington left Jamaica Pass a narrow pass undefended, but as a last minute idea put only five young militia officers who had horses to guard it.” It is than that everything in New York went downhill. When the British find that path only five inexperienced militia men are there to stop them which is very easy for the British to do, once British take that pass they can take the Continental army by surprise and win New York.
What Ashley said was true, but it also does help the British that the colonial army is over confident because of their victory at Boston. It is because of that that they will underestimate the British for a time.
Ariana Nickmeyer
ReplyDeleteSection two of 1776 begins immediately with a key quote from George Washington. “The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army.” This quote reveals just how acutely aware Washington was of the gravity of his “glorious cause.” He was very conscious of how whether he succeeded or failed in his enterprise would affect generations of Americans to come. That knowledge must have placed an enormous amount of pressure on Washington’s shoulders, but many people believed that there was no one better suited for the job of commander-in-chief. It is emphasized in 1776 that Washington was not a man to hide the truth from himself, no matter how bad. On both page 40 and page 161, McCullough states that “seeing things as they were, and not as he would wish they were, was known to be one of Washington’s salient strengths.”
When General Howe sent an officer under a flag of truce to Washington, I wondered if Joseph Reed had searched the officer for weapons before allowing him to see General Washington. Even though the officer was under a flag of truce, it seems as though it would be very simple to pretend he had come under truce, but then kill Washington and other men in high command. That would then send the army into a potentially fatal state of disarray, and the British army could strike. The officer sent to do the job would probably also be killed, but there would probably be someone willing to do it. However, I don’t know what the consequences of perfidy were in the 1700s.
Most of the perspectives expressed in 1776 were those of the Americans. Many loathed the British, and were determined to fight for their newborn country to gain the freedom they strongly felt they deserved. On the other hand, the British considered the Americans to be quite foolish for wanting to break away from the mighty British Empire. It states on page 158 that the Americans of 1776 enjoyed a higher standard of living than any people in the world. It was incomprehensible to the British that the Americans would ever want to risk losing such prosperity by attempting to break away from the king. But the British soldiers didn’t empathize with the Americans on the subject of the new taxes, and did not recognize the right of the American colonists to break away from Britain.
One aspect of war that I recognized has continued throughout the centuries is that of alliances with other countries. In the first years of the Revolutionary War, the British alliance with the Hessians gave them an even greater advantage over the inexperienced American army. The Hessians were very disciplined and well-trained fighters, and were a formidable force against the Americans. The Americans were able to achieve victories, but their later alliance with the French gave them both added strength and manpower to defeat the British. Additionally, the success of the American Revolution resulted in greater ardor for the eventual French Revolution.
I agree with Tim that leaving the Jamaica Pass practically unguarded but for five inexperienced militia officers was a serious mistake. It cost Washington a lot of men, and a diminution in confidence in some of his soldiers and officers. Leaving the Jamaica Pass so poorly defended should serve as a lesson to never overlook even the smallest possibility of attack.
Ariana:
ReplyDeleteGeorge Washington was the reason the colonists did not lose the war. His decision making did have flaws and he made mistakes, but he kept from being killed or captured, and that kept the war going. The French were the main reason we won the war, without their help who knows what would have happened. The Americans did have a good life, and the British had a hard time understanding the complaints of the colonists, but the ideas of freedom, rights and independence were to strong for the British to win, especially when the British people were tired of the war.
By Zach Burmeister
ReplyDeleteAs I read part II: Faithful Summer I learned quite a bit about how the Americans felt through their eyes. They were thoroughly devoted to the American cause. Lieutenant Joseph Hodgkins once said, “I would not be understood that I should choose to march, but as I am engaged in this glorious cause, I am willing to go where ever I am called”. This shows not only how devoted Joseph Hodgkins was but the Americans as a whole. Although there were some that couldn’t care less about the cause , there were many who had dropped everything in order to achieve freedom. Through the eyes of Joseph Plumb Martin the Americans were invincible. I think that this is incredible because he knew that the rabble in arms was raging war against the most powerful nation in the world. It also says that there was scarcely a militia man who did not think himself equal to two or three of the British. This again is incredible. All throughout this section it frequently replies to the devotion and courage of the American Army. Although this is not an event I think that this is very important. I think the greatest army in the world couldn’t win a battle if they have already defeated themselves in their heads. I think that being confident like the Americans is a good thing but if you are over confident then that’s when it gets bad. I can see through their eyes and think that the way they thought was very important.
One thing that I pictured time and time again throughout this part of the novel was the long, winding marches. For example, at the start of Chapter Four it begins with a story of a march through the countryside of Massachusetts to Connecticut. I can just imagine a bunch of men marching through wilderness that is still winter but on the verge of spring, and the people lining the roads of towns just to watch the soldiers march by. I can imagine what their thoughts were as this has been the largest army ever seen in the colonies.
As I continue to read I can just imagine how both sides are going to feel about the events at New York and the surrounding area. I feel that the British will feel proud especially the ones back at the parliament in England. And I predict that although the Americans didn’t win they didn’t lose as they learned many lessons on trust and how to wage a land vs. water war. They will also try harder to see from all angles as this time they forgot to include the fact that they can get attacked on land as well.
Response to Ariana’s blog:
I like Arianas blog because she did a great job at the reading like a historian strategy, through their eyes. I like how she explained how Washington felt and the predicament that we were in. I liked when enforced the fact that… “The British considered the Americans to be quiet foolish for wanting to break away from the mighty British Empire.” Good Job.
Zach,interestingly enough, the American's did have afew advantages,like rifles rather than muskets, home court advantage, and of course its always easier to win a defensive war. But what about the Loyalists? What was with them? Did McCoullough have anything to say about them. They did make up 1/3 or 2/5 of the colonists.I/'d say the Americans were darned lucky they didn't get captured and completely defeated in N.Y. I think Howe and the British really blew their chance! Thank you for responding to Ariana.
ReplyDeleteKrystal Obermeier
ReplyDeleteAs I began to read the second section of David McCullough book, titled Fateful Summer, I began making many predictions. Throughout this section and also in the previous section, Washington seemed to be very well aware of the trouble his army was in. This included the fact that compared to the British Army; his numbers were far less, and in far worse health than the British. On several accounts David McCullough laid out the differences between the two armies, in relation to their cleanliness among other things. The best example of this was on pages 166-167. The London Chronicle would point to the reason why the British troops who were in a foreign climate would be in such good health while the American Army was so overtaken by disease, was because of cleanliness. My predictions of Washington’s Army loosing some of the upcoming battles were accurate.
While reading Chapter 5: Field of Battle, I made a connection while Sullivan attempted to control his men during the attack from the British. “Their situation was desperate; retreat was the only alternative, and in stages of ‘fight and flight’ he led them as rapidly as possible in the direction of the Brooklyn lines.” I made a specific connection to the “fight and flight” part of this quote. While learning about the response stages to a stressful situation during Health class this past summer, fight and/or flight was one of the things we discussed, and it was the first stage in response to something stressful. It was interesting that this was included in 1776, but the more I think about it the more it fits in almost every account of battle and encounter with the enemy. The encounters with one another either included staying to fight the enemy or retreating back to safer grounds. Through learning the stages of response to a stressful situation the last stage is exhaustion, this also fit in perfectly at the end of the battle of Long Island when the troops fell asleep for one whole day, including General George Washington. This is foreseeable in understanding the stress that came with moving thousands of men quietly through the night right under the enemy’s nose.
One thing that caught my attention on several account while reading this section, was the fact that the soldiers in the American Army went through little if not any training whatsoever during this time of war. It made me think of today’s war and all of the preparation that goes into someone becoming a soldier. The first stage in becoming a soldier today is to go through basic training, which is a four week course. Our army would be a complete disaster in today’s time without training just as Washington’s army was a mess several hundred years ago. Another large change that makes today’s wars different from the American Revolution is technology. Miscommunication and delayed information was a big setback for both sides of the army in 1776. The fact that people in America didn’t know that a hundred British boats were going to show up on their shores until they saw them there is unbelievable. It makes one wonder just how different this war would have been if it could have been fought with today’s technology and training.
Throughout Section 2: Fateful Summer, the weather played a large role in the outcome of different battles. The sudden changes of wind and weather played many crucial parts in developing several small turning points in the war. For example, the wind direction played an extremely important role in helping or disabling both sides of the war on several different accounts. The changes in wind opened up opportunities on some accounts and closed them on different ones. Another weather change helped to save the American army from losses when they escaped across the river, leaving the enemy behind. “Incredibly, yet again, circumstances-fate, luck, Providence, the hand of God, as would be said so often-intervened.” The fact that the fog settled in at just the right time caused an unlived turning point, who knows how that escape would have ended without the fog?
Krystal Obermeier
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading Zach's visualization of the long and winding marches. His description of it was great. Also, his insight to how they "didn't win, they didn't lose" was interesting. I agree that they gained some very important lessons, that will most likely be helpful later on.
Krystal:
ReplyDeleteExcellent insights. Your thoughts are expressed well. The weather and indecision all played a part of who would win the war. The size, health and the supplies available all influenced the outcome of battles. Luck was also a major player in the war for independence. Washington would learn many things, and by 1777-1778 he would have the help of foreign volunteers to train ihis army to be better fighters. This porcess was a key factor for the continental army when it started to win battles in the later stages of the war. When the French showed up in 1780 it was just a matter of time before the British would surrender at Yorktown and ask for peace.
Nate Fiene
ReplyDeleteOne thing that really caught my mind was that Washington split his forces, about half in New York City, and about half in Long Island. While reading, I was trying to anticipate what would happen in the British launched an attack on both areas simultaniously. Had I been in General Washington's position, I would have left Long Island to the British-especially because the Tories would have sabotaged the Contiental Army at every turn and aided the British once they had landed, as was shown at New York City. I would have deployed all available men inside NYC, for the main fact that you never, never divide your forces when facing a superior one.
Once the British and Hessians landed, all I could imagaine was a tide of red with a fringe or two of blue, not to mention ships as far as the eye could see. Something like that must have been terrifying to the soldiers. Think about it this way: except for a few of your friends in one area of forest, you are alone. Suddenly, ships start streaming into the coastline. Men jump out and keep coming and coming and coming for hours. Artillery was unloaded as well, so it looks like a sea of red and blue with pockets of clearing for artillery and ships gazing watchfully over the coastline.
Nate Fiene
ReplyDeleteIn response to Krystal's post, I loved the part about the fog rolling in. Fate, Divine Intervention, an Act of God, whatever you want to call it, I would say that the fog saved-or if not saved then allowed Washington to save his army and the American cause.
Jordan Williams
ReplyDeleteWhile reading part two of David McCullough’s “1776”, I tried to visualize different parts of the scenes in Brooklyn, while also trying to understand what the key aspects McCullough were trying to show. The first scene I imagined was the disease infested camps of both the American and British lines. The way it was described, I felt as though sick men were laying all throughout the camps moaning and groaning while others relieved themselves in unsanitary manners. Another scene that came to mind was towards the end of the section when he describes the escape that Washington and his men made. To have almost 9,000 men cross that river in small, flat bottom boats during the darkness of night, is magnificent enough, let alone to have only 3 men captured by their own stupidity.
While reading, I also tried to understand the big ideas David was trying to portray. The biggest deal in this section was “whoever controlled the sea, would control the land.” Washington was told this many times but he failed to understand it, while the British did a great job with this one. Another thing that came to mind was by Washington retreating when his army wasn’t in too bad of shape even though he had suffered many losses. By doing this, the townspeople and the men of the military had renewed confidence in not only Washington, but themselves as well.
While reading like a historian, I tried to understand the differing perspectives and view the situation through their eyes. The perspectives throughout the book are that of the British soldiers and the American soldiers. I personally prefer hearing the Americans’ because they didn’t ‘dress up’ the situation and told it like it was. So by them doing this, I agree more on their stand point of the war rather than the British. I also wanted to understand what the people there seen and felt rather than just reading about it. When the British made it to the American colonies, they were astounded by how great their furniture and other home pieces were. On the other hand, the Americans seen the British as people trying to take their freedom and land away.
As for interacting with others, while reading I knew a little about Tories but did not understand what they were exactly. So here’s a link for anyone looking to learn a bit more about them… http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Tory.aspx
Nate:
ReplyDeleteWashington had a lot to learn as a commander. Spliting his forces may have been a move due to the fact that he did not know where the British were going to land, or maybe one could cover the retreat of the other. New York was a huge defeat for the colonies, but Washington learned something about the British because they did not pursue his army. That fact would repeat itself a great nunmber of times allowing washington to stay in the fight and eventually win the war with the help of the French. Hindsight is grerat to have now, but you need to consider the time place and experience at that moment. Very good thoughts and excellent processing of the information
Jordan:
ReplyDeleteExcellent thoughts. The war had points of view on both sides that could be justified. Both armies would suffer through disease and death outside of fighting. The British did control the seas, and controlled the availability of the colonial army to get adequate supplies. But washington grew smater as the war went on and he knew as long as he was not captured the colonies would not lose the war. When the French join our cause in 1778 the war would eventually be won by Washington's army. A surprize to everyone, including most colonists.
Jordyn Prell
ReplyDeleteWhen I started reading the second section of David McCullough's 1776, I questioned why the author chose to include background information on the people (generals, officers, etc.) that fought in the war and also the backgrounds of the cities that the war took place in. At first it sort of seemed like he took too much time doing this, but then I realized that much of this information that the author included was necessary to the story. The information given about the people really helps the reader understand the person better and why they might of made certain decisions. As for the background of the cities, such as New York, it gives the reader vaulable information about what life was like so they could put themselves in the story. The information about the cities also included maps, which were very helpful when trying to track the paths of the battles and the soldiers.
The quotation by Washington at the beginning of Chapter 5 seemed of great importance to the section. Washington stated, "Remember officers and soldiers that you are free men, fighting for the blessing of liberty" (155). This quote is important to the section because it represents what the Americans are fighting for; it defines their cause for fighting as liberty or freedom. This was very important for the soldiers to keep in mind as they were fighting because it gave them a reason to keep going even when they thought surrendering was the better option.
While thinking like a historian in this section, I tried to see how the women and children would have viewed their world when the British army, in a surprise move, decided to show the American army in New York that they were not, in fact, prepared for a British attack. As the British started firing cannons, I would have been very frightened for what would happen to me and the people closest to me. As the firing began, I would have panicked and rushed out of the town as quickly as possible to try and get myself to safety. I am sure that this suprise move would have scared many people out of the city and also put a thought in their head that the American army may not be strong enough to protect them. This move would've had people start to lose confidence in the American army, which is not a good thing.
Also in this section I looked at the different perspectives (American versus British) as to why they would have even started a war in the first place. On the British side, they were fighting to try and regain a hold on the colonies in America; they wanted them back under their ruling. The Americans on the other hand, wanted to fight for their independence from British ruling. In this case I agree more with the American side because they were being denied certain rights that as humans, shouldn't be denied. They were being opressed under British ruling and after trying to deal with it in a nonviolent way (which didn't work), they now have to fight for their cause.
In response to Jordan: I agree that McCullough's idea that “whoever controlled the sea, would control the land” is an important idea through this section. As you stated in your post, there are many examples through the British army to make this statement true. I also looked at the link you posted about tories and found out more about the political party. It was helpful.
Jordyn:
ReplyDeleteExcellent thoughts and insights. Background information is necesary to understand how and why decisions are made in a battle. Also geography and demographics of a place influence the outcome and the plans prepared for the upcoming battle. Each side had reasons to fight and win, but liberty was a determining factor in the war. It far out weighs fighting to hold on to distant colonies. The British did have a superior fighting force and more supplies than the colonies. With those advantages the British would be more successful in the first part of the war. The colonial army would learn and adapt. The future would bring more victories and eventually foreign allies. When a colonial town became the location of a battle the civilians did suffer death and injury and sometimes horrible consequenses. The British were harsh in their treatment of colonials suspected of being patriots and loyalists suffered the same fait from the colonists.
John Xiong
ReplyDeleteIn section two of the historical novel, 1776 by David McCullough, I saw an importance within a paragraph of a letter from Nathanial Greene to John Adams. The following phrase, “if Congress were to provide support for those soldiers maimed or killed that this in itself would increase enlistments and inspire those engaged with as much courage as any measure that can be fixed upon”(Greene 130), refers to Greene’s distress over the need of troops. Greene’s main purpose was only to make congress encourage soldiers to join in order for the Americans to win the war.
Throughout chapter four in section two most of the days of the American troops and those individuals who lead them would have quiet days in which there was no sign of the British. Everything soon changed when the first fleets of the British were sighted in the harbor near No.1 Broadway, the place in which Henry and Lucy Knox stayed in New York after Washington relocated. The city began pouring with uproar of frightened people, which their first action was to pack and leave. In addition Washington, Greene, and Knox’s wives left with their children and the rest of New York. Overall, with the presence of the British, the quiet and regular days for the American Army was changed to fear and elevated levels of stress, due to days and nights with no sleep.
A great turning point within section two would be the escape of the American Army. In one night Washington was able to retreat an entire out of harms way and without the British even knowing. Many of the British thought of it as foolish and unmanly, but others see it as a daring and well played move. Washington knew the results if they were to stay, in which he eliminated deaths, injuries, and possible prisoners with the retreat. Thus, allowing him to have more time and saving his men for another fight.
On the British side I was able to generalize the critics of the General William Howe, which I would consider the George Washington of the British. Towards the end of section two General Howe made many decisions that were consider foolish among some of his Captains. Those decisions were only of stopping troops from further attacks. Captain John Montresor, who was the severest criticizer of General Howe, saying he “never pursues his victories” and that what Howe did was a grievous mistake. In addition General Clinton also saw the same of General Montresor and knew Howe had a chance at ending to war. I generalized mainly of how the Generals and Captains had wanted the war to end so badly. Mainly because they were far from home, and under the pressure of war, that they would have felt the urgent need of ending it all.
In response to Jordyn,
I too agree that when the author used background information, it makes you understand the story a lot better when you know more of the charactors.
Hi John
ReplyDeleteGlad you feel the author is helping you understand our history. Looks like you are getting some great specifics out of book about the generals. Hope that you feel you are getting a grasp on the overall strategy of both sides and which players had the most influence.
Jordan Brinkman
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started the second section section of 1776, I noticed, a cause and effect, that there was a change in morale amongst the American troops. Coming off of there victory in Boston they were heightened by a sense of victory that probably led to their boost in confidence, and in my opinion caused an over cockiness among the troops; as they were out and about New York getting drunk. Also as a result of their sudden sense of empowerment came one of the colonist darker acts of the war, the tar and feathering of the British loyalists that were residing in the colonies.
Also during these times there was a lull in the worries about the British, which led me to predict, while reading like a historian, that something big was about to happen, such as a big push from British army. As I read further I found out that this prediction was true as the massive British invasionof long island, on Thursday August 22nd, began. Roughly 15,000 British troops, along with forty pieces of artillery, landed in procession on the Long Island beach and easily drove back Colonel Edward Hand's few rifleman that were posted on the beach.
Toward the end of section two,(reading like a historian), I made a very interesting connection between the very first american army and today's modern american army. General Washington ordered the massive relocation of the defeated troops from New York to Brooklyn. Washington sent a secret and deceiving letter to Mifflin, stating that all functional water vessels be rounded up at once for the supposed reason to help transport battalions from New Jersey that were coming to relieve some of the current battalions. The real reason was to safely retreat the army across the river to safety. This moment of secrecy when few in the ranks new exactly what was going on until the operation was underway reminded me of all the secrecy in todays's american army. The C.I.A, F.B.I, Secret service, and other organizations, carry out missions that most of the army and nation are unaware of completely.
In addition to this connection i also had a visualization/ differing perspective moment in this part of the book. Washington had the troops who were last to depart make enough of a scene, such as walking around and tending to fires, to make it appear that the Americans were still camped in their current position when they were actually moving the army across the river. I was able to see this from the British side; seeing soldiers walking around and about the camp adding wood to fires, etc, while sitting in their own camp completely unaware, discussing the days victory.
In response to Joey, I must say that i agree with the point he made about saying how some of General Howes' decisions with the British army can be considered foolish; the main one being when he called a halt on the British armies' major push through Long Island because, had they continued while the Americans were retreating and disoriented they could have possibly inflicted massive additional damage to the American amry.
Eli "Big Poppa" Frieders
ReplyDeleteNow done with the second part of 1776, by David McCullough, I feel like I'm really starting to get a firmer grasps on the revolution and what this whole country that I live in is really all about. Once I got about half way done with section two, I was predicting quite easily that Britain was planning something big since they were bringing in hundreds of ships filled with soldiers to New York. It then makes me wonder again how America could even have any possibility of winning this war with such loss of no navy. So I also predicted that American would not be able to conquer such a deficit in New York. Also I recently went to a musical called "Miss Saigon" where the soldiers in Saigon would get drunk and "party" while they were not fighting. I relate this too how the American soldiers started to drink and be less careless in New York.
Because of the events of the war the American soldiers took it upon themselves to start a "game" of hunting down and tar and feathering the British Loyalists. They did so because the Loyalists were not for the American cost and supporting King George. Then after the Americans suffered a defeat in New York, it lessened Washington's choices of where to position his armies. So he then retreated the soldiers farther into New York away from the British.
In response to Jordan,
I did also notice the similarities of how leading officers held secrets from the soldiers back in 1776 and today. Like when Washington did not tell the soldiers that it was a retreat to make sure that they would not run off.
Tyler Timm,
ReplyDeleteWhile I read section 2, of David McCullough's novel 1776, a few things stood out to me. First, I noticed the extreme disadvantages the Americans had in attempting to defend New York. To begin, New York and the surrounding area is dominated by rivers and the ocean. This was crucial because the British at the time had the most powerful navy in the world, and they could easily take advantage of these waters as the American army had no significant naval force. On page 126 it states that General Lee had even concluded that without command of the sea New York could not be held. Next, the Americans were greatly outnumbered. Washington had around 10,000 men under his control while the combined force of the British and Hessians had over 30,000 soldiers. Also to make matters worse for the Americans they were spread out on over 6 miles of land, making them vulnerable in many points to an attack. And finally, the Hessian and British troops had much more training and experience than the American militias did. The only soldiers in the American army who had any experience had just gotten it in the recent months in Boston.
The second point that jumped out to me was the section on page 177 that described the retreat of Lord Stirling and the men under his command. Lord Stirling and his men had held their line for the longest period of time, nearly 4 hours. But, when the line finally broke and they were forced to retreat back to the Brooklyn line, they were cut off by a full division of British troops. The only remaining way to get back to safety was to cross Gowanus Bay which was nearing high tide. So, with time running out for him and his men Lord Stirling made "A valiant effort to cover the retreat of the others" as he led around 250 Marylanders in a head on attack of the British division. This showed a sense of bravery and unity that had not yet been seen on the American side in the revolution. George Washington, who had watched the event from a Brooklyn hill, was quoted as saying "Good god, what brave fellows i must this day lose!". Also, McCullough used a great amount of detail in this section, which made it incredibly easy to picture this event in my mind.
In response to John,
I agree with the part of your blog where you talk about how it was a well played move by Washington to move his army out of New York.
Tyler Timm,
ReplyDeleteWhile I read section 2, of David McCullough's novel 1776, a few things stood out to me. First, I noticed the extreme disadvantages the Americans had in attempting to defend New York. To begin, New York and the surrounding area is dominated by rivers and the ocean. This was crucial because the British at the time had the most powerful navy in the world, and they could easily take advantage of these waters as the American army had no significant naval force. On page 126 it states that General Lee had even concluded that without command of the sea New York could not be held. Next, the Americans were greatly outnumbered. Washington had around 10,000 men under his control while the combined force of the British and Hessians had over 30,000 soldiers. Also to make matters worse for the Americans they were spread out on over 6 miles of land, making them vulnerable in many points to an attack. And finally, the Hessian and British troops had much more training and experience than the American militias did. The only soldiers in the American army who had any experience had just gotten it in the recent months in Boston.
The second point that jumped out to me was the section on page 177 that described the retreat of Lord Stirling and the men under his command. Lord Stirling and his men had held their line for the longest period of time, nearly 4 hours. But, when the line finally broke and they were forced to retreat back to the Brooklyn line, they were cut off by a full division of British troops. The only remaining way to get back to safety was to cross Gowanus Bay which was nearing high tide. So, with time running out for him and his men Lord Stirling made "A valiant effort to cover the retreat of the others" as he led around 250 Marylanders in a head on attack of the British division. This showed a sense of bravery and unity that had not yet been seen on the American side in the revolution. George Washington, who had watched the event from a Brooklyn hill, was quoted as saying "Good god, what brave fellows i must this day lose!". Also, McCullough used a great amount of detail in this section, which made it incredibly easy to picture this event in my mind.
In response to John,
I agree with the part of your blog where you talk about how it was a well played move by Washington to move his army out of New York.
Tyler Timm,
ReplyDeleteWhile I read section 2, of David McCullough's novel 1776, a few things stood out to me. First, I noticed the extreme disadvantages the Americans had in attempting to defend New York. To begin, New York and the surrounding area is dominated by rivers and the ocean. This was crucial because the British at the time had the most powerful navy in the world, and they could easily take advantage of these waters as the American army had no significant naval force. On page 126 it states that General Lee had even concluded that without command of the sea New York could not be held. Next, the Americans were greatly outnumbered. Washington had around 10,000 men under his control while the combined force of the British and Hessians had over 30,000 soldiers. Also to make matters worse for the Americans they were spread out on over 6 miles of land, making them vulnerable in many points to an attack. And finally, the Hessian and British troops had much more training and experience than the American militias did. The only soldiers in the American army who had any experience had just gotten it in the recent months in Boston.
The second point that jumped out to me was the section on page 177 that described the retreat of Lord Stirling and the men under his command. Lord Stirling and his men had held their line for the longest period of time, nearly 4 hours. But, when the line finally broke and they were forced to retreat back to the Brooklyn line, they were cut off by a full division of British troops. The only remaining way to get back to safety was to cross Gowanus Bay which was nearing high tide. So, with time running out for him and his men Lord Stirling made "A valiant effort to cover the retreat of the others" as he led around 250 Marylanders in a head on attack of the British division. This showed a sense of bravery and unity that had not yet been seen on the American side in the revolution. George Washington, who had watched the event from a Brooklyn hill, was quoted as saying "Good god, what brave fellows i must this day lose!". Also, McCullough used a great amount of detail in this section, which made it incredibly easy to picture this event in my mind.
In response to John,
I agree with the part of your blog where you talk about how it was a well played move by Washington to move his army out of New York.
Emilee Charles
ReplyDeleteThe quote on the page leading into section 2, "The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army." -General George Washington, July 2nd, 1776, makes me think that this section will have much more fighting in it and the fighting and battles will have a meaning of great importance.
The one thing that I tried extremely hard to make a connection to was how the wives of these soldiers fighting for independence feel. I think that if it were to be my husband gone off to fight and risking his life to fight for independence I would be upset, not only because he was risking his life but also the well being of our family to fight in a war where he was pretty much a volunteer.
One cause and effect I feel was of great importance in this section was that the loyalists and the British army had thought the American troops had far many more soldiers than what was true. The effect of this was that the British army had more fear installed in them and they were more afraid to set an attack on the Americans, this helped the American's greatly because they were in more control of when the time was to fight.
The most important turning point i feel is the big move from Boston to New York, this was a big step and risk that would eventually lead to the upcoming battles.
But the biggest thing that struck my interest was the when they first reached New York it was realized that the people who control the water control the city and on page 127 it says, "If New York was the key to the continent, then Long Island was key to New York , and the key to the defense of Long Island was Brooklyn Heights" If all of these things were key to winning then it was important they control them but the key to controlling them was to control the waterways that lead to them and surrounded them with the British having such a strong navy force this was of upmost importance.
Questions I had for the section included...
Would the plot to have assassinated Washington worked where would that have lead us today, and who would have taken his position if it had worked?
Why would Martha Washington burn all but three of the letters George Washington had sent her?
Response to Tyler...
I think you commented greatly on the struggles the American army had other then the lack of supplies and disease, which is mostly what is told of when struggle is concerned with the American military. I agree completely when you talk about the bravery and unity that was shown by the Americans, this is shown throughout the book but this was one of the times where it was most evident
Hannah Johnson
ReplyDeleteWhile reading section 2 of 1776 David McCullough started describing the summer of 1776 and how the British army had sent more troops over. David McCullough described how within a week or so hundreds of British ships were sailing in day by day. (Each ship carrying thousands of men and 50 guns or more.) I cannot even imagine how Washington must have felt seeing them come in and knowing that more ships were to come. Also if I was Washington, another question I would have is, when should be attack? Do we wait until they are fully equipped with men and weapons or attack now while the numbers are smaller? Washington had many options to think about.
I was starting to predict while reading chapter five, “Field of Battle”, the rebels were in for some trouble. They were already low in numbers. No one was defending the Jamaica Pass, the ones who were looking over were easily captured because they thought the British were their own. When the British came face to face with the rebels, the British easily surrounded them. The New Englanders then had no choice but to retreat or surrender.
Later on in section 2 Washington makes a huge decision of retreating from Brooklyn to catch the British by surprise. The effect this retreat would have is the concern the British will have knowing that the enemies could attack or change course without them knowing or have any control over them. The Rebels were lucky enough that the British did not see Mifflin’s regiment leave early. Washington sent them back in time. Later they retreated when the ferry was reading for them. If the British would have seen them, the retreat would have failed and the British probably would have attacked right then and there.
Also with Washington deciding to retreat, it saved the Americans from a loss. It gave them another day to fight. If the Americans would have stayed on the island, eventually the British ships would have came down the river, taken away an escape path for the Americans to get to New York and outnumber them with men. The war could have easily ended right there. Washington’s plan turned out to have a great effect later on.
To Eli’s Response:
I wondered the same thing through section 2 on how could the Americans ever come back and win against the British army?
Mariah Endres
ReplyDeleteFrom the very beginning of section two, "Fateful Summer," I noticed a change of emotion throughout Washington and the army. Coming from the end of section one where "Spirits were higher than they had ever been. The soldier's life, many decided, had much to be said for it after all," and jumping into Washington's quote, "The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army," is a rather large transition. It helped set the tone for section two.
Throughout section two, I noticed that the weather influenced many decisions of both the British and American armies. Often in fictional books and movies you can assume that with bad weather come bad events. Despite the fact that 1776 is non-fiction, McCullough takes the time to describe the weather conditions and how they effected the army. Therefore, I predicted that luck would fall short with the American army. On a different note, I questioned why the British feared that the Americans wouldn't fight. "Our only fear is that the rebels will not choose to hazard a general action (143)." Considering that the British felt confident, I assumed that fighting would be there best option. After continuing to read on and then going back later, I discovered that the British wanted to fight because of the cost of the war and the fact that they wanted it over and done with.
As I progressed through the second section, I used the knowledge I had learned earlier in the book to dig deeper into Washington's mind. In the beginning of the book, we learn of Washington's great fondness of Joseph Reed. When Reed resigned, Washington was devastated and determined to get him back. I could see that Reed had a great impact on Washington and his decisions. Also, as I continued through to the end of the section I noticed a great change in the American army, both mentally and physically. Things had been going downhill ever since their arrival to New York. McCullough takes the time to point out those changes in great detail. "It was a surprising change, the merry tones on drums and fifes had ceased...It seemed a general damp had spread." These helped to better understand the emotions of the army.
In response to Tyler's blog: I also found that the disadvantages of the Americans in defending New York stood out. McCullough's details clearly pointed out both side's advantages and disadvantages.
Welcome back Jordan Brinkman! I loved your insight into the treatment of the loyalists. You will find that there is absolutely no sympathy for the loyalists among the partriots. In fact after the treaty of Paris in 1783, the loyalists were suppose to be compensated for their financial losses, but they weren't and the British used that as an excuse to stay in the Forts in the Great Lakes - by treaty they were suppose to be out of there! Also excellent forsight in predicting a British victory in N.Y. nice analysis! Good insight into Washington's espionage and secrecy, From what I've read Washington was really into spying and the value of espionage. Washington was dang lucky he got the troops out of N.Y. or the entire war would have been lost early on!!! Good predicting, connecting , visualizing and other use of the reading thoughts! nice work!
ReplyDeleteEli, some interesting comments- certainly having a super Navy was one of Britain's great advantages, but of little value once the war went into the interior of the country. Extended supply lines will eventually become a problem for the Brits. Thank God, Washington was able to escape from N.Y. or the game would have ended quickly. I too wondered about the treatment of loyalists, it just didnt seem right. This subject bears looking into.I like it when you make connections to the present day army. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteTyler- excellent analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of both sides in New York. Clearly the Americans were lucky to escape and move to the country's interior where the British advantage of sea power would be negated! wow, you have have really good understanding of the battle of N.Y. Excellent visualization. You only need to post once,not three time! I will delete two of them for you . Mr. A
ReplyDeleteEmilee, you are really doing a nice job utilizing the Thinking Like a Historian inquiry categories as well as the Reading thoughts! The people that control the waterways control the city. This was a really good insight and a good reason for the Americans to get the heck out of N.Y!!!! Good questions Emilee! Washington was pretty crucial and if killed, boy, I dont know , perhaps someone like Greene would fill his shoes, but sometimes these great individuals are impossible to replace and if killed , it impacts history! Nice comments on Tylers blog. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteHannah, nice job visualizing the coming of thousands of men on navel ships from England and then predicting what Washington must have thought! I would be thinking, retreat, retreat!!! our analysis of the situation in N.Y. is right on! Clearly , Washington's escape was a miracle and gave the rebels another day to fight. The British lost an opportunity to win the war! The type of fighting, guerilla warfare will aide the Americans and of course the French entering the war will give the American's a few advantages as the war continues after 1776.
ReplyDeleteMariah, some really good thoughts and insights about Washington and the state of the Continental Army at the time of the Battle of N.Y. YOu are right , things were going down hill. Fortunately, the victories in section 3 will bolster morale again. It will be an up and down war and Washington needs to keep his troops from being captured and continue fighting a defensive war. He doesn't have to win battles, he just cant afford to lose them! I really liked your comments about Joseph Reed!
ReplyDeleteBen Aleckson
ReplyDeleteThe Coercive Acts were a major turning point at this time. They were because these acts resulted in rebellion all over America. The colonists were now experiencing more freedoms and they did not want to lose them now, so they continued rebelling and took it to even more extreme ways. All this led to armed conflict. The colonists used more of a guerilla warfare type of fighting compared to the normal “straight line-shooting” that had been so frequently used in the past. This is one of the main reasons the U.S. ended up winning this war, the British were always surprised and were unable to defend themselves. A question I had as I was reading, what would happen to the soldiers if they were forced to surrender? I also made a connection in this reading, on page 86 it speaks of Daniel Morgan, and he is the main character in the movie "The Patriot". This movie is one of the best movies made about the Revolutionary War. I could picture the movie while reading this part of the book. Morgan was an excellent guerilla warfare fighter and a good battlefield strategist during the revolutionary war. The whole thing with negotiating at the end of the chapter, involving the U.S., Britain, France, and Spain was rather confusing.
Ben Aleckson
Also, I agree with Eli's comment about the Navy. The colonists were really at a large disadvantage to the British with this part. The British had the greatest naval force in the world, and America hardly had a Navy force, if any. So the U.S. was really at a disadvantage with the navy and the amount of soldiers Britain brought over was much greater than what the U.S. had. So the U.S. had to have a different plan of action like I stated above, with the guerilla warfare type, and sneaking around and surprising the British. That is the reason they won the war.
ReplyDeleteBen Aleckson
Taylor Biundo
ReplyDeleteThrough out the second section you can tell how everyone fighting for the Americans was very dedicated to the “glorious cause”. As lieutenant Joseph Hodgkin’s wrote to his wife he said “I am willing to serve my country in the best way and manner that I am capable of, and as our enemy are gone from us, I expect I must follow them….I would not be understood that I should chose to march, but as I am engaged in this glorious cause, I am willing to go where I am called”. He also vows to “march with cheerfulness” even though he said he was tired of it. Every one was so devoted to win this fight.
On the other side you can see how bad the conditions actually are. On page 125 it says “the army was growing sickly. Small pox had appeared and several soldiers were dieing”. Even though we have had many medical and technological advances we go through the same kind of struggles with dealing with different types of illnesses. A connection that can be made here is like this past year’s outbreak of swine flu. A lot of people caught it and so many did die from it.
Finally like Eli I made the same connection with the soldiers. I also saw Miss Saigon and while the Marines in this show weren’t fighting they were drinking and acting like there was no war. Even in the lyrics of the song it basically says they can’t even tell there is a war going on. While the Americans were in New York they started to drink and act carefree.
Hi Ben
ReplyDeleteGreat information and comments about they style of fighting --particularly about the role of guerrilla warfare. In most cases British soldiers that surrendered were taken as prisoners of war (and on occasions were traded for American prisoners of War). It is great that you are making connections with what you already know. Hopefully we can help solve some of the confusion about the end of the war in class--that being said some events in history just are confusing and not everything has exact answers. It is part of what makes history interesting. Looking forward to seeing your next post.
Hi Taylor
ReplyDeleteLove that you are making some outside connections and showing how things relate. I loved that you backed up your thoughts with some great specifics. I do think it might be a little bit of an overstatement that everyone was dedicated to the cause, I know that the book concentrates on the patriots but we should not completely forget about the loyalists and that not everyone in the colonies was on the same side. Keep up the good work.
(Cody Gresen) When I began the second section of David McCullough's book, titled Fateful Summer, I tried to imagine what would occur. In both sections I thought Washington was aware that his army was in danger. For example his army was outnumbered by the British and were less healthful. In the section McCullough sets apart the difference in hygiene. The section summarizes the British troops were in a foreign climate and maintained good health.The American Army however was ridden with disease. The difference between the two was plain and simple hygiene and living conditions. Thinking of how unathletic and uncoordinated I am when I'm sick I thought how would the Americans be able to put up a good fight? In the section I found out they didn't put up a good fight and lost battles due to their poor health.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of putting up a good fight, I noticed that the American Army went through almost zero training. I found it peculiar, during this day and age we put our recruits through countless hours of preparation. Which made me think if Washington's army was put through such prepartion how big of an impact it would made in countless battles and how much easier success could've been achieved
In this section the deciding factor to many battles was the weather. McCullough once again uses a great description of the weather conditions and how they effected the army. Allowing you to truly visualize how important the weather was during these historic battles.
In response to Tyler I think you greatly put into perspective the many disadvantages the Americans struggled with.I also think the Americans showed courage and unity. I think that this bravery and unity would be greatly respected by countless well respected individuals nowadays.
Andrew Reiche
ReplyDeleteWhen one is elected president, he is faced with some very big decisions in how he will run the country. Through his decisions, he will determine if his country will flourish or deteriorate. Though his decisions may not and will not please everybody, he must do what's best for the country. Through this, many people with power, not just the president, will make enemies. These enemies may protest your decisions, criticize you, or go as far as to assassinate you. This hatred was apparent as far back as the late 18th century with our first president, George Washington. In the beginning of the War for Independence, a Loyalist group was rumored to be setting up a plot to assassinate Mr. Washington. From taking Seminar last year, I can relate this plot to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in Texas. Every president at one point or another will be faced with this hatred. No one is perfect, thus their decisions may not please everybody. But as long as they did what was best for their country, as Mr. Washington and Mr. Kennedy did, they will be remembered as some of the greatest presidents of all time.
Another piece in Part II that I found interesting was the lack of training, equipment, and experience that they had, yet it didn't seem to faze them at all. They knew from the start what they were up against. A British army with countless years of experience fighting, matching uniforms, and plentiful amounts of food and water. After reading this, one realizes that the American's really wanted to have the right to their own life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They overcame the British and everything that they were set up against. One can use this in their everyday life. If they really want to do something but don't have the best tools to achieve that, if they really would like to achieve their goal, they can use what they have to make themselves better to overcome all odds, just like the first American troops did.
To go along with Cody, I agree with the statement he made about how unathletic I am when I'm not really feeling well, it is very difficult to overcome the littlest things such as going for a run. With the troops mostly in poor health after long battles, you can really see how much the American soldiers went up against.
Cody, insightful comments on the hygiene and training of the American soldier! It would take 2 years before some good training occurred at Valley Forge, and that may have been the result of foreign help in the form of Von Steuben, a Prussian soldier. Cody, you mention visualizing, but not much else as far as reading thoughts and Thinking LIke a Historian. You need to make connections, identify differing perspectives, tie to cause and effect, change, through their eyes, and on and on. Looking forward to seeing your next blog.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, way to go making a connection to the JFK assassination! I too found it interesting that the underdog can win a major war if it has motivation and a cause. The Americans had a lot of disadvantages, but they persevered. In another war, Vietnam, everything was turned around. It was the Viet Cong and NVA that had the limited weapons, food, supplies , etc. But they too were fighting for their cause and it resulted in a defeat for the Americans, who had a lot of advantages!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne Phalen
ReplyDeleteIn section 2 of 1776 I was able to make a few connections to the civil war that happened about 85 years later. Not much changed in war style between those years. When troops moved from town to town they took over vacant houses to use as headquarters and schools and churches were made into hospitals as it was done during the Civil War as well. The artillery they used had not changed much either. The main difference was that they had more experience with it in the Civil War. They seemed to have a little trouble with it during the revolution because there were two major accidents with it. I also found it interesting how there was a plot to kill Washington to make the army fall apart by killing the leader of the army as there were many threats during the Civil War to kill Abraham Lincoln. In this case, though, the man was caught before he could take action and was hung like the main conspirators in John Wilkes Booth’s plot to kill Lincoln, who were caught after. Both wars divided families. For example, in the Revolutionary War, the Howe brothers were on different sides of the war and were both leaders. By the title of section 2, the reader can tell that it might not be a good summer and it wouldn’t end well. Chapter five’s title is Field of Battle, which leads the reader to predict that there is another battle looming ahead. David McCullough sometimes foreshadowed what was going to come next. I predicted that when he said there was a small way in to New York by the Jamaica Pass, that was easily defended but only six men were actually there, that the British Army would find out and that would be their way in. After Congress wrote the Declaration of Independence not much changed. It did not have a major impact right away but people realized what the war was really being fought about, not containing land but for the rights of the Americans. This changed the way the battles were fought, because they were not gaining control of all of the land that they could, instead they were fighting to weaken the Continental Army. It is interesting the was David McCullough writes because he switches sides, sometimes it is from the British side and sometimes it is from the Continental side. It gives the book more depth by explaining other things that are happening. It can occasionally be confusing because it doesn’t state it straight out when it changes perspective. When the author does this, it is easier to understand what the British Army intended to do and what they were actually able to do and how everyday life in the army was for them as compared to the Continental Army’s life.
I agree with what Andrew said, there will always be people who hate the leaders of the country and there still are today. Security has greatly increased due to hatred towards the President and other leaders. In a way, the threat to kill Washington, was foreshadowing to today's problems with security and the safety of our leaders.
Tyler Stokka
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading about the defensive forts that were being constructed to defend the Hudson river like Fort Stirling, Brooklyn Heights, and many others, I realized that it would be almost impossible for the British navy to infiltrate the Hudson and get an advantage on the Continental Army. In seeing how well they had the River covered defensively by numerous forts, I had predicted that there was no way a British ship would ever be able to come even remotely close to the mouth of the Hudson. In reading further I was shocked to find that the British simply sailed through with the utmost ease taking little damage. I was expecting Washington’s army to completely mutilate any ship that would dare make a move towards the Hudson. I was greatly mistaken to read that the main casualties of these stand offs were from a cannon backfire! This part was very shocking and I don’t much understand, other than that these men had very little experience with cannons. This is but no excuse to not be able to hit a large ship from a short distance high up in a fort. I don’t understand why the American’s didn’t just block the Hudson mouth in the first place; I know that they sunk a few ships in the mouth but, that obviously did nothing to stop the British. Something like a blockade or even a rock line of some sort could have done the job better than those sunken ships did!
One thing that I stumbled upon while reading chapter four of David McCullough’s book 1776 was when the ecstatic Americans pulled down the statue of the proud King George the Third and used the lead from the statue to make musket balls. This reminded me of Mel Gibson in the movie The Patriot where Gibson melts down the lead toy soldiers of his deceased son to make musket balls. In doing this, this gives him an incentive to keep fighting strong. This is exactly what the Americans do in chapter four, they melted the statue of the king and melted it down to musket balls to say that they were going to beat Britain and gain America’s independence once and for all!
Tyler Stokka
ReplyDeleteOne hindrance in the Long Island battle was the fact that General Greene came down with a bad fever and was unfit to lead. On page 194 it said that had “Nathanael Greene, with his familiarity with every detail of the Heights of Gowan, been present, the British would have met stiff opposition at the Jamaica Pass and things would have gone differently.” It’s obvious by the way they describe Greene’s skill and ability that if he would have been present that the British could have failed in their attempt to surprise attack the Americans. If this would have happened instead, the battle would have gone down a totally different path then it had and possibly could have resulted in the Americans to fight off the British instead of retreat! It’s interesting to think that this simple change drastically shook the outcome of the Americans in the battle for Long Island.
Something that I found amusing was the fact that the weather really had an effect in the war for America’s independence. An example from the previous section was the bright moonlight that light the night for the Americans to work fast and build Dorchester Heights meanwhile in the morning hours a fog set in and masked the guards on the shoreline protecting the Heights and kept everything a secret to the British. The weather definitely had a big effect in that turning point in the war. Another example was that of the huge hurricane like storm that hit New York right before the British were about to attack. Who knows, this delay in time could have given the Americans an edge in the battle and in this could have had a different outcome had the storm not hit at that time. Not only at this time but also during the retreat the night after the surprise attack from the British when the fog set in during the morning hours which gave the Americans the cover that they needed to get the rest of the Army over to the ferry in time. I find it amazing that something as random as the weather played such a huge role in the times of war against Britain and even crazier yet, to the advantage of the Americans most of the time! Divine intervention anyone? :)
I can definitely see the similarities in tactics between the Revolutionary war and the Civil war as was said by Suzanne. One aspect of the war that stayed the same for the Civil war was the tactic of fighting with a bayonet. As I was reading through some of the battles you could tell that the Hessians' use of the bayonet struck fear directly into the hearts of all Americans. It especially didn't help for them to be bayoneting prisoners and pinning them to trees. The fear that goes along with this weapon of the Revolutionary war definitely carried over during the use of it in the Civil war.
Alex Tarras
ReplyDeleteMy first thought while reading section two was how difficult it must have been to go on the long marches everyday. The thought that came to my mind about these marches was did the soldiers complain or what were their feelings like towards the marches? On page 116 McCullough talked about a letter that Joseph Hodgkins wrote in the letter he said that he was "willing to go where I am called." But I would bet that not a lot of soldiers felt the same way. I wonder if there was a lot of complaining and how it was handled if there was.
On page 161 i got a good visual in my head when McCullough was describing the camp on the eve of battle. I can picture everyone walking around and being unorganized. I can imagine that Sullivan was pretty upset. At the end of this paragraph McCullough used the word tumult. I did not know what it meant, using the context I guessed that it meant unorganized and disorderly. Then I looked up the definition and it was uproar, or confusion. I think that I was pretty close with my guess. The soldiers acting this way could result in them not fighting well in the battle they will fight later on that night.
Going off of Eli's comment, I am also really starting to understand the revolution. And I also think that the British are planning something big, because they keep sending in reinforcement to New York. I am interested to see what happens next.
Kaylee Wedow
ReplyDeleteGeneral Lee stated to Washington several times, "whoever commands the sea must command the town"(193). I think that quote is very important because if Washington had listened the British armada may not have gained the advantage of the landing, therefore, leading to a big American defeat. It seemed that several tiny mistakes cost the Americans Brooklyn and all of their defences.
What I still don't get is why would Washington abandon all of the forts in Brooklyn and why didn't they use those defences during the big battle? Another question I had was why didn't they post sentries in the woods to give the Americans a heads-up before the British attacked? It seemes to me to be a basic defencive move. But then again many small things got overlooked.
I agree with Tyler about the weather. Every time the American forces were in trouble, a stroke of good luck would help the Americans accomplish some sort of amazing feat.
Aaron Weaver
ReplyDeleteAs I read the second section of 1776, I noticed that many of the events taking place in the section were happening at the same time of year it is now. This was very interesting to me, because it allowed me to easily picture the atmosphere of the fighting, such as weather conditions and climate. It was also interesting to think that only about 250 years ago, at this very time of year, soldiers were fighting for our freedom as Americans. Events more specifically like the Battle of Long Island were taking place at almost the exact time of the year, August 28-30 more specifically. It just really helped bring the book more to life for me.
A question I had as I was reading this section was why did General Washington tell his men that they were going to attack the British during the night on August 29 during the Battle of Long Island, when he meant for his troops to escape over to safety in the middle of the night? Like on page 187 when Alex Graydon heard the order of attack and thought, "...'what extreme rashness' it was to order an attack, given the condition of the men and their rain soaked arms. The more he thought, the more puzzled he became, until suddenly it 'flashed upon my mind that a retreat was the object, and that the order for assailing the enemy was but a cover to the real design.'" This was somewhat confusing for me, and I had to go back and reread the part a couple of times to make sure I understood it.
In response to Tyler, I also found it interesting how weather played a major role in the American Revolution, and as Tyler pointed out, most of the time in favor of the Americans. Besides the fog, wind also played a role in the Americans retreat across the river. Wind from the northeast was also keeping the British fleet at bay. The book says on page 187, "...the northeast wind which had kept the river free of the British fleet was blowing still, and this, with an ebb tide, was proving no less a deterrent to an American retreat". It's amazing to think that without the certain weather conditions that took place, there may be no America today.
Carly Phillips
ReplyDeleteAt the start of section two I noticed I was beginning to make many predictions. The Americans had great success in section one with the battle at Boston, but early on in section two when the troops are heading to New York, Washington’s nervousness is already evident. On page 117 these thoughts are well expressed, “At Boston, the British had largely been at [Washington’s] mercy… Here… they could strike at will and from almost any direction.” After reading this and with prior knowledge about the Revolutionary War, I could predict that things were going to take a turn for the worse. It also made me wonder how much of the success in Massachusetts was actually due to strategy and instead of luck. My predictions were shown to be right when even with America declaring its independence the British were having an uprising of sorts. With improved conditions (neglecting the storm on August 21) and winning Brooklyn Heights, which is said to be the largest battle of the Revolutionary War, section two of this book definitely showed the British on the rise.
While reading the second section, it was easy to notice that things were getting a lot more complicated. So, as I was reading questions were constantly popping up in my brain. One of my big questions is about Washington and his men. I was wondering if Washington approved of his men’s actions. I’m aware that in the book McCullough writes about how he was disgusted by their drinking and misbehavior at the camps etc. But I was mainly wondering about how British soldiers were treated after their surrendering. Did Washington approve of the British being mistreated? Did he take any action to stop it?
One of the biggest turning points in section two besides the obvious battle at Brooklyn Hill is the retreat of the American army. After brutal battle, the remaining troops had no choice but to follow Washington’s wise orders. Fighting again could’ve ruined the entire army and left no hope at all for winning the war. But, it did leave the British was a sense of satisfaction and gave them the idea that the war was over and they had won. This new-found confidence could have the power to make or break them, but either way, Washington’s decision was the best and only option. Had they been attacked during the extremely secret retreat, the war may have been over.
Towards the beginning of the section two I realized there were some very differing perspectives between the people of New York and the soldiers invading their space. Although people such as Henry Knox saw New York and its buildings as a great improvement from Boston, the citizens were mostly very unhappy about the arrival of the soldiers. This was not just because of overpopulation or having to share their homes, but because they were aware that the battle would probably be coming to them. As the troops made themselves more comfortable in mansions and well built brick houses, a third of citizens fled. Personally, if I had been a citizen in New York I would have been terrified and probably furious. Even if I had wanted the Americans to win, it would be nearly impossible to ungrudgingly welcome them into the town along with the violence and ruin they would be sure to bring.
In response to Aaron, I agree that the retreat vs. attack section was tricky to understand. At first I thought maybe Washington was somehow going to risk the last of his men for a surprise attack. I think the confusion Graydon had felt was only because Washington couldn’t tell barely anyone of the plan because there was a huge risk of British finding out. So, my guess is that Graydon was trying to figure out what was going on, and it took him a while to get to the right conclusion.
Breanna Baumann
ReplyDeleteAs i continued reading "1776", i became more interested in this topic. Before reading section 2, "the fateful summer", i got a feeling that because of the section's title the summer was going to be a tough one for the Americans. I thought this even more after looking at the pictures for this section. The private letter from Washington to Reed asking for his return for help is a hint that the battles get moreserious and there is more conflict arising between the enemies. The maps were interesting pictures to look at just to see the location of the Americans compared to the British in different settings and battles. Once i was done looking through the pictures and their captions I am predicting that section two will contain much more fighting and conflict than the first section. While i was reading the first part of chapter 5, titled "Field of Battle", I was certain there was going to be a major battle because of all the preparation going on for both sides. This ended up being the battle of Long island.
David McCullough uses words and descriptions that allow his readers to visualize exactly what was happening. As the section started out with chapter four, i could imagine the troops marching though the towns in their path. When this was happening it reminded me somewhat of a parade, with the townspeople crowding the streets watching them and cheering as they made it through the market towns. Also, on page 134 i could easily visualize the 45 British ships inside the lower Bay of Sandy Hook looking like a forrest of trimmed pine trees, much like a christmas tree farm. When readers are able to visualize, the reading becomes more interesting and easier to understand.
Just as Aaron, I too find it interesting that as i was reading this section, hudnreds of years ago this time of year exactly, Americans were fighting for freedom. I also agree that it made it easier to imagine the conditions they were in climate wise and made it seem more realalistic for a reader.
Elyse Batien:
ReplyDeleteSo, onto the second section of "1776", "Fateful Summer". Just the title of this section through questions up for me. "I wonder what was so fateful? What exactly will happen?" After looking through the picture inserts once more, i predicted that the Americans must be going into a more intense battle of some sort, due to the fact that there are battle plans mapped out, and a message for help from Washington in the picture inserts.
As i went on and started to read, i was thinking, due to the facts that the title is "Fateful Summer", there are messages from Washington asking for obeying men to fight, and the mapped out plans, i thought that the fighting will pick up. This made me want to read more, because intensity in books is what hooks the reader's attention. During the battle in chapter 5, Battle of Long Island, i could really picture what was happening throughout the battle. Thanks to McCullough's descriptions i was able to imagine all the different battle scenes. Especially thanks to the maps of the different battle routes, i was able to picture thousands of troops marching off to battle along the lines. It kind of reminds me of several movies, where the entire town gathers to send troops off to march on to battle, or even welcome them home.
As the battle went on i could picture all the troops arriving by boats in the thousands, all suited up ready for battle. As i was reading chapter 5, i kept asking, "What is running through these troops' minds? Aren't they scared out of their minds?". All i could think is that i could never ever relate to any of them, and i am very thankful.
In response to Breanna's, and Aaron's comment, I agree completely that it is interesting that we are reading a book written about thousands of people that were fighting right now, but 100's of years ago. I also find that to be kind of eerie, to think of thousands of American soldiers dying too, at exactly this time of year.
Megan Gebert
ReplyDeleteWhen I began reading the second part, I could see that Washington's luck was beginning to run thin. He had been getting away with critical mistakes that would eventually catch up with him and cost him. That occurred in New York/Brooklyn battle. Although they were both held separately both showed the weaknesses of Washington's Army. For example, he had no navy to give him back up, therefore giving the British the advantage of the sea and surrounding Brooklyn Island. This limited Washington's ability to supply the troops and and keep the men properly supplied. It also took away the advantage of the retreat at any time. Also, Washington's stubbornness cost him dearly. He didn't want to give up the island because he felt that this land was the key to the entire war. This tactic of defending what is thought is key is evident in any war. For example, the Pusan Perimeter was the must hold ground so to speak when the troops were backed against the wall in the beginning or the Korean War. They held strong and prevailed in that case. Not so in this battle. The same thought applied so, he was going to defend it to the bitter end. However, these actions make me question the entirety of this whole New York/Brooklyn battle. I really wouldn't think that Washington would make such a critical mistake at this point in the war. It seems that the rest of this story Washington doesn't seem like the type of man to make that mistake. However, I will give him credit for finding a way to keep things together and find a way to still retreat when he finally had too. This must have felt like this was the end of the line for Washington because, in his eyes he felt the battle would be won or lost here. And, to give up in his mind must have been waving the white flag to the British. In addition, this defeat also put in question that ability of him to lead this army. Talks were beginning to circulate that it may be time to overthrow Washington and get someone else in charge. There were even talks of assassination. These talks when found out by Washington were immediately stamped down, and Washington made it clear his intentions and that traitors would not be tolerated.
In response to what Elyse has to say, I would have to agree that the title, "Fateful Summer" proved to me that Washington's luck was running out and that this chapter would be the turning point in which the British would take over and have the advantage. I will also say that this part was highly descriptive and the battle scenes especially seeing Washington plot his next move was easy to see in my mind. It was like a 3D movie.
(Kaitlyn Beck)
ReplyDeleteAs I was about to start section two “Fateful Summer”, I started to wonder what could happen next. As I was thinking about this, I had thought that things would get more difficult for the Americans, and put up a more intense challenge for them. Also, I looked at the chapter titles within the section, which were entitled; “The Lines are drawn”, and “Field of Battle”, which made me predict that there are going to be some battles about to be foughten.
As I was reading over section two "Fateful Summer", I came across a map in which showed where teh soliders were moving. Personally I learn ten times more easily through visualization than reading, so looking at the map I got to go on a trip in my mind. The map also made me realize how far away everthing was, and made me think how many men were lost along the way due to (but not limited to); illness, injury, was killed, or no longer had motivation to continue and was left in the dust.
As I was reading section two, I came across a quote which said "I am willing to serve my country in the best way and manner that I am capable of, and as our enemy are gone from us, I expect I must follow them....I would not be understood that i should choose to march, but as I am engaged in this glorious cause, I am will[ing] to go where I am called." After reading this quote I feel as if the army was very dedicated, and i appreciate all my indepence and freedom so much.
When I was reading I noticed that McCullough would describe the weather. The weather seemed to have a impact upon what the American and British army’s would decide to act. I noticed that when the weather turned bad, so did the Americans luck. The weather for me was acting as an alarm where as I could predict that an unsuccessful event would happen next.
I have to agree with Alex Tarras with how I wouldnt enjoy those long marches. If I was a soilder, i would probally be the one complaining the whole way that I had a blister on the back of my foot, and have no ambition to further continue.
Hi Suzanne - Excellent connections to the Civil War. I figured you would comment on the assassination plot against Washington! I do need to make one correction, the Howe brothers were British. Together the Howe brothers commanded one of the largest military and naval forces assembled in the century. One was the Head General and the other the leading Admiral - both on the British side. Anyway you made some great predictions and you were able to see the ability of the author to bring both perspectives to the reader. And I agree, that made for a much fuller read.
ReplyDeleteTyler, sometimes our predictions are way off, but thats ok because it makes the reading even more fun!By the way, by August 12 1776, there were 300 warships and 400 transports in the New York area under Admiral Richard Howe supporting the nearly 32,000 troops of his brother William. Perhaps Washington was outnumbered and outgunned! I like your analogy to the movie "Patriot". I can tell you like this war stuff Tyler. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteHey Alex, good to hear from you! I loved your visualization, good work and its great to see you looking up new words. I am willing to bet you know the word "tumult" pretty well! And yes the British are sending a humongous army to N.Y. By August 12, there were 300 warships and 400 transports in the New York area under Admiral Richard Howe supporting the nearly 32,000 troops of his brother William. Keep it up Alex
ReplyDeleteKaylee, you ask some great questions that need further research! I do know that the Americans were greatly outnumbered and had no navy. The British on the other hand came into N.Y. with 300 warships and 400 transports in the New York area under Admiral Richard Howe supporting the nearly 32,000 troops of his brother William. I think Washington only had approx. 10,000 men!
ReplyDeleteHi Aaron, yes weather is a bigger factor than most of us thought before reading this book. However, if you've studied the battle of the Bulge during WWII you would appreciate the impact of weather as it helped the Nazis as they counterattacked in December of 1944 during a snow storm. Finally around Christmas the skys cleared and the Allied Airpower succeeded in stopping the German advance. So yes, weather has a lot to do with warfare! I also liked your comparison of the time of the year, that was neat! And as far as the retreat, I think it was a ruse to cover the retreat, a miraculous one to note. Im surprised Washington got away. Good thing or the war would have been over quick!
ReplyDeleteCarly, excellent blog again. Good use of predicting doom for the Americans in N.Y. And you are correct about the importance of retreating. Sometimes retreat is the best strategy! Especially when you are outnumbered! I love your questions about Washington's thoughts about his troops. Tough questions to answer - I do know that the American POWs held by the British where put on British ships in the harbor in horrendous condition. The British used obsolete, captured, or damaged ships as prisons. Conditions were appalling, and many more Americans died of neglect while imprisoned than were killed in the war. Carly , also good use of differing perspectives and I agree the New Yorkers were not too happy to share their homes. Many were loyalists!
ReplyDeleteBreanna, you are doing an expert job using reading thoughts like prediction and visualizing. McCullough really does a nice job with description that allows the reader to see whats happening through visualizing in ones mind. Good job Breanna.
ReplyDeleteElyse, Hi, you continue to make good observations, and good predictions. These are reading strategies that will help you when ever you read. keep it up. You also imagined and visualized as you read about the battles and McCullough's descriptive prose allow for this to happen. Im glad you are enjoying the book!
ReplyDeleteWow, Megan, I really enjoyed this blog - you show great insight and I loved your connection to the Korean War. YOu surprised me with your knowledge of the Pusan Perimeter! Your comments about how Washington felt - through his eyes were particularly astute! Retreating is not easy, but sometimes critical and allows one to fight another day! great work Megan!
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn, Your ability to make predictions shows that you have developed good pre-reading habits that have served you well! You also mention visualizing and you find this to be one of your strengths - I agree, its worth taking the time to do! And finally I really liked your deduction that bad weather meant good luck for the Americans!!! At least in this war!
ReplyDeleteTrevor Kraeger
ReplyDeleteIn part 2, I did a little preview at some of the portraits of some of the key figures involved in the war such as George Washington or Lord North and realized that the skinny for men back then was not at all like the fit and in shape qualities we have today. Then the thought struck me as to how much these men went through as to walking through deep snow while carrying heavy equipment like tents, guns etc. and that these men had a lot of endurance or pride to keep pushing on with all the retreating Washington had his army do. Also, I had two scenes play over in my head during this section. 1) When Washington’s army saw over 200 of these British vessels in the bay, all of them loaded with cannons at the ready and just being struck in awe at such a spectacle of so many ships in one area at the same time. 2) When Washington was reading the Declaration of Independence, seeing the faces of the soldier’s faces when they brought down the giant statue of King George III on his horse and feeling that sense of freedom would be quite extraordinary.
Then in thinking like a historian, I used the strategy of using the past and figured out that because of Washington’s defeats at places such as Bunker Hill and other moves the British had previously made on the Continental Army, Washington was able to be prepared with whatever the British wanted to throw at him, for example; while Washington was retreating, he had a regiment be ready for strike from behind from the British as they have done that move previously. Then I used differing perspectives on soldiers between the perspective on war of an American soldier and a British soldier. I saw that whenever a British soldier commented on the war, they over exaggerated everything that happened from reasons as to how they messed up all the way to the number of enemy casualties. However, the American soldier literally told things how they were, they said that they may have been completely surrounded because it may have been their fault in misleading their regiment into a trap or whatever else happened. I would rather view the American soldier’s view over Britain because of the fact that they (Americans) don’t flower up their reasons with words and excuses, they tell it straight up.
Finally, I looked at that link Jordan put up on Tories and now I have a much better understanding of them now. It really clears up any slight foggy areas I had about them.
Trevor Kraeger
ReplyDeleteIn part 2, I did a little preview at some of the portraits of some of the key figures involved in the war such as George Washington or Lord North and realized that the skinny for men back then was not at all like the fit and in shape qualities we have today. Then the thought struck me as to how much these men went through as to walking through deep snow while carrying heavy equipment like tents, guns etc. and that these men had a lot of endurance or pride to keep pushing on with all the retreating Washington had his army do. Also, I had two scenes play over in my head during this section. 1) When Washington’s army saw over 200 of these British vessels in the bay, all of them loaded with cannons at the ready and just being struck in awe at such a spectacle of so many ships in one area at the same time. 2) When Washington was reading the Declaration of Independence, seeing the faces of the soldier’s faces when they brought down the giant statue of King George III on his horse and feeling that sense of freedom would be quite extraordinary.
Then in thinking like a historian, I used the strategy of using the past and figured out that because of Washington’s defeats at places such as Bunker Hill and other moves the British had previously made on the Continental Army, Washington was able to be prepared with whatever the British wanted to throw at him, for example; while Washington was retreating, he had a regiment be ready for strike from behind from the British as they have done that move previously. Then I used differing perspectives on soldiers between the perspective on war of an American soldier and a British soldier. I saw that whenever a British soldier commented on the war, they over exaggerated everything that happened from reasons as to how they messed up all the way to the number of enemy casualties. However, the American soldier literally told things how they were, they said that they may have been completely surrounded because it may have been their fault in misleading their regiment into a trap or whatever else happened. I would rather view the American soldier’s view over Britain because of the fact that they (Americans) don’t flower up their reasons with words and excuses, they tell it straight up.
Finally, I looked at that link Jordan put up on Tories and now I have a much better understanding of them now. It really clears up any slight foggy areas I had about them.
-Luke Carter-
ReplyDeleteIn the first part of this section, the thing that stood out most to me was the social tone of New York in the summer months of 1776. On one extreme was the assassination plot of George Washington, showing both the intensity of the loyalists passion against the rebels, and also the pressure of the colonials to ensure that they had the advantage in New York, which was being constantly strained. On the other hand, while I was reading I noticed that the amount of people accused of plotting assassination made it almost seem like a paranoid witch hunt, and also made me question whether or not a plot had ever actually existed. Similarly, the tarring and feathering of loyalists showed the passion and insecurity of the American rebels. The episodes of tarring and feathering and other means of humiliation the loyalist suffered at the hands of the rebels also brought up thoughts of torture and cruel and unusual punishment, and also the right to be tried by a jury of peers. The harsh punishment of the loyalists for their beliefs by their fellow citizens made me think that New York was in a state of anarchy during that summer, and the rights of individual freedom and justice held dear by modern patriots were not quite on the mind of the New York patriots of ’76 when it came to people who opposed them, implying a subtle selfish commentary regarding the colonists views of freedom that is repeated with their treatment of African-Americans.
Besides the ideological shortcomings of the rebels, I noticed a sharp drop in the quality of intelligence Washington was receiving regarding New York compared to the previous intelligence of the enemy’s positions in Boston. This faulty intelligence was a recurring theme throughout the second chapter of section two and I am under the impression that it is the main reason the colonial army failed to maintain control of New York. The defeat at New York was so devastating to the position of the colonists that, if I did not already know how the rest of the war played out, I would not have been surprised if the British army completely overtook the Americans in the upcoming months.
I agree with Megan that Washington would have been devastated to lose this battle and viewed it as showing a sign of weakness to the British, yet was still able to make the right decision to retreat when the time was right, placing the lives of his soldiers and the big picture of the war over what was, in his eyes, an immediate loss of some of his honor.
Before reading this section of the book, I hypothesised that this part of the book would be full of many casualties, death, and hardship for the soilders. I thought so, because the title for this part of the book was titled "Fateful Summer". Before you even start to read this section, there is a quote that i found inspirational. The first part of the quote isn't mentioned until you read further into section 2, but i thought this showed how much pride each and every soilder felt about their job. Lieutenant Joseph Hodgkins states, "I am willing to serve my country in the best way & manner that i am capable of, and as our enemy are gone from us, I expect i must follow them... I would not be understood that i should choose to march, but as I am engaged in this glorious cause, I am will(ing) to go where I am called." After reading this, I felt a great amount of pride in myself as well, because it made me even more proud to be an American and apart of a country that consisted of people who were willing to do whatever it would take to serve our country rightfully. I predicted that Washington might start to have reasons to doubt their sucess in this war. Maybe they would start to fall deeper and deeper into a hole as they faced a bad streak of losses? I had later found out that Washington did face a terrible loss at the New York/Brooklyn battle unfortunately. I think that this battle caused Washington to doubt themselves, only making matters worse.
ReplyDeleteAlso, before reading this section I peeked at the pictures that were provided. Looking at these pictures definitely helped me visualize that battles and the certain individuals talked about in this book. Seeing the pictures of their elegant uniforms was neat and it made me visualize the British Soilders facing the American soilders getting ready for battle. It amazes me how strong the soilders must have been because their uniforms looked so heavy, and full of all that equiptment they had to travel with. But it also made me wonder... Why did the army change it's colors? Is there a reason? Why do we now use the green-colored army design? Just a thought. I could also picture the soilders walked step by steph, tired, sweaty, and hungry when I saw the maps in the book as well. Looking at the different places they traveled amazed me at how far they actually walked. Seeing everything layed out on the map made it easier for me to follow along with the book as they talked about the different places.
On the other hand, while reading I came across something that I never knew. There was a rumor that a loyalist group had managed to set up a plot to kill George Washington. I wasn't too suprised though, considering things like this still even happen in this present time. Reading this made me think back to Seminar class last year while I was learning about John F. Kennedy and his assasination. Not only him, but Lincoln was also assasinated. If this so-called plan had worked and been successful, where would be today? Would we have one the war? It's crazy to think about what could have happened if Washington hadn't been the one who lead the American Soilders to British Independence.
Mikaela Koch
ReplyDeleteWhen I began reading the second section, entitled "Fateful Summer", I could see that the Continental Army was in for a rough season and that Washington was going to get a major blow to his ego. It all starts when Washington decides to leave Boston and go defend New York and Brooklyn Island. However, before Washington could set up his first fortifications, I could see that this was going to be a failure from the start. First off, the British had the major naval power in the battle. They could surround the island, which they did, and therefore the Colonists were at a distict disadvantage. Also, this would allow the British to have many soldiers ready for battle should the small Colonist force decide to attack. And Washington did alot to keep this British advantage something of worth. He stayed at that position because he believed that it would be the key to the war. So, in his mind, he would defend it to the end. However, he realized, before it got out of hand, that he needed to retreat under the cover of darkness which he did, back to New York. This would also be another retreat by Washington because he applied the new method of retreating and living to fight another day.
In response to Bridget, I would have to say that we both seem to see that the title of this section seems to reflect the new trend for Washington and his army for the next few months. Also this part of the book was highly descriptive and I found easy to picture the scenes of the battle and the casualites.
Trevor, nice use of TLH- perspectives and a very perceptive analysis of Washington watching the British Armada enter NY harbor and Reading the Declaration! Good points!
ReplyDeleteLuke- excellent analysis of the treatment of loyalists in N.Y - You hit it on the head with the term Anarchy! I think you overestimate the importance or impact of intelligence. I think the problem was that Washington's forces were completely out-numbered big time! And the retreat or escape from N.Y was a miracle and gave the rebels a chance to fight again. It could have been all over in 1776
ReplyDeleteBridget- excellent use of prediction - you used some great pre-reading strategies! You are right , seeing pictures, movie clips, etc. really helps one to visualize. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteMikaela - Very solid analysis of Washington's situation in N.Y. Clearly he was outmanned, big time, and Howe had a massive Navy to boot! You also hit the nail on the head with your assessment that Washington needed to use the strategy of retreat, so that he could fight another day. He definitely understood that he was fighting a defensive war.
ReplyDeleteJeff Marquardt
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading the second section in 1776, I noticed how much of an underdog the Americans were. The American militia had very little training while the British had a full formal army. We were outnumbered by close to 40,000 men. And we had no navy while Britain had at the time, the biggest and most powerful navy in the world. Also as the war went on the Americans seemed to have a had time staying healthy. It is amazing to me how we overcame such odds to win this war.
Something that made the book more relateable was that in this part of the book the events were happening this time of the year. This made it easier for me to relate to the book and to paint a picture of whta is happening in my head.
In response to Mikaela, I agree that the fialure in New York was a blow to Washington's ego. Also I think it will help him make smarter choices later on in the war.
Jeff:
ReplyDeleteExcellent thoughts. The Americans were outnumbered and were under-supplied. 1776 was a trying year for the colonists. Not much went well after the Dec. of Independence. Time would help the colonists overcome many odds to win the war.
Cody Schiro
ReplyDeleteDuring the second section of 1776 Washington didn’t seem to be aware of any of the trouble he and his army had gotten into. This included that his numbers were far less then the British and they were in far worse health than the British. McCullough explained the differences between the health of the armies and this was best pointed out on pages 166-167 when it was explained that hygiene played a part because even though the British were in a different climate they were cleaner. I made a connection in chapter 5 while Sullivan attempted to control his men during the attack from the British. “Their situation was desperate; retreat was the only alternative, and in stages of ‘fight and flight’ he led them as rapidly as possible in the direction of the Brooklyn lines.” The connection I made was to the “fight and flight” part of this quote. Last year in Health class we learned what people do in response to stress and what causes it and the responses to stress is the fight or flight response. The fight or flight response is when someone reacts to an event like a person threatening to beat them up, they either stay and fight or run away. When I read it in here I remembered last year and thought that it was pretty cool that McCullough added this in his book, but the more I think about it the more it fits in almost every account of battle and encounter with enemies. The encounters with one another either included staying to fight the enemy or retreating back to safer grounds. The last stage of a stressful situation is exhaustion, this also fit in perfectly at the end of the battle of Long Island when the troops fell asleep for one whole day, including General George Washington. This is a great point that the stress that came with moving thousands of men quietly through the night right under the enemy’s nose. One thing that was interesting many times while reading this section, was the fact that the soldiers in the American Army didn’t go through any training whatsoever during this time of war. It made me think of today, if someone wanted to join the army they would have to go through many vigorous tests and training just to get into the army and then they would need to train more and more once inside the army to own in on their skills also they were of any age now you need to be 18 and in good health. In this section I had a visualization which made another movie in my head like most of the this book had, but I found this part fairly comical. It was comical because Washington had the troops who were last to depart make the enemy think they were staying the night by the river by having them walk around and tend to fires, to make it appear that the Americans were still camped in their current position, but they were really moving the army across the river. I imagined seeing this from the British side; watching soldiers walk around and about the camp adding wood to fires, while they sat in their own camp completely unaware of what was really happening, discussing the days events. This to me was absolutely hilarious and was an amazingly brilliant move by Washington. I could just picture the faces of the British in the morning when no one was across the river anymore and how dumb they felt because they slipped right under their noses.
I agree with Jeff the American Army were the underdogs and had no formal training whatsoever. they were also vastly outnumbered but thank God that didnt stopped them from fighting for freedom!!!
Jack Schneider
ReplyDeleteIn section 2 of 1776, David McCullough began by explaining the extreme disadvantage the American army was already at upon arriving in New York without even realizing it. McCullough began to get into greater detail about the conditions. Throughout this section, the author included a lot of details when describing the layout of the city, the arrival of the British fleet, the British invasion of Long Island, and the retreat of the Continental Army. Also in this section, there were several times when the author would contrast the differing perspectives of the British and the Americans. A huge difference in perspective was that Loyalists and deserters had overestimated rebel strength in New York and on Long Island to be between 30,000 and 35,000 and among many British officers the main worry was that the Americans might not fight.