Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
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
ReplyDeleteGoing into this last section, The Long Retreat, I had high hopes that the author would keep the book going right to the end. David McCullough was definately successful. From the many defeats of the Americans, to the pillaging and burning down of towns, this last section kept me interested.
As I started reading, I came across an interesting paragraph on page 210. In this paragraph, there was a story about Private Joseph Martin. He was patrolling Kips Bay in the shallow trenches and he called out "Alls well". Then he heard a voice from the British ships that answered "We will alter your tune before tomorrow night". This paragraph helped me predict that the British were going to invade quickly and cause a great deal of damage. I could also picture myself as Private Martin in that position. I would feel very creeped out because of the random voice and I would feel scared for the future.
I was able to make some connections while I was reading through the chapter as well. Picture 35 was a British prison ship that was anchored in New York Harbor. Reading the caption below it reminded me of a slave ship because it said that were crowded with thousands of people and most died of diseases. Although these ships were probably better then the slave ships, as I was reading I could still see the connection.
On page 212, I found a paragraph that really made me gag and think about how cruel war can really be. "Not all Americans got away. As another British officer would write, 'I saw a Hessian sever a rebel's head from his body and clap it on a pole in the entrenchments.'" War today isn't as cruel as it used to be because we don't slice up people's bodys and put their heads on a stick, but we have found other ways of torture. Some people say war is just as barbaric as it used to be, and others say society has evolved from all of the carnage.
During this war there were many different points of view. On page 266, McCullough talks about the different points of view on the capture of Lee. The British were of course jubilant about the capture, while the Americans took the big blow. Washington was even furious with him for being such a fool. This situation shows how each side of every event has an opinion.
The biggest turning point of the American Revolution was the Battle of Trenton. In the book, McCullough paints a picture of Trenton before the battle. I pictured a simple town, much like any other town during that time period. As I kept reading, however, there was definately a change in scenery. There were fires, gun shots, and there were bodies everywhere. At the end of the battle, the town was still deserted and it was burning, but the Americans finally had a major victory. I believe this battle might have won the war for the Americans.
1776 by David McCullough was definantly a book filled with hardships, carnage, and fear. From the Americans escapes, to the turning point of the war, this book has been very exciting and compelling. This book has definately helped me understand the American Revolution on a more personal level. "This is an important period to America, big with great events."(Nathanael Greene pg. 282)
Great connections Amelia! It seems that you have enjoyed McCullough's latest book. His book on John Adams is just as good. Most history books can be tedious and sometimes boring, but McCullough really gets you into the time and people of the era he is writing about and his work is very scholarly as well. I just wish he would have covered the entire war. As you know the tough winter of Valley Forge is yet to come and the war will head South in 1778-79 because the British think there will be more loyalist support down there. And of Course the victory up in New York at Saratoga was an exciting win for the Americans as I mention in my previous blog to you. Good luck in APUSH this upcoming year. Mr. A.
ReplyDeleteTim
ReplyDeleteAn interesting thing that I discovered while reading section three is that in late September Congress finally fixed and set up a new military enforcement policy giving Washington the ability to start discipline the army. It is with this action that I believe that the Continental army will gain discipline and eventually act as a whole army not as a militia and in doing so wins the war. It is because of this change of discipline that the officers of the army can better spend their time on training men rather than disciplining. One ridicules thing I read while reading on page 202 a solider tried to take a cannon ball home while leaving. The solider said that, it was to be used to pound mustard seeds. One can’t help wonder about why the army is letting some people get away with taking cannon balls. Now he didn’t get one but others took guns and ammo with them home. I can somehow understand why they would do that, they want to get anything of value before the British destroy them, at least that is what they think, and so they can make a profit.
I found Amelia comment about, "Not all Americans got away. As another British officer would write, 'I saw a Hessian sever a rebel's head from his body and clap it on a pole in the entrenchments.'" that it was too sever and that it was odd as well because it was said Hessians' respected the soliders that fought and didn't surrender but were cruel to those that surrendered. To this day however it has been reversed which shows just how much times change
Katelyn Koepke
ReplyDeleteI found section 3 to be particularly interesting. From the very beginning of this part of the story, McCullough starts off by explaining the condition of the American army. On page 201, the author states, “The army that had shown such remarkable discipline and unity through the night of the escape from Brooklyn had rapidly become engulfed with despair, turned surly and out of hand.” Hundreds of soldiers were giving up and going home saying they had had enough. They questioned Washington’s leadership after always having been loyal and confident in him previously. The now pathetic state of the army as described by the author helped me predict that the first big battle in this final section, at Kips Bay would be a defeat for the Americans. At Kips Bay, Washington’s men retreated instead of holding their defense which upset Washington, and once again, he had been made to look a fool by General Howe.
I was really able to visualize the disastrous fire that raged out of control in New York. The way the other described the fire, it was easy to imagine the chaos, horror, distress and confusion that many of the townspeople and British soldiers must have felt. While reading this part, I could see the British soldiers hurrying to help put out the fire, but with such intense heat and the flames being so wild and out of control that no one could really get near it. Nearly 500 houses were destroyed, and this being a large part of the city, it was a big setback for the British because it wrecked probably many of their shelters and ruined a lot of of their supplies, and they may no longer have had the abundance of their every need. The British blamed the rebels for arson, but no evidence was found against them and Washington reported to Congress that the “Great Fire” had been merely an accident.
After the American surrender of Fort Washington, there were some differing perspectives between British generals Howe and Clinton regarding the management of the war and how best to proceed. Clinton believed that Washington’s army was the heart of the rebellion and he believed the best strategy was to envelope the army thus leaving them trapped, and largely due to the fact that the American army was so outnumbered by the British force, the only option for the American army would be to put up a strong fight or surrender. However, Howe wanted to keep the Americans on the run and continue to clear New Jersey and Rhode Island of the rebel forces, and by occupation of essential territory, bring the American people and their political leaders to their senses and end the rebellion. Clinton was overruled but difficulties between General Clinton and General Howe grew steadily worse until General Howe finally replaced General Clinton with Charles Cornwallis.
The attack at Trenton on Christmas night was a huge success for the American army as well as a major turning point in the war. At last, the American army had done something big that had boosted the spirits of the men “broken by fatigue and ill-fortune” (page 284), the officers, and the country as a whole. Many saw the victory as absolutely extraordinary and Washington was now viewed as a hero and savior, and the troops had regained their confidence in him as well. I believe this victory helped set up future successes for the army such as the attack at Princeton and eventually, possibly even the British surrender at the battle of Yorktown, Virginia.
(Continued...)
Katelyn Koepke
ReplyDeleteIn Tim’s blog, I thought it was interesting that he commented on Washington’s ability to discipline the army. I would agree that this act probably helped draw the focus more toward training and better preparing the men for battle rather than disciplining after the army had gained a better sense of unity and purpose. Also, he pointed out that this new ability granted to Washington by Congress could have made such a difference in Washington’s relationship with the army and in the troops’ performance that it truly could have had a big impact on the final outcome.
I really enjoyed reading 1776. The story was intriguing and thought-provoking as it has definitely helped me to better understand and appreciate the painful struggle long endured by all those who so bravely fought for the independence we take for granted today. McCullough couldn’t have said it better when he described the final result of the war on page 294, “The outcome seemed little short of a miracle.”
Tim, nice job anayzing the growth of the Continental Army. Much of the army's improvement came during the winter at Valley Forge. It looks like you got something out of this book!
ReplyDeleteAwesome visualization Katelyn and you really describe it well! You also do a great job analyzing the differing perspective on how to fight the war between the two leading British Generals Howe and Clinton. Just a comment on the British Generals, they revealed themselves grossly inept at improvisation in a unique struggle in America that demanded rapid movement, original tactics, winter campaigning, and--most important--contending with a people in arms. Moreover, some British commanders, notably the Howe brothers, were deliberately slow in prosecuting the war because they favored a political reconciliation with the rebels. Interestly enough, Clinton would replace Howe in 1778 with similar results. I'm very pleased Katelyn that you have enjoyed reading 1776!
ReplyDeleteAriana Nickmeyer
ReplyDeletePreviewing the chapters of the third and final section of 1776, I was given the impression from titles like “Fortune Frowns” and “Darkest Hour” that the section would depict grim times for Washington’s army. There is a quote by Thomas Paine at the beginning of the section that particularly foreshadows dark times, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” That quote makes the reader quite apprehensive of what black times might lie waiting to be exposed in the pages to come. There is also a quote by Henry Knox at the beginning of Fortune Frowns: “We want great men who, when fortune frowns, will not be discouraged.” Gathering from the title of the chapter that fortune would indeed frown upon the American army, I wondered if the men would be discouraged or not. A final quote at the start of Darkest Hour by Nathanael Greene states: “I hope this is the dark part of the night, which is generally just before the day.” This quote shows that at least some men had hope that their situation would improve.
Reading about when the British took Kips Bay, I was astonished at General Washington’s actions. He was said to have ridden within a hundred yards of the enemy, and only with great effort from two aides was he drawn back to safe ground. Washington must have been incredibly furious at his soldiers’ cowardice to behave so recklessly. By some accounts he was said to have drawn his sword and threatened to run men through for fleeing before the British. Although the men may have acted faint-hearted, it was acknowledged later that it would have been suicidal for them to remain under such murderous cannonade. But what if Washington had been killed in his rage? I was shocked that he had come so close to possibly being killed. If he had been shot down, the army would have become very disordered and it would have been even easier for the British to take New York, possibly winning the war there and then.
An image that I could visualize very well in section three was Washington’s forces crossing the Delaware on Christmas night. By sixteen-year-old John Greenwood’s account, it “rained, hailed, snowed, and froze, and at the same time blew a perfect hurricane. . .” The men had to pole and paddle several times back and forth through ice and strong currents, and with a rising wind. They tried to load as many men, cannon, and horses as they could onto each boat, but the expedition took three hours longer than planned. I could just picture all the men cramped together on the boats in the dark, trying hard to stay warm with horses all distressed around them. They probably wouldn’t have been able to feel most of their body parts since a lot of them didn’t have proper winter attire. Many of them must have preferred staying at camp in such a fierce winter storm. Then, after hours of arduously crossing the river, they had to march on to Trenton to fight the enemy. For the first mile they had to march steeply uphill, and then down into a ravine and across Jacobs Creek. Two of the men froze to death. Henry Knox wrote that the troops pushed on “with the most profound silence.” This image inspires awe in me, as well as a sense of how incredibly difficult their journey must have been that night.
Ariana Nickmeyer
ReplyDelete(cont'd.)
A case of cause and effect I found in section three began with Washington’s indecision in New York and at Fort Washington. His indecision resulted in an awful and shameful defeat to the British, which in turn forced Washington to retreat with his troops across New Jersey. This caused his closest confidant, Joseph Reed, to doubt Washington’s capacity to lead the American army. Reed wrote a letter to General Lee lamenting that, “An indecisive mind is one of the greatest misfortunes that can befall an army.” He flattered Lee and told him that he had decision, and that it was much needed to command the army. When Lee wrote back, Reed was not present and Washington read the letter, not suspecting what was written within. He probably then felt hurt that his friend had betrayed him, and resolved to take action soon. This may have added to his decision to attack Trenton on Christmas night, claiming an important victory that boosted the spirits of his men, which had been dwindling dangerously. The strengthening of his troops’ self-confidence was imperative for the continuation of the war.
Something about warfare that I realized has changed while reading 1776 is that winter campaigns are now common ventures within armies. On page 72 it says that, “it was taken as a matter of course among professional soldiers that winter was no season for campaigning.” And on page 268 it states that, “a holding force of 1,500 Hessians settled in for the winter.” This assumption of inactivity during the winter may have lead to the Hessian’s defeat at Trenton, and forced them to realize that war continues through all seasons and cannot be put off lest the enemy gain the advantage. Today, war persists through all the seasons, especially since new technology has been developed to assist armies in most weather conditions.
I really liked how Katelyn visualized the fire in New York, especially the men trying to put the fire out and being driven back by the heat. She really placed herself in the shoes of the men in the book to make it a more realistic reading experience.
Ariana:
ReplyDeleteExcellent thoughts and insights. The dark days of the revolution did cause men to think twice about what they got into. The leaders did make mistakes, they did expect more form their men, but they would learn in time to be better military men. Washington did take some risks, but he had to inspire the men to keep a positive attitude. Trenton and Princeton in late 1776 and early 1777 did a great job of boosting morale in the colonial army and it gave them hope that they could win the war. The British did make some foolish choices like resting for winter and not finishing off battles, which let Washington's army escape. Those poor choices are a main reason why the Americans won the war.
Ashly Novander
ReplyDeleteBefore reading 1776 I held less respect for our founding fathers and the cause they so believed in. Even while I read the first two sections of McCullough's book I doubted Washington's significance in the war, and instead focused on how much chance had to do with the fortunate events. However, in reading "The Long Retreat" I finally understand and respect those influential figures, especially George Washington. It was obvious in previewing this section from both titles and quotes that this would narrate the harsh conditions caused from the losses in New York and Long Island. I predicted that the Americans would have to work twice as hard to reclaim their lost spirit and position in the war. A quote by Nathaniel Greene stood out at the beginning of this section: "We want great men who, when fortune frowns, will not be discouraged." This captured my attention because after reading it I predicted that McCullough would examine more of Washington's psyche, specifically how he might accept his losses and what actions would he consider best for the army. As I would find out McCullough not only examined the Commander in Chief, but the morale of the entire army.
To be fair, chance played an equal role when the Americans lost as much as it did when they won. There were many factors in New York and even during the retreat that were out of Washington's control. One of these factors I believe was General Lee. As I read more and more about Lee what stood out about him in this section was his pretentiousness and contempt for Washington. He took advantage of the harsh times and used it against Washington so he could try and take Washington's position in the war. On top of that the British overestimated Lee's competence, putting the priority of his capture over the capture of George Washington. This blunder by the British may have helped Washington, but at the same time it showed the contempt both Lee and the British had for the rest of the Continental Army. Lee valued himself over Washington because, as Reed put it "You have decision, a quality often wanted in minds otherwise valuable..." (p. 248) This would be so except for the fact that when Washington needed troops badly Lee chose to dawdle and drink in taverns. His capture did the army more good then bad. Another aspect out of Washington's control was the obvious power of the British during the retreat from New York. Howe's ships preformed a cannonade for an entire hour in which the gunpowder was so thick in the air it was hard to breathe or see. I can understand why barely trained soldiers, nay, even trained soldiers, would run from an enemy wielding such ammunition. Added brutality from the Hessians made matters worse, despite the small number of enemy soldiers.
It was interesting to read about the way the officers cracked under pressure. Both Reed and Washington were said to have ridden out and tried to punish fleeing soldiers during two separate occasions. A majority of the army would have rather had General Lee as the Commander in Chief due to the general's popularity among the public. Even Greene and Reed had lost faith in Washington after the events at Fort Washington. Washington for a while doubted his own competence, but instead of expressing his worries out loud he translated them into orders for his home in Mount Vernon. Reed made decisions not to discuss his worries with Washington, as they usually would confide in each other, but instead wrote about his worries with Lee- serving as fuel for the fire.
(continued)
Ashly Novander
ReplyDelete(continued)
Perhaps even more interesting was the way the army acted during the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. After miles of agonizing marching, often without shoes and with rags for clothing, it feels as though the Continental Army released all the pent up frustration with previous losses in the vicious battle of Trenton. The Americans, it seemed, had enough with their losses and wanted desperately to win. This was the same with Washington who, after the other two parties gave up trying to cross the Delaware, still pressed on. I believe Washington was as influenced by this exasperation with recent losses as his army and was compelled to carry out the attack on the Hessians. I agree with Ariana's statement in her post that Lee's letter to Reed also had an important part in the General's decision to attack. Again, faced with laments that he let down the army, Washington was compelled to prove the opposite- and he did just that.
My personal favorite part of this section was reading about how Thomas Paine (nicknamed "Common Sense" by Greene) wrote "The Crisis" on a drum in camp, and how the artist Peale envisioned the first crossing of the Delaware. This made these figures much more than that- figures in a history textbook. To know that Paine volunteered to fight with the cause and endured similar conditions to other soldiers lets us realize that these weren't just authors or artists or the subject of a biography, but real people.
In Ariana's post she mentions how much war tactics have changed since 1776. I agree that it was foolish for Howe to leave his army unattended during the winter months. However, had Washington paid heed to the small bit of intelligence saying Howe was in New York, would he have chosen the same course of action? I personally think he would because then he could have better taken advantage of the situation and made the victory at Trenton an even better victory. Of course, given the state of his troops, it's also plausible he could have held off the attack and waited till spring. With less trecherous conditions in the spring, it is likely the Hessians would've won.
Overall McCullough intelligently covered an extremely hard year for American forces. He even noted that by the time the war ended in 1783, about 1% of the population at the time died. The author worked hard to give legendary figures (Thomas Paine, George Washington, Nathaniel Greene to name a few) human faces. He succeeded by illustrating the difficulties they had to overcome, lest the colonies suffer at the hands of the British. 1776 wasn't just a narrative of the war, it served to humanize and level any preconceptions people had about it. For me, McCullough has opened new interests in history. I am now more interested in British prison ships, and I would definitely love to learn more about the war from 1777-1783. After reading the book I now better understand the struggles and mere chance as the reasons why we enjoy the rights we have today.
Ashley:
ReplyDeleteExcellent thoghts and insights. Our leaders during the rebellion for independence did not always get along. Some were in it for personal glory, others for the cause. Washington did a brilliant job during the war. He grew as a commander and with a bit of luck managed to raise the morale of his army with his victories at Trenton and Princeton. The British did underestimate the colonial army and they made some terrible decisions during the war to allow Washington's army to stay in the field and fight another day. The longer the war went on the more the people in England got tired of the war and in the end England sought peace because of its people and their frustrations. Thomas Paine was the man of ideas, Coomon Sense and The Crisis are very important pieces of literature that inspired the colonists to seek independence and to fight for it.
John Xiong
ReplyDeleteWhile reading through section three of the historical novel, 1776 by David McCullough, I was able to visualize the descriptive paragraphs within page 212 and 213. Within these paragraphs David McCullough carefully describes how the men and soldiers at Kips Bay had run off from their posts due to British invasion; however, Washington had begun doing he would never be known to do. For example, as they were present in a corn field he had aimed his own weapons at his men who are cowardly running away, even with Washington giving direct orders. My visualization was of General Washington holding his pistol, pointed at his men who were terrified of the British already and yelling commands that he already knew would never be done.
Seeing through the eyes of the New Yorkers, I saw how they had viewed the Continental Army compared to the British Army. The reading explains how many of them had welcomed the British with open arms. Furthermore, the reading even includes a woman who goes as far as stomping on the Continental Flag. This could have happened because the people still favored King George III’s ruling over freedom from parliament or even because they expected the British to win and should be the first to show true devotion.
My overall evaluation of the historical novel is that it is very descriptive about the historical events. Those events impacted America to the point of its creation because of those events that allowed that founding fathers of America to separate from Great Britan. Though the author says it is mainly Washington who was the true hero, many viewers would say it was the whole Continental Army who did their job in part of the success in the Revolutionary War.
In response to Ashley,
I too had felt the sense of doubt with Washington's significance, with so many failures in the war it is surprising he help overcome the british. Your insights towards the war are very descriptive, thus enjoyed your comment.
First John I would like to say I enjoyed reading all of your comments. I love that you are putting yourself in their shoes and trying to understand their perspective which lets face it is never completely possible but important to try. I can tell that the book came to life for you from your comments. I agree that the author does think the Washington is a hero. I am looking forward to hearing what your opinion is--Washington as the main component or the whole Continental Army was needed to win the war.
ReplyDeleteJordyn Prell
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the last section of 1776 written by David McCullough, it was very easy to visualize several of the scenes from the description that the author gave the reader. One of these scenes was the British invasion at Kips Bay. I can just picture standing on the edge of the bay when at a distance, you could make out a ship filled with British soldiers, redcoats. Then, when you take another glance, looking at the water, you see many more ships coming into view. At that point, many would be frighten and start to run away and try to escape the British before they reached the land.
Also while reading this section, I saw a general idea that reappeared quite a bit. That generalization was that the weather controlled many of the decisions made during the war, or the outcomes of certain events or battles within the war. Furthermore, I realized that we (or the army in this case) doesn't have complete control over the outcome of the event. No matter how skilled or prepared we are, something as simple as the weather could change our entire plan, therefore effecting the results. Sometimes the weather helped the army, other times, they weren't so lucky. For example, the weather helped the American army when they were retreating. The dense fog kept them hidden from the enemy, protecting them until they were safely across the river. Other times, the weather hurts the plans, such as when the British want to sail to find the Americans, but the wind is not right to do so.
When reading like a historian in this section, I used the strategy of through their eyes. When reading the part where the King of England makes the Proclaimation for the Americans to "sign up" for, it is easy to see through their eyes why this offer would look so appealing. At this point in the war, the Americans are suffering very badly. At the time, they have just suffered great losses at several major battles. When the King offers this Proclaimation, the citizens would take it because the future of their country doesn't look very bright. Through this Proclaimation, they are offered safety of their land, belongings, and family. At this point in the war, taking the Proclaimation was probably the better option for them to continue to keep their safety.
Near the end of the section, there is a cause and effect happening that leads to the most major turning point of the war. This important event being the battle of Trenton. The cause was that Washington and his army have seen no action in quite some time, and Washington needs to do something to keep his troops longer, so he decides that the best way to do this is to plan a surprise attack on the Hessian troops at Trenton. The immediate effects was that Washington succeeded in his attack with more than 900 of the Hessians taken prisoner. Also, he finally claimed an American victory and raised the morale of his troops. In the long run, the effects are far greater as this battle was the turning point of the war. Following this, the American victories go uphill, eventually leading to the final victory, the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
In response to John: I liked your descriptions of how some of the Americans viewed the two armies. I also agree with you when you say that the success of the war was not only because of Washington. Although he played a huge part in claiming victory, so did the Continental Army. If it weren't for them, Washington would have no one to back him up. He couldn't have done it without them.
Jordyn:
ReplyDeleteEcellent thoughts. You are correct in the weather. It did determined who won many battles and when the armies were going to fight. The King did try to get more loyal colonists to support the British army, hoping to shorten the war and hoping to stop the rebellion. Trenton was a key victory for Washington in late 1776, it did boost the morale of the colonists and their army. You have a good understanding of the revolution. Good work.
Nate Fiene
ReplyDeleteOne thing I noticed about the British officers was how they could buy commissions, rather than work for them. Take for example, Captain Archibald Robertson. He noticed that the Americans were very well placed. "We... durst not attack them. They were exactly in the position Rall should have taken when he was attacked, from which he might have retreated towards Borden's Town (downstream on the Delaware) with very little loss. (p.288)" If more men like Robertson had been Colones and Generals in the British Army, they may have won. With Washington and the Contiental Army, Washington had no choice but to go with who could lead the best because not only Contiental Congress, but also his own conscience, charged him to do his very best.
The famed Battle of Trenton was an example of almost everything done right by Washington and the Contiental Army. They were able to sneak across the Delaware, land quietly, and rout the Hessians. As our military servicemen today are told, war is a team sport. Without Washington's leadership, efficent junior officers and non-commisioned officers, as well as the privates, the Contiental Army could have easily lost.
Response to Jordyn's post: I liked how you gave credit to the Battle of Trenton as the turning point. Though it would not be for many more years, Trenton would be a rallying cry for the fledgling United States of America and the Contiental Army.
Emilee Charles
ReplyDeletePreviewing the section is the first thing I did, I looked at the quote on the page leading into section three. "These are the times that try men's souls." -Thomas Paine, The American Crisis December 1776. This quote makes me think that the war for freedom from Britain is not going to get any easier and everything is just going to get worse before it can get better.
Overall section three was my favorite, it was interesting, intriguing, and David McCullough writes the series of events in history while still keeping it an entertaining read. I feel that the "big idea" when reading a book like 1776 is not only the importance of history events and how they made our lives today but also to look into the minds of the people fighting in the war, why they would up and willingly risk their lives for something like freedom, but it shows how far people are willing to go for something they believe in. I also feel that George Washington is a person to look up to, he took on the role as a leader and even when times got tough he pushed through and lead his men to victory.
When finishing the book I was trying to think about how these events have affected our lives today. i was trying to imagine what it would have been like if the rebels had just given up instead of persevering though what had to be one of the toughest times in American history. What it would be like to be under British rule today, and what would have happened if they did give up, would the British be harsher with the Americans because of the rebellion?
In response to Nate...
I love how you bring up the leadership abilities of both the British and the Americans, and how Washington had to choose whoever his gut pretty much felt was right for the job. I also agree that Washington's leadership was a very important part of the victory of the Continental Army.
Nate, nice work with the direct quote. Very interesting comments! Good analysis the Battle of Trenton, but use the reading thoughts and TLH more!
ReplyDeleteEmilee, you've done a great job with your three blogs. You consistently applied the reading thoughts and the TLH inquiry categories. I can tell you are genuine when you say you enjoyed the book! I really liked how you used - Using the Past to understand the present. Your concluding question was very insightful and I liked your use of the term persevering!
ReplyDelete~Krystal Obermeier~
ReplyDeleteOverall, 1776 by David McCullough was a very intriguing and well-written book. In my opinion, the descriptions throughout were phenomenal and the information was helpful and eye-opening. The last section was my favorite out of the three as the plot kept moving and the interactions with the characters were more personal.
While previewing the pictures within the Section 3: The Long Retreat, one picture particularly caught my eye. Picture #42 for some reason looked awfully familiar and I just couldn’t place where and/or when I had seen it before. Then it hit me, I had seen it that same exact picture when I took my trip to Washington D.C. this past spring. Along with several other painting done by John Trumbull, this picture is now located within the United States Capitol Rotunda. I remember being in there looking up at the story of American History through pictures and wondering what it all meant. Through 1776, I now understand the history of at least four of the eight paintings within the Rotunda. This connection made me realize just how big of and impact art and first hand accounts are to our history as a country.
Many of the pictures within Section 3 helped me to later visualize the events as they took place. By already having an idea of how they looked, I could build off of them by adding color, sounds, and smells, and more details overall. One particular event was exceptionally captivating to me. This is when McCullough describes how Charles Willson Peale thought about how dispirited and poor looking Washington’s men looked after retreating to Pennsylvania. He described how one man had no clothes and how the many sores on his face made him look disfigured. While reading this I could see that man within my mind and when that man turned out to be Charles’ brother I was thoroughly shocked. I played out their interaction when they found out they were brothers, and how awkward yet bittersweet that moment would have been.
Obviously war is all about cause and effect. Every slight and minute decision plays a role in the outcome of each and every battle and the war as a whole. One account of cause and effect seemed to play a very large role in depicting the outcome of battles. Those accounts included letters that were intercepted and found themselves in British hands because they were “left unguarded at an inn at Trenton by a careless post rider bound for Philadelphia”. The letters were written by Washington, Reed, and other important persons on the American side, and revealed the fact that Washington planned to split his army, which was a major weakness. Those letters, as stated within 1776 may not have “ greatly altered the course of events to follow”, but to many on the British side it was helpful and gave them the confidence they needed in order to defeat the American army at Fort Washington.
Throughout 1776 many perspectives were given about several different events. Section 3: The Long Retreat was full of many different perspectives. One event that David McCullough gave different perspectives of was when General Lee was captured. It was interesting to know how the British people truly thought of Lee and while reading it, I got a full understanding of how they felt when someone who was considered such a traitor to their King was captured. It was expected that the American officers were upset and saddened by the fact that one of their own had been captured. George Washington’s perspective was quite interesting, due to the fact that he was angry at Lee for behaving so recklessly and at the same time relieved because of the anxiety that he put on Washington.
In response to Emilee’s blog:
ReplyDeleteI also wondered about how much different our lives would be today, if the American rebels and George Washington had just given up on the idea of independence from British rule. The fact that people did and still do take the risk and chance of loosing their lives and everything they love for is very honorable. It seems very important that we as a country and as individuals take time to think about and honor those who fought and are fighting for what this country believes in, for without them are country would definitely not be what it is today.
1776 has given me fresh eyes to a subject I thought I knew a lot about. Looking back, I enjoyed reading it and felt as if I have learned many new things. This book has also got me interested to know, in detail, how the rest of the war plays out until the official end more than 6 years later with the Treaty of Paris. My only wish is that there was a sequel or something of the sort to shine light on the rest of the war. Overall, reading 1776 by David McCullough was a positive experience.
Jordan Williams
ReplyDelete“1776”-- Well written and organized book with a lot of facts from diaries and memos of people in the time. The reading strategies I used were finding the big ideas and visualization. The RLAH strategies I used were Change and Continuity and Turning points.
Throughout the book, I tried to find the main points the author was trying to get to the reader. In section 3, I think he wanted to show how torn up both armies were and how the British officers ignored vital information. In the American Army, the men were going with no sleep, not the proper clothing, and most had hurt feet from lack of shoes. The British Army was without proper barracks and ate anything they could find. The British officials as shown right before the attack after crossing the Delaware River, showed how absent minded they were when it came to vital information of attacks. One of them received word of the attack not once, but twice, and only proceeded to get drunk and go home.
The best part in section 3 for visualization was when during the Fort Washington attack I believe they said 150 Americans held off 800 Hessians with (1) 18lb cannon.
Throughout the war, not a lot changed. Both armies went back and forth with winning different battles ( British mostly winning) and they both had poor equipment for the terrain. The thing that hit both armies hardest was the change between summer and winter.
The greatest turning point was when Washington decided to attack along Trenton when the British retreated there and NY for the winter. This dispersed the troops enough for Washington to make his move on them, with less than what he expected for equipment and get them to surrender with no casualties.
In response to Nate’s post: I think that rather than the Commander in Chief Washington receiving all the credit, Henry Knox deserves some too, because as it was described “ You could hear his booming voice giving orders, and if it weren’t for him, I don’t know if it would have been a success.”
By: Zach Burmeister
ReplyDeleteIn the last section of 1776 it was all about the last battles of the year and the great victories that the American army accomplished. Once again David McCullough was very descriptive and made sure that we clearly understood what they felt and what they sacrificed for our countries freedom. Also, he made it clear which events were important and not so important. One thing that has been evident throughout the whole book had been Turning Points.
To start, this section once again was very visual for me. I could vividly picture the retreats that the American Army had to constantly make. I could picture the chaos and the fear as men ran for their lives through a forest. One of the most vivid pictures for me was the Skirmish at Trenton. In short this battle was a skirmish between American and Hessian forces. The outcome was not good for the hessians as they lost 21, 90 had been wounded, and 900 had been taken captive. Not only was this a very visual scene, it was one of great importance. It was important because of the great margin of victory and the fact that this was both a great morale and momentum boost to the common soldier.
Through the eyes of a soldier life was in general tiring and unpleasant. They often had broken shoes or even no shoes at all. It was told that once and I while you would see a soldier with only undergarments. This would be awful in the cold winter season and the long marches. But on the other side life through a soldiers eyes would was full of the sense self-importance and they were proud to serve there country most of the time. One American said, “I think if we will stand by each other, and not run like cowards, with Gods blessing, we may keep them off”. This in fact was Colonel Douglas, and this tells a lot about him and the countries state of mind. I think most of the soldiers according to this statement were doubtful and scared for their lives. Many times it took people like this to win the war.
Turning points where huge in this section, from morale turning points such as “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine to Physical turning points like Trenton. Both were big as they boosted morale and helped the Americans when the war.
Overall 1776 was a good book and I enjoyed reading it. To sum it up would be impossible but there is one group of words that say it all. “The outcome seemed little short of a miracle.”
Response to Jordans Blog:
I liked how she broke up the book to look for lessons instead of just looking at the book as a whole. If you did that you would miss so much meaning and lessons learned by the American Army. And i agree that a huge turning point was the Battle at Trenton
Mariah Endres
ReplyDeleteMcCullough's final section of 1776, "The Long Retreat," proved to be very difficult, with the opening quote being "These are the times that try men's souls," and Washington's leadership in question.
Despite the depressing introduction, I predicted that with the return of Nathanael Greene, things would start to look up. Washington had always been highly fond of Greene, and even after Greene's big disappointment, Washington still considered him to be highly important to the war. Washington even went on to say that if something were to happen to him, he preferred Greene to be the one to take his position. Also, I found it very interesting that despite the immense problems Washington was to deal with, he still found time to worry about Mt. Vernon and it's progress. "If all could not be as he wished with the army, then he would at least have it so at his distant, beloved home."
After what seemed a lifetime of suffering for the Americans, section three progressed with a turning point for the Americans. That being the battle of Trenton. After the battle of Trenton, section three then became my favorite, mostly because of the newfound advantages the Americans had and their renewed sense of hope that also helped in the battle of Princeton. Looking back on the book as a whole, I wished McCullough had included more events and details surrounding the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence had become one of the primary reasons for the fighting of an independent American country, and therefore, should have been discussed more in the book.
In response to Zach: I also agree that turning points played a huge role in this section. I liked how you discussed both moral and physical turning points.
Breanna Baumann
ReplyDeletePreiew and predict i think is one of the most helpful 'reading thoughts'. Before reading section 3, "The Long Retreat" i once again looked at the pictures for the section. One of the pictures I saw was New York in flames. That was a major clue that yet another town would be destroyed, but who caused it was a question that crossed my mind. While reading, i found out that Washington had the iddea to burn New York so that the British couldnt be benefited from it and use it for shelter and use any supplies to their advantage. My new prediction of Washington being the cause of teh fire was changed when i read that other people, such as Greene, disagreed with this idea. So then my prediction changed to the British being the cause, and i thought they would have been foolish for doing to since they could have gotten good use out of that town after the Americans fled the area. After getting to the point in time in the book where New York actually burned down, i found out that the cause of the fire was unknown and was considered an accident. I think that at times, authors set you up in a way so your predictions are frequently changing and so you stay interested in the reading, similarly what happened during this event.
Throughout the book, i came across vocabulary words that i was unfamiliar with. One word in section 3 that i looked up was 'imperturbability'. It was read on page 244 in a sentance describing Washington; "...given his well-documented imperturbability...". After looking it up i found out that it means calm and collected. This seems to be a fitting word used to describe Washington based on how McCullough has previously characterized this General. Being calm and collected would be a good characteristic for a General. The Americans are lucky that they had a person like Washington play the role of the General during the Revolutionary War.
I agree with Mariah, after the Battle of Trenton the war turned around and the Americana were eventually able to have freedom from the British. Even though the declaration of independance was an important part of hisorty, i think McCullough didnt include much detail about that because his main focus seemed to be on the different battles, more of the intense action side to the situation that got us where we are today.
Jordan Brinkman
ReplyDeleteThe third and final section of 1776 was by far the most exciting and suspenseful section, in my opinion.
A reading thought that I had in this final section, a connection(more of a comparison actually), is that between the communication between our nations first army, and today's army. The old army relied completley on letters. This technique could take an entire day, or even several days. If the enenmy were to set up camp 500 yards away and you want to attack them at that moment but you are awaiting for verification from a superior, the enemy could either decide to attack, giving THEM the element of surprise, or they could move their encampment which eliminates your attack opportunity. This also applies to giving and receiving Intel on the battlefield. Today, receiving and verifying information can BOTH be done in literally a matter of seconds, with the help of text, email, walkie-talkies, and international phone calls.
My second reading thought is a visualization of, kind of obvious, the crossing of the Delaware. Not a hard event to visualize, but still a powerful one. I could vividly see all the troops, and Washington, as they were navigating the cold, icy, flowing waters in their little rowboats. I visualized it in more of a frantic manner, as the army was rowing for its life in an all or nothing dangerous river-crossing.
A major turning point, I felt, was when Washington opens the letter from General Lee to Reed (reading like a historian). In the letter, Lee expresses his agreeing with points that Reed had made about Washington in an earlier letter. In the letter are views expressed about Washington and his indecisiveness on the battle-field and how they think that he may not be the appropriate choice as the commander of the continental army. This causes Washington to feel hurt that two of his high officials are doubting his abilities to lead the army.
A cause and effect i noticed at toward the end of the book was Washington's brief motivational speech to try to keep his troops whose enlistments were over for. Of course with all the fatigue and discouragement they had experienced during their time in the army. Washington know that this cannot happen if he expects to have a chance at b winning the war. He says a brief little comment that has a big impact that causes soldiers to decide to stay longer and help the cause. He says the cause is for their nation and all they hold dear, which cannot exist under the rule of another government.
In response to Maria...
I also agree that section three was a big turning point for the Americans, as they started to win some battles and make some progress against their enemy.
Megan Gebert
ReplyDeleteThe third installment of this book begins to show that Washington is winning this fight for indpendence, and he doesn't care how it's going to happen. He gets the troops to rally under him and they start to get the British running. Once they start that, it's only a matter of time. The soldiers start training and getting ready to finish the job. The morale begins to rise and more and more troops are starting to stick around to be a part of something. All the differences begin to be overcome and they all see the light at the end of the tunnel. They smell blood in the water and they want they're piece of glory. It also begins to be seen that luck is returning to Washington and the clock is ticking on the British presense. The title of this section, "The Long Retreat" seems to show that the Colonists have had enough and they want to send the British home with they're tails between their legs. They want to deliver the message declared in the Declaration of Independence first hand. That Declaration must have been to the colonists what the speech given by George W. Bush after 9/11 meant to us. It gave us the strength to pull through and make the people pay for what they have done to us. We wanted the last laugh, so did the Colonists. The Colonists were ready to deliver the final blow. The Declaration of Independence was also the final turning point in the war, and the pendulum had done the final swing to the American side. This finally showed that we were united, and everything is now unified into one major effort. This unification could not be beat by any force especially a few redcoats. And when the army had surrounded the remaining troops in Yorktown and the surrender was offical, that unification finally paid off and all the blood, sweat and tears given to this effort were worth it. America was finally free and it took everyone to do it.
It seems that Jordan and I share the same thought on that this 3rd section was the perfect final piece to the puzzle called the Revolutionary War. The letter that was intercepted also was a turning point in that the British had basically told the Americans what was going down. So, the preparations could be made. Washington knew that something had to be done to keep the troops and his speech to the troops who were ready to leave held everything together and provided the support to finish this off. Washington and his men knew, lets get this done for the glory of our future and us.
Elyse Batien:
ReplyDeleteOnto the last section of "1776". Before i started to read, "The Long Retreat", i once again looked at the picture inserts. Immediately i thought, "What?! Another town destroyed?". Then i thought, "Well what caused the fire, and who?", since the British blamed it on "lurking" Americans. I thought the whole thing was pretty strange, and it was just a picture.
Once i found out that Washington burned New York down, i was so confused. I understand why he did it, but i guess it just causes more for the Americans to suffer for, even though it was an understandable reason, this way the British could use the city to their advantage in anyway at all. It was smart thinking, but at the same time, i thought, "Didn't the Americans lose just as much, cause couldn't they have used the city to their advantage in some way?".
As i kept reading, i got so confused as to who the cause was exactly. There were people disagreeing with the fact that Washington did it, like Greene. So then i thought, "Hmmm, i guess it would have to be the British after all." But as i continued, i found out that the fire ended up being an unknown cause, or considered an accident, which i found strange as well. But without readers on their toes, books wouldn't be as good.
In response to Breanna's comment, i like how you looked up that word, its good to know what it means and how it reflects into George Washington. And i feel like we wouldn't be the country we are today if he wasn't our leader back then.
Eli Frieders
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the last section of David McCullough's book, 1776, things that have been becoming more clearer to me such as how inexperienced the Americans were in military tactics. Such as when the Americans had the British retreating and they couldn't continue chasing them back because they did not have experience with that line of duty. One thing that I noticed too especially was how General Lee and General Reed both questioned Washington's authority and said how he was indecisive. I feel as if anyone in a high authority like Washington would have at least some people question how they run everything. It's like how a president can't really make everyone happy and they will almost always have some body to question their authority.
Within section three there was one point and story of how General Glover and his army of 750 men held off the British for one day. Normally this wouldn't sound like a that big of a feat but it helped the rest of the American Army get farther enough away to escape the British. It's possible that if they didn't have held them off for the day that Britain might have met Americans head on during their retreat and most likely beat them. A turning point within the battle for the Americans was at Trenton, New Jersey when they won the battle which helped them eventually to win the war. It boosted their confidence after the victory and which led to help them win more battles.
In Response to Jordan,
I agree back in the those times that communication was less efficient and also greatly affected military strategies. It's definatly greatly different from today because we can get so much information across in such little time.
Andrew Reiche
ReplyDeleteUpon seeing the title of the third section, "The Long Retreat" I could see that the end of this conflict was approaching. The British seemed to be making sloppy mistakes, such as the dropped note. When I came across that part of the story I could tell that that was the beginning of the end of the British cause. Their luck was beginning to run out. They were taking the Continental Army for granted, thinking they didn't have a chance, and they figured that they could take their time. Even though, the opposite was true. The British were always underestimating what the opponent was doing. Their egos got in the way of finishing the job. However, the Americans have been guilty of this several times as well. For example, we went over to Vietnam thinking we'd be back within 3 months. However, because of this perception, this conflict was drawn out into a very unnecessary conflict. The soldiers were prepared well, neither were the British, and they expected that they're mere presence would be enough to win. That wasn't the case in either scenario. Also, this Revolutionary War was taking on different perspectives for different countries. In France, the rebelling Colonists were seen as an ally which put the final nail in the coffin of the British. The colonists saw themselves as pioneers paving the way for freedom for all people. In the colonists point of view, they were seeing this as them sticking out to the end. Doing whatever possible to make what they believed in a reality. This would show to other nations that they were here to stay no matter the cost, there was going to be no backing down. This conflict showed that it could be done, and this would lead to many other revolutions down the road such as the French Revolution. These colonists worked together, believed in one thing and made it happen. They stuck by each other's side, something that had been lacking in the whole conflict. They all trained this time and worked together to accomplish what they all wanted.
In response to Jordan's post, I would have to agree with what he has to say. There were many mistakes made by a British army that seemed too smug to make anything happen. The got sloppy, plain and simple. Also, the images of the Continental Army during the conflict gave you a feel that victory was imminent but they were going to do it their own way, as deliberate as it could be.
Hannah Johnson
ReplyDeleteDuring reading the last section of 1776, I would not have predicted the Americans would have won the war. But having back round knowledge of the war I knew that the Americans end up winning. Reasons that would have made me thought they would lose is Washington kept losing battle after battle, losing a great number of soldiers and was losing the respect of his own men. Reed and Lee were sending messages of how they didn’t believe Washington was the man for the job. Usually when armies split like that victories come hard to come around. Another reason you would think the Americans would not win is because of all the men who were almost done with their time, were ready to go home. But at the time they were going to leave was a very critical time for the Americans. They needed as many experienced men as possible. Luckily Washington was able to talk some men to reenlist.
One word that Washington used a lot throughout his service was perseverance. I took the time to look up the real meaning of this word and found out it meant steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. Washington used this word throughout his letters he wrote to congress and his general orders.
During the last section of the book the author talked about how the British were giving people the chance to surrender and say they were 100% loyal to the king. If they did so they would be able to keep their land and be able to live there. Many people made this decision just because of the way the war was going. Of course people will do whatever the more powerful and successful group tell them to do. It’s the smarter decision. But it doesn’t mean that those people really felt the king was right and therefore they are loyal to him.
Even though Washington’s plan for Trenton was running about 3 hours behind schedule, Washington still went forth with his plan to surprise the Hessians in Trenton. Because of this decision, his troops did not get caught going back over the river and also they won the battle at Trenton. The commander for the Hessians and British at Trenton was Johann Rall. He ignored all warnings of the attack. This win was a huge gain for the Americans. It gave them the confidence they needed.
In response to Eli: I agree with your response on how not everyone can agree with Washington’s decisions just like everyone doesn’t agree with the President’s decisions.
(Kaitlyn Beck)
ReplyDeleteAs i was previewing section three I noticed a quote saying; "These are the times that try men's souls"- Thomas Paine. After reading that quote I predicted that times aren't going to get any better, and that the events occuring are going to tests the men's souls and see how bad they really do want to win.
While reading about the men crossing the Delaware, I could picture the scene in my head. I could picture Washington and the troops trying to get through the cold rapids of the Delaware River. As I was picturing this event, I could see the men diligently paddling through the beastly rapids just trying to get through successfully and safely.
After I finished the book, I had a whole new feeling towards wars. I was thinking what if the American army just gave up and said independence isnt worth the fight? Where would America be these days? I love haveing indepence and i dont know how I could manage not having it.
I also like the point that Eli makes that Washington cant make everyone happy, just like today the president cant make everyone these days happy either. There will always be people disagreeing so sometimes you just have to take the bull by the horns and take a risk.
-Leutrime Jusufi-
ReplyDeleteWhile evaluating the last section of 1776, The Long Retreat, it came to my realization on what efforts were made for the freedom of our New World, the United States of America. All the lives shed, all the hard work, all the time used, everything, all for the right to be on their own. On page 287, McCullough described, "The first wounded man that came off the field was a New England soldier. His right hand hung a little above his wrist by nothing but a piece of skin. It had been broken by a cannon ball." It was remarkable how one desire would keep soldier going through battle, after hearing about, or watching before their eyes, all the causualities lost. All of their efforts would have a massive impact in history. In the book altogether, McCullough also had many visualizations to keep you into the zone of what you were reading. From page 216 to 217, McCoullough described Washington's new headquarters. "The house, about a mile south of Fort Washington, commanded the summit of Harlem Heights-indeed, it stood at the highest elevation on all of York Island. From the balcony of its columned portico, one could see the Hudson on the right." After that description, it was possible to see what a great, "landmark", you could say, that it was. As if it was standing still that no hurricane could take it down, just like the American troops.
During reading the last section, I once again tried to see through the eyes of the characters portrayed in the book. One who really caught my eye was General Cornwallis. At first, a British commander, then crossing over to the opposing team to help them lead victory at Trenton. A man who would be accused of "losing America". Throughout the last section, he was tolerated in battles and tested. If was probably frustrating for him to deal with everything but he cooped. I also tried to understand the different perspectives of each side. The British praised King George and all his glory at the time, while the Americans across the sea wanted nothing to do with him. Obviously, in the end, the American's beliefs came through because they won the war.
-Leutrime Jusufi-
ReplyDeleteIn response to Kaitlyn's comment previous to mine, I'd like to add onto her interpretation to Thomas Paine's quote in the begining of the section. "These are the times that try men's souls." I agree with her response to the hard times that soldier should be prepared to face. I also think it was a way of Thomas Paine speaking out to troops by communicating that, as long as you fight now, even if you might end up 6 feet under the ground, it will pay off in the afterlife, meaning with their souls and how they would be treated. Thomas Paine had a lot of impact during that time, especially with Common Sense, one of his most famous writings.
Krystal -clearly the best of three outstanding blogs you've written. Your analysis has been brilliant and your use of the reading thoughts of prediction, connections and visualizing really show that you are an accomplished reader. Your use of perspective, a new TLH category, as well as cause and effect shows that you know how to think and read as a historian does. Superb work Krystal!
ReplyDeleteMr. Williams, you are right, Knox is a cool guy! You've done a nice job with your blogs and I liked your concluding analysis of the American Army's condition. Good interpretation of Trenton as a turning point. See you soon!
ReplyDeleteZach, You are correct in saying that McCullough had a great gift for description and we really could feel what was happening. Your visualization of the battle of Trenton shows you use this reading thought well! And you seem to make connections to the soldiers lives. Nice job blogging Zach!
ReplyDeleteMariah, I liked your comments on General Greene and you can probably predict that he will be a factor as a leader in the War in later years of 179-81 when the war goes South. He is most certainly Washington's favorite General and deservedly so! As far as your identification of Trenton as a turning pt., I would have to agree, at least during 1776. There will be other battles to come that in the large scope of things will be even bigger turning pts. e.g. Battle of Saratoga! Great work Mariah, glad you enjoyed the book!
ReplyDeleteBreamma, wonderful job using prediction. It is certainly one of your strongest strategies when reading. Keep using it! I loved the vocab word you chose to share! I learned something tonight!!! Nice work with all 3 of your blogs!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the third section of 1776, it was easy to make a generalization about war; that it isn’t over until it is over. There were so many instances throughout the entire book where the war seemingly could’ve ended with either side winning. What was most remarkable about this was even when making a comeback was close to impossible, someone found a way. After a terrible defeat at Boston, the British came back strong and took control in New York. The loss in New York and other bleak circumstances could have been enough to stop the Continental Army, but still they returned with enough will to come out on top at the Battle of Trenton and eventually win the war. Not only does this show the unpredictability of war in general, but also the human will to fight for what they want.
ReplyDeleteTowards the end of the first section, immediately following the Battle of Trenton another question was raised in my mind. There is a small mention of Washington’s want to keep working to get to Brunswick and destroy the British’s supplies, take 70,000 pounds, and supposedly end the war. The idea was quickly shot down by Greene and Knox because of the exhausted state of the army. But the idea lingered in my mind, could the Revolutionary war been ended years earlier with far less casualties and debts by pushing the soldiers a little bit farther? They had already proved that in desperate times, they could deliver when it came to freeing their country. It may have been an unrealistic idea at the time, but looking back would it have been a much better option?
A big change that occurred in section three was the losses of Washington’s most trusted men. Disappointment in Greene and the capture of Lee were hardships that were certainly unexpected by Washington. It is probably right to believe that he was undergoing a low point in his life with a feeling of helplessness and defeat, and when the commander of the continental army is feeling defeat, it spreads through the whole country. Another change that was crucial to boosting Washington’s morale was the unexpected and greatly appreciated letter from Joseph Reed offering assistance at Trenton. Without that glimmer of hope for Washington and the army who knows what could have become of America.
Reading about the hardships of the Revolutionary War really got me thinking about the war through the eyes of an average soldier. It seems almost inhuman, the way that the men (even if there were few of them) were able to survive and keep up their spirits enough to go on to the next battle. After a loss such as at Fort Washington or even winning at Trenton, one would believe it normal for any man to collapse. One event that really stood out in my mind where the soldiers were almost unbreakable was the march to Trenton. Many of the soldiers, not having even shoes, left blood trails from their feet in the snow, then proceeded to spend the night in the cold (killing two of them) and marching and fighting in the morning. The soldiers also had to deal with the worries of their home life, of losing friends to the war, of being destitute, and many other things that I cannot begin to imagine.
In response to Trime’s comment, I agree with her astonishment at the efforts that were made to make our country a free one. Although as children we were always told about how much was given up for us to have a good life, but without knowing the facts and stories of what actually happened it is impossible to comprehend the great gift we have been given.
Sorry, I forgot to post my name, that last comment is by Carly Phillips.
ReplyDeleteJordan, you have an outstanding understanding of the reading thoughts and their application. That goes for the TLH categories as well. Hopefully these strategies make you a better reader, or one that is more analytical! I enjoyed your comparison of communication between today's army and Washington's army. Some pretty huge differences. I think armys continue to have these problems in the Civil War as well! Great work Jordan.
ReplyDeleteMegan, well that was fun to read! You really saw the Americans as having the upper hand in Section 3 and ready to win the war. Unfortunately, 1776 was just the begining. The Americans will have several defeats on their way to ultimate victory 5 years later at Yorktown! So it may not be that simple. It does seem that you enjoyed the book. Good work!
ReplyDeleteElyse, I liked your interpretation of the Fire of nN.Y. and it was fun to see how your mind was working. great job. But what about the rest of Section 3? Did you finish the book? Any comments about the final battles of the year 1776?
ReplyDeleteEli, I liked your comments about the criticism of Washington's command. You just dont expect it to become public , especially coming from other Generals. Usually they keep that stuff under raps. Didnt the head General in Afghanistan just get the axe because some journalist exposed some of his comments. Any way there is always a political component to deal with. Nice work with your blogging Eli!
ReplyDeleteAndy, I thought your comment about "ego" getting in the way was really astute! And your analogy to Vietnam was perfect! You always have to respect the enemy. That holds true in sports as well! And your comment about persevering until the French could get involved is an excellent prediction!!!
ReplyDeleteHannah, your observations about Washington's command and how soldiers and other leaders were losing faith and your comment about enlistments were both particularly insightful. Good thing they didnt replace Washington since he turned out to be a great leader, maybe not the greatest strategist, but a great leader who the troops loved and respected. He gave them confidence! Perseverence is a really neat word and particularly appropriate when describing Washington. Its really the quality that most allows him to retain command and lead his weary troops to victory! Nice work with your blogging Hannah!
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn, youve done a super job using the reading thoughts, especially predicting and visualizing!
ReplyDeleteKaylee Wedow
ReplyDeleteIn the middle of section 3 there was a lot of talk of how Washington was falling apart. It seemed that he couldn't make a choice at all without some major problem occuring. I feel that he was falling apart without letting anyone know, and possibly that is where his genius ideas came from. The attack on the Hessians was a desperate move and only happened because Washington felt they had nothing to lose, since they were almost destroyed. Don't get me wrong, but he only seemed to have brilliant plans when the situation was dire. Of course, there is the other view: he had so much on his plate that he was starting to crack under pressure. I feel that to be a better sum of his thought process. In my opinion, the Delaware crossing was the idea of a mad genius.
On other thing I found interesting is the capture of General Lee. Washington depended on Lee and Lee was being an idiot about the entire New York situation. He was a great general in his time and was for the South Carolina battle, but he seemed to become overconfident in his abilities. Lee was, in my opinion, a jerk to Washington. Washington depended on Lee and Lee essentially back-stabbed Washington by getting captured. He was second-in-command and basically gave up on the cause of independence. Lee was reluctant to rejoin the main group, then he left his group, and then he was captured and didn't even put up a struggle. I feel that he wasn't fully commited to the Cause.
Going on with what Leutrime said on Cornwallis, I agree. The man was extremely smart and had a lot going for him. His ideas were very good and I feel that he was unjustly punished for what the Hessians did at Trenton (the lax gaurd and not being prepared for an atack). The turn of the war rests on the Hessians shoulders for failing at Trenton.
Leutrime - Really great job with the reading thoughts of visualizing and description. McCoullough makes it easy to do. He is an accomplished historian! I like how you used through their eyes, but Im confused about your Cornwallis comment, since he was one of Howe;s right hand men who later was put in charge of the British troops in the south. He would be infamous for his surrender to the Americans at Yorktown. He is a key character in the movie "The Patriot" which I advise you to watch!
ReplyDeleteAlex Tarras
ReplyDeleteWhile I was reading section three of "1776," McCullough used great detail and put two very good visualizations into my head. The first happened on page 202 when he was talking about hundreds of men walking off with their arms and ammunition. That put a great picture in my head, but also later in the paragraph McCullough mentioned one soldier carrying around a cannonball, that he was going to take home to his mother to crush mustard seed. I thought that was very interesting and put a great picture in my head. The next visual came later on at the beginning of chapter seven when he was describing the heavy rains and the men walking up the narrow muddy road. Again it was another very good visual.
I was trying to see certain things through the eyes of the soldiers. And if they kept their arms and ammunition, they might have used them for not only protection but lots of different things. And it might have turned out to be very helpful for their families.
In response to Jordan's blog, I agree that the third section was the most exciting. And I had the same thought throughout the book. That the communication and organization of our army today, and the army of this time period is much, much different. I believe it is interesting how any army could function with little communication. I first thought of this earlier in section one when the count of the troops took place, and it took seven days.
Suzanne Phalen
ReplyDeleteIn the last section of 1776 Washington was having a very hard time in the beginning. He was very indecisive. Washington was slowly falling apart. As a connection to my life, I would also find it hard to make life and death decisions for thousands of troops that would affect the whole country. I can hardly make smaller decisions, like what to wear each day. He had a big responsibility and finally started to crumble under the pressure. Not many people would have the perseverance and fortitude to pull through all of the trouble like he did. Every hero has a point where things aren’t going very well, and it is the leadership skills and decisive actions of making things better that makes them heroes, as it did to Washington.
The title of chapter seven, “Darkest Hour”, reminds me of a quote, “the darkest hour is right before the dawn breaks.” This statement is very true in the storyline of this book. Based on this quote, I was able to predict that things would go downhill for the Continental Army. When it seemed like the cause would all be lost, Washington was able to brighten the situation and improve things for the better. This was true after Washington’s best generals did not trust him to make the right decisions about what to do next because he had made so many mistakes. Washington had few troops left. When most thought that it would be over, Washington struck again and this time it was victory and it really lifted the spirits of the army.
A major turning point in the war was when Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware and surprise attacked the Hessians at Trenton. Washington regained the trust and respect of his men and it gave the troops more confidence. It also helped Washington reenlist many soldiers back into his army because they realized that there still was a chance that they could pull through.
The weather played a large part of the war. Everything both armies did depended on the weather and the tide. If the weather had been different would the war have ended differently? It was also a cause and effect, because there was a bad snow storm the night of December 25 and into the day of December 26, General Rall was not expecting them to march through the cold and attack them. Therefore, the Hessians were not ready for any type of surprise attack. It was also Christmas night. Along with that, because of the storm, the rest of the Continental Army was not able to attack because they could not get everything across the river. If the surprise attack had gone completely as planned it would have had a much larger effect and the war might not have lasted as long after that.
Adding on to what Kaylee said, it might have been a good thing that Lee was captured because Washington could stop worrying about Lee and where he might be and then Washington got Lee's troops back, making his army stronger.
Tyler Timm,
ReplyDeleteAs I read the final section, of David McCullough's novel 1776, I found that throughout the book he used tons of details that make nearly every scene easy to picture. An example of this out of section 3 was the British invasion at Kips Bay. While I read this section I was able to picture myself on the shoreline, looking out onto the water and seeing nothing but British ships approaching. It was easy for me to see how they won the Psychological battle before any action had even taken place.
Also, a turning point in the war that was noted in the book that I noticed was the battle of Trenton. The daring night raid on the Hessian camp in Trenton was the first major victory that the Americans enjoyed in the war. In the end only 5 American soldiers had been injured, while 21 Hessians were killed and over 900 more were taken prisoner. From this tremendous victory for the Americans came new found respect from some British leaders. One of these being Colonel William Harcourt who had said that the Americans "...had shown themselves capable of great cunning, great industry, and spirit of enterprise." I also noticed a cause and effect that took place starting with this event, that being that from this point in the war the Americans slowly began to take control of the war eventually leading to the Americans coming out of the war as the victors.
In conclusion, I found that reading about these events from the British point of view was very interesting. Also, the style of McCullough's writing made the book an easy read as it told a story, not just what happened.
In response to Kaylee,
I completely agree with your thoughts on the Delaware crossing, it may have just won the war.
Trevor Kraeger
ReplyDelete1776 was loaded with great mental pictures/movies and I actually felt like I was in with some of the action going on. The diary entries gave great secondary opinions and sensory details as to some of the experiences the soldiers faced. The different strategies I used were visualize and preview/predict, and the TLH strategies I used were turning points and through their eyes.
In the final part of 1776 I used the importance strategy and figured out a key component as to why the British may have never won the war was because of all of the signs the generals were ignoring. Such as the ideas of General Henry Clinton on pushing on and trying to catch the retreating and tired Continental Army with their fresh reinforcements, or when Cornwallis told the Hessian regiment about to invade Fort Washington to not kill anyone, just take them prisoner. Even though taking those soldiers as prisoners was a devastating blow to Washington, I think if the Hessians were to show no mercy, then that really could have dampened Washington’s spirit on the whole war and that would have struck fear into many of his men if they were to hear of what the Hessians do to American soldiers. The other strategy I used was to visualize and I got a mental picture of 150 men holding off almost 800 British troops with an 18lb cannon.
In thinking like a historian, I used turning points as to when Washington crossed the Delaware River and walked through the freezing night with his men and ended up winning the Battle of Trenton with no casualties and taking almost 900 men as prisoners. With a win like that, that definitely boosted the spirits of the Continental Army after so many losses to the British and proved to themselves that they could defeat the best naval force in the world. The other TLH strategy I used was through their eyes as to the night Washington crossed the Delaware with his men in the frigid winds and freezing temperatures, those men under General Knox hearing his loud booming voice through the howling wind would have installed some pride and confidence into the men that served under him with his confidence and without that loud voice of his, the whole operation could have failed.
In response to Jordan, I do think that Knox was just as big a player as Washington with the responsibilities he had and the tasks he pulled off.
Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Trevor with the fact that one of the British's flaws was that they ignored the signs but i also think they greatly underestimated the Continental Army along with Washington's leadership skills! The British treated the Continental Army as if they weren't worth giving any effort for. These actions of pride were the stumbling blocks to the British at the Battle of Trenton!
Tyler Stokka
ReplyDeleteIn reading the third section of David McCullough’s book 1776 I felt that the basic moral portrayed can be easily found in the words of Winston Churchill: “Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” This accurately portrays the message because as I was reading about the numerous retreats and military defeats I actually thought that if I had been in Washington’s shoes that I would have wanted to give up. This was the reason why America is here today, because of the incredible perseverance and endurance of General George Washington and his comrades.
One part in this section that really stood out to me was just the picture that was created by the description of the battles. It talked about how men were strewn across the fields laying in bloody heaps sometimes unrecognizable. One part of the book even talked about how one man had had his hand nearly blown off by a cannon ball and how it hung on by a flab of skin! Just the atrocities that were committed in the field like the American officer that was knocked onto the ground and repeatedly stabbed by a bayonet even though he could not do anything in return. These descriptions just struck vivid images in my mind, terrible images of war. This just goes to prove that war is war; it’s a terrible thing that has existed ever since the beginning of man.
Tyler Stokka (continuation..)
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading I realized that the biggest turning point in the war for America’s independence was at the battle of Trenton where Washington crossed the Delaware and defeated the Hessians. After months of failure and retreat, this battle gave the Americans the confidence they needed to pick themselves up and fight back. This was a very important turning point because if it never would have happened, the Americans might have just given up and America would have been under British rule today. It’s kind of scary to think how close the outcome was to the Americans being defeated by the British.
In reading about the constant trials the men went through, I tried to put myself in their shoes. These men were die hard patriots (especially those who had stayed with Washington since the incident at Bunker Hill). It is crazy to think about what they were risking in just being a rebel. The act of being in the Continental Army was considered treason against the king and therefore had the penalty of death. These men were putting their lives on the line for the freedom and independence of all Americans. It was incredible to read about the sheer dedication these men had: marching for miles on end without shoes, fighting for months without pay, spending hundreds of nights in the deathly cold, living in disgusting environments, wearing rags, and doing everything in their power to aide General Washington in anything he needed. These incredibly dedicated men had truly given all they had for the freedom of all Americans.
I agree with Trevor with the fact that one of the British's flaws was that they ignored the signs but i also think they greatly underestimated the Continental Army along with Washington's leadership skills! The British treated the Continental Army as if they weren't worth giving any effort for. These actions of pride were the stumbling blocks to the British at the Battle of Trenton!
Taylor Biundo
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the third section of this book it sheds a whole new light on this subject. All these people fought to improve their lives and the generations to follow them. Through out the book you see how much the Americans are at a disadvantage. And on page 287 it describes the soldier who came in off the battle field with his hand being held on by barely anything. For people to watch that happen and still fight for what they believe is right is amazing.
Overall comments on this book were I liked the images it helped understand the topic better. I also was able to see events like if I would have seen them myself.
I agree with Elyse, I was also confused when I first read about Washington burning down New York but his reasons were good because this meant the British couldn’t use the city but the Americans couldn’t either…that’s when I got confused.
-Luke Carter-
ReplyDeleteBefore reading section 3, I had noticed a familiar flow in the book: in part 1, the underdog rebels win a battle with long shot odds. In part 2, the rebels suffer a devastating blow in a second battle. Following this pattern emulated in movie trilogies such as the Matrix, the original Star Wars, and, to a lesser extent, the Lord of the Rings, I came to the conclusion that part 3 would contain a final battle (or battles) on a larger, more epic scale than the first two that would determine the ultimate outcome of the war and would be won in the end by the rebels.
As I read section 3, I realized the importance of even minor victories for the continental army, as the morale of the colonies seemed to be drastically lowered by defeat after defeat, yet confidence was regained after a single battle where 900 Hessians were taken prisoner with no American fatalities. This section of the book seemed to contain the most action; while much of the previous two were gradual setups to a single battle, section 3 contains many battles coming in a nearly constant stream. Naturally, the spirit and strength of the soldiers is a major obstacle throughout the section, and even Washington’s faith in his army becomes weakened as the scope and complexity of the war increases until the shining glimmer of hope following the crossing of the Delaware rekindles America’s confidence in itself.
My biggest disappointment with this book overall was its ending; it seems more like an introduction to the actual war, which would continue for the next 6 years. I feel that while the book was very descriptive of the first year of the war, much more information is needed to fully understand the Revolutionary War. That being said, it was very vivid in its descriptions and it was very easy to visualize the events that took place.
I agree with Trevor that the speech Washington gave before crossing the Delaware was very important in boosting the morale of the troops in what would become an essential victory.
(Cody Gresen)
ReplyDeleteOut of all the sections I thought this one was the most interesting in my opinion. At the start, McCullough describes the condition of the American army. McCullough writes “The army that had shown such remarkable discipline and unity through the night of the escape from Brooklyn had rapidly become engulfed with despair, turned surly and out of hand.”(Pg. 201) The soldiers morale was at an all time low and they were convinced they were done.The poor morale of the army helped me predict that the battle at Kips Bay would be a defeat for the Americans. I made this prediction using my prior knowledge from playing football. I thought they would lose the battle because as a teammate I know that when you don't have confidence in your coaches ability you often don't execute your job properly and often results in poor play. Just as the U.S. soldiers lost faith in Washington. My prediction was correct, the soldiers were forced to retreat.I was really able to visualize the disastrous fire that raged out of control in New York. While reading about the fire in New York, I could play the scene in my head like a movie. Watching the soldiers struggle to put out the intense blaze but with no success.In addition during this section I started to think of my previous knowledge of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and their failure at putting out that blaze. Due to the New York fire the British were now faced with a huge obstacle. This was a problem for the Brits because it ruined a large sum of supplies.
Later in the section once the Americans gave up Fort Washington, there were opposing views in regard to the wars management. The opposing views were that of Generals Howe and Clinton. Clinton stated Washington’s army was the heart of the rebellion and he thought the only strategy was to surround and single the army out. Which would force the American army to put up a great fight or admit defeat. Howe on the othr hand thought the Brits should attempt to run the Americans out of New Jersey and Rhode. He believed if he could control the territory he'd cause the American politicians to end the rebellion. In the end Howe's plan was choosen as their game plan.
In response to Taylor, I agree that the Americans had overcome a tremendous amount of obstacles but also you have to see that while the Americans were at a down point, the Brits were also experiencing set backs and conflict between their leaders.
Agreeing with Cody, I also thought that this section of the book was the most interesting. Reading that the title was "The Long Retreat", it made me predict that this was going to be a successful time for Washington, and that this would be an important time in the war.
ReplyDeleteDavid McCoullough does a good job of describing the the conditions of the soilders. Like Tyler mentioned, I was also constantly putting myself in their shoes. I had a hard time grasping on how much these men went through. I don't think that I would have lived through it all, and I find it a miracle that the men who survived did. Now that the men had been through painful losses and so much fighting, they were ready to take what was theirs. Because they were much more experienced, the soilders were fighting more efficently. The soilders were not ready to give up anytime soon, at any cost.
Then I read about how the fog helped the America Soilders stay alive from the British shooting at them, because the Americans would keep themselves hidden in the fog. Also, the bad weather helped the Americans stay safe as well. Some people would say that the Americans only won this war because of pure luck. I'm not so sure if i believe that, because it still took them a lot of battles,sweat, and pain to even make it this far.
Mikaela Koch
ReplyDeleteUpon reading the title of the 3rd section, "The Long Retreat", I could see or infer that the end of this conflict was long approaching. And when I began reading about Washington beginning to rally the troops, I could see that the pendulum had swung to the American's side and that it wasn't returning to the British. With the Declaration of Independence being announced, this united the troops for one cause. And from what I've read in previous books and heard about other conflicts, when people unify to one cause, alot can be accomplished. The Civil Rights Movement is a great future example of this. Although there were several groups, they were all for one cause. In the case of the American Revolution, you had a whole nation behind the army fighting for this one thing. That is the most powerful force out there. With this new purpose and the French coming in to fight on our side, we now have a navy and we can counter that sea power of the British. With this new force and a renewed spark the Americans had taken the upper hand. And with that final surrounding at Yorktown, the Americans, finally were under one banner in a way. With this unification, I see the Americans succeeding in a strong way.
In response to Bridget's post, I would have to agree that as well as the pendulum swinging to their side, the luck switched as well. The fog shielding the American's escape was greatly needed for the depleted force.
Carley Phillips -I really dont think there was much of a chance that the British would have quit the war in 1776 no matter what happened. Even after the devestating defeat at Yorktown in 1781 and having 7,000 troops captured, the British still had the manpower to continue, but not the heart. The French loss a devastating battle in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu against the Viet Minh and could have continued , but lost heart, the Americans lost heart in 1972 and signed a treaty that meant defeat against the North Vietnamese. Usually it it the cumulative effect of years of fighting that creates doubt at home that leads to a Peace settlement. So I doubt the British would have quit so soon. My thoughts anyway. Excellent use of the TLH category Through their eyes! Keep it up Carley!
ReplyDeleteAaron Weaver
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the third section in 1776, and completing the book, it made me realize how lucky we are to be American people. There were so many opportunities throughout the entire book for the British to conquer the Americans. On many occasions, it seems, the British have the Americans in a corner, but are unable to finish the job, or for reasons unknown, choose not to. American freedom also probably wouldn't have been capable if weather conditions had been different than what they were. It just made me realize that had anything, even something as trivial as weather would have been different, America may not exist. As General Washington put it, "the lives of millions of unborn American souls" would be affected. It's amazing to think how different all of our lives would be if even the slightest detail would have been altered in the American Revolution.
One thing that really stuck out in my mind as a mental picture was Washington and his men crossing the Delaware during the Battle of Trenton. I've seen paintings of this before, and I know this event is also depicted on the New Jersey state quarter, so I was able to easily and vividly depict the scene in my head.
In response to Mikaela's post, I also agree with her idea that aid from the French helped ignite a new swing in momentum of the revolution. I think without the aid of France, our country probably wouldn't be present to this day. I think that, as Mikaela said, with the French, we were able to counter the British Navy, and ultimately claim our independence as a nation.
Kaylee, Mad Genius, I like that!!!! Excellent comments on Lee and Cornwallis. And yes, the Hessian's screwed up!
ReplyDeleteAlex, excellent work visualizing!!!!! Also I liked what you did seeing the war through the eyes of the foot soldiers! And yes communication is a key component in military success!
ReplyDeletesuzanne, again you do a great job using cause and effect, prediction and other tools. You made interesting comments on Washington's leadership and how he came through despite some of his Generals doubting him. In the end we must consider him one of our greatest leaders, both as a Commanding General and then later as our first President. Your comments on the weather also brought to mind other battles in American History like the invasion at Inchon in the Korean War and the Battle of the Bulge. Weather usually plays a big part, just ask Napolean about the impact of winter!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTyler T, good use of Visualizing and using turning points to understand history! The Trenton victory was huge coming after the big defeat in N. Y., but lets not exaggerate this battle, a lot of war was to come, some victories and a lot of defeats. The key was to keep fighting, holding out and not being captured until finally the French came to help and the British got tired and quit! The victory at Yorktown would be huge as well- captured 7,000 Brits.
ReplyDeleteTrevor- outstanding use of the reading thoughts and the TLH. Also really perceptive thinking regarding the mistakes made by the Bristish Generals. I think you are on to something there. I believe several historians look to the mediocre performance of the British Generals as one of the reasons for their defeat!!
ReplyDeleteTyler S- I love that Churchill quote- awesome! I think Washington believed the same. Nice work using description and visualization to really appreciate the battles. I liked your assessment of the turning pt as well!
ReplyDeleteTyler B - Yes with all those disadvantages you have to wonder how the Americans ever won this war. What do you think were some of the Americans advantages?
ReplyDeleteHey Luke that was a pretty insightful blog! nice work. I liked your analogy to Star wars, etc. Pretty cool. Of course you are correct in that the Trenton battle was in the large scope of things, a minor victory, yet a major boost to morale! nice work.
ReplyDeleteCody , super good analogy to football, and thus you made a great prediction! again very insightful analysis of Cornwallis plan vs Howe's. Unfortunately for the Brits, they chose the wrong one. As long as Washingtons army survived, the rebels had a fighting chance, and as the war drags on for another 5 years, the Brits back home get tired of the war and with the defeat at Yorktown, quit!
ReplyDeleteBridget,some really good thoughts! Good job with your predictions, you getting really good at that. This is always a good pre-reading strategy! Your comment about the fog and weather does show how luck can enter into a battle. The same happened in reverse in WWII when the Germans at the battle of the Bulge were protected by the fog and snow. For several days into weeks the Americans were on the defensive due to the weather. It wasnt until the weather cleared that the American came back to win the battle due to their Air Power! Hope you enjoyed the book!
ReplyDeleteMikaela, nice comments, you really show your background knowledge and you present a really good analogy to the civil rights movement. Making connections to your prior knowledge is a very strong reading skill. Nice work Mikaela!
ReplyDeleteAaron - yes the visual of Washington crossing the Deleware is seared in all young peoples minds. Now you've read a book that makes that visual really come alive! I hope you enjoyed reading about that miraculous victory and how weather can either be lucky and get you a win or it can cause a crushing defeat!
ReplyDeleteJeff Marquardt
ReplyDeleteAgain before I started this section I looked at the pictures to try to help myself to put my mind in the time and place of the events happening.
One of the biggest things that I noticed while reading this section was how different things are in the military today compared to the minute men from 1776. It's amazing to think how much has actually changed. For instance you go from muskets with bayonets on them to rifles that can snipe people from miles away. Another huge difference is transportation. Back in the Revolutionary War you got around by walking or a horse if you were an officer. Now there are convoys, airplanes and all sorts of ships taking soldiers places. The last big change was the way people communicated. Back then it was letters and face to face conversations that was it. Now you can talk to people half way around the world anytime you want to. It is simply astonishing how times have changed.
One of the big things this book made me realize was the enormous struggle the Patriots went through to make this a free nation. Reading this book makes me proud to me an American because of the great sacrifice those before me gave to make this a free land.
In response to Aaron, I also had a strong image of Washington crossing the Deleware. It was stuck in my head for several days after I finished reading.
Jeff:
ReplyDeleteExcellent insights. War was different back in 1776. The obstacles were a bit larger due to the lack of the technologies of today. All Americans should be proud of our heritage.
Cody Schiro
ReplyDeleteOverall, 1776 by David McCullough was a very interesting, informational, and a very well-written book. In my opinion, the descriptions throughout this book were extremely outstanding and the information was helpful and eye-opening because McCullough went it to so much detail though out the book. The last section was my favorite out of the three because the plot kept moving and the interactions with the characters were more personal and a lot was explained in the end. The famed Battle of Trenton was an example of everything being done right by Washington and the Continental Army. They were able to sneak across the Delaware, sneak across land quietly, and around the Hessians. As our military is told today, war is a team sport and you cant win it on your own. That’s why today most training is as a group and everyone gets punished for someone else’s mistakes. Without Washington's leadership, efficient junior officers and non-commissioned officers as well as the privates, the Continental Army had no chance or hope to win this battle or any others. All of the pictures within Section 3 helped visualize the events as they took place because some things were hard to picture without them. By now having an idea of how they looked, I could build off of them by adding sounds, smells, and colors, and physical feelings like wind or rain. One particular event that had outstanding detail to me was when McCullough describes how Charles Wilson Peale thought about how dispirited and poor looking Washington’s men looked after retreating to Pennsylvania. He described how one man had no clothes and how the many sores on his face made him look disfigured. While reading this I imagined seeing this poor looking man all scrawny and naked slumped over with a face full of bloody blisters bragging his feet and to see that man turned out to be Charles’ brother I was thoroughly shocked and must have been more so to Charles to explain what his poor pathetic looking brother did look like. I played out that interaction when they found out they were brothers and thought it would have been extremely heart warming to meet your long lost brother. And to have been reunited on such circumstances. Over all this book was like one big T.V. show since I read it in chapters it was like I was waiting for a new season and episode every section or chapter. This book was an amazing read and was very insightful I’m glad I read it, because I now know a lot more then I did about our fight for independence.
Ya I agree with Jeff looking at the pictures before hand is a big help one it comes to reading. Also im glad that our military has advanced to sniper rifles that can pic a person off at over a mile away because that means we are less likly to have injured or dead people on our side.
Jack Schneider
ReplyDeleteIn the last section of McCullough’s 1776, I knew it was going to be a good ending to a great story. During this war there were many different points of view. On page 266, McCullough talks about the different points of view on the capture of Lee. The British were of course proud about the capture, while the Americans took the big blow. Washington was even furious with him for being such a fool. This situation shows how each side of every event has an opinion. The part I could visualize the most, was the big fire that occurred in New York. While reading this part, I could see the British soldiers hurrying to help put out the fire, but with such intense heat and the flames being so wild and out of control that no one could really get near it. Nearly 500 houses were destroyed, and this being a large part of the city, it was a big setback for the British because it wrecked probably many of their shelters and ruined a lot of their supplies, and they may no longer have had the abundance of their every need. The British blamed the rebels for arson, but no evidence was found against them and Washington reported to Congress that the “Great Fire” had been merely an accident.