Monday, July 9, 2012

1776


163 comments:

  1. Austin Kleman
    Big Idea/Generalizations-Cuase and Effect: Throughout all of the battles and conflicts of the war it is evident that fate or God was intervening in the war. On page 96 second paragraph it reads, "By nightfall, a storm raged,... Clearly there would be no British assault that night." If it wasn't for the storm there could have been a completely different outcome with the war. That storm was a causing effect on the battle that night. If the storm had not come and the british had stormed Dorchester Hights there would have been more causaulties and the Colonies might have lost.
    Importance-Turning Points: The battle at Brooklyn was a place where big and important decisions where made. Washington didn't have many odds in his favor. He had no navy and what army he had was people who thought they had the guts to help there country and would get honored to. He had many decisions on where and when to place and move his army to fend off the british and due to his choices he lost brooklyn and many soldiers. If he would have made different choices along the way the battle may have been changed and he may or may not have won and kept hold off brooklyn. The importance that weighted on his choices needed was high and believing he did his best, brooklyn was lost in the end.

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  2. Michael Plaza
    Big Idea/Generalizations-Cause and Effect: A great deal of Cause and Effect can be seen in the battle waged in New York. First off, the North-Easterly wind that blew for the duration was an immensely important aspect. Had that wind changed, it would have allowed the Royal Navy to enter and take the East River with its enormous ships, an event that could have spelled disaster for the fate of Continental Army and possibly the future of America as McCullough puts it, “Or had the wind turned earlier, and the British navy moved into the East River, the war and the chances of independent United States of America could have been long delayed, or even ended there and then.” (195) That same wind spelled victory for the Americans though on the other hand. On the night of August 29th, Washington’s Army had begun to withdraw from Brooklyn across the East River back to Manhattan. The Northeastern wind that kept out the British, was seemingly going to keep the Americans from crossing too, when, “…as if by design, the northeast wind died down.”(187) This caused the Americans to successfully retreat, which had they not been able to, could have destroyed all hopes of victory for the Continental Army at New York and perhaps the war.
    Evaluation-Differing Perspectives: This book could definitely be written in differing perspectives. To start, it is written by a current American citizen. The most obvious perspective one could evaluate would be that this book is being written by someone living almost two-hundred and fifty years after the event; someone who was not there to live through, or experience it. This puts the book into a perspective that perhaps lightens the mood more. It re-accounts events more so, than expressing them with emotion, because after all, that is all anyone alive today could do when remembering the Revolution. Had this story been one written by a person living at the time, it might have been more exaggerated, and filled with sentiment. For example, McCullough tells of the great overnight maneuver Washington made in Boston to take Dorchester Heights. It was a well written account, describing in detail the events, and mishaps that took place. A rebel writing at the time though might have worked in more about the incredible heroism of General Washington, and how the rebels outwitted the great Royal Army without a hitch! Another obvious differing perspective we can look at is the fact that McCullough is an American and not British. Even though, as pointed out above, he remains as neutral as possible, just re-accounting the events, being and American, the author is naturally biased. Readers have to question, had this been written by and Englishman, would the story be told in a different way? Might the author play down the Rebels victory and Boston, and tell more of a heroing tale of the British victory in New York? All questions that must be asked based on differing perspectives.
    Questions: I don’t necessarily have any specific questions, but I would like a better understanding on where everything was in New York in 1776. I feel a little lost when the author speaks of the different rivers, command posts, encampments, burroughs, etc.. and find it hard to create a picture in my mind of where everyone and everything was.

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    1. Austin Kleman (Reply)
      I agree with you Mike that it depends on how you look at the situation and who it came from, but if you look in the bibliography you can see this wasn't something your average teacher wrote up in their free time. You can see that McCullough went to many different sources to find his information. I also believe that if you actually looked through them or asked him he got sources from more than just American people. You probably could find some British sources to. So by saying he is American and that he will be biased is like saying the declaration of independence was biased to because the people who wrote it were not common class and were all american people with no british imput. You can look at the person but you should also look at where the person got the information as well. If McCullough had only used American sources then yes you could say he may be biased but being he probably used some non-american sources to you cannot accuse him of being biased.

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    2. Mr. Seeley

      Nice comment on bias Austin. It is always important to know your author. You guys will learn all about this with APPARTS in class.

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  3. Collin Humpal
    Part 1
    Preview/Predict-Cause and Effect: I predict that in the next section the American army will have to leave New York to try to take the battles elsewhere. The title of the next section, "The Long Retreat" helps in telling what they will do, but also the fact that almost the whole British army is in New York, and many of the American leaders have said that to be able to defend New York, they must have a navy stronger than that of the British, and they have no navy. A cause of the retreat from New York could be that the Americans have no navy to help defeat all of the British ships. Also, another cause could be that since the British defeated the Americans on Long Island, and now all of the Americans are in New York. If the British cross the river they could trap the whole American army, and that would force the Americans to surrender. An effect of the retreat would be that the Americans could get away from the British navy, which would make it easier for them to fight, since they would not have to worry about the ships firing on them. Another effect is that the British would now have control of New York, and that they would be able to have a headquarters and winter camp set up there. Getting away from the British navy would be a desirable effect, but letting the British have New York is not what the Americans wanted to do.
    Big Idea/Generalizations-Turning Points: Throughout history most wars have been fought to try to benefit a country or to promote the ideas of a country. The Revolution was fought to try to gain independence from Britain, which would allow people in America to be free from the rule of the King. Still today the military fights to protect allies, which have some of the same ideals as us, and to promote our ideals, like democracy in other parts of the world. The signing of the Declaration of Independence was an important step in becoming independent from England. The decision to declare independence from England got rid of the choice of going back to being part of the British Empire, but if they could win the war, the people of America could be free from their rule and would be able to set up a better government of their own.

    Reply: Austin I agree that it was evident that fate or God was intervening in the war because after the defeat at the Battle of Brooklyn, the fog helped the Americans finish the retreat back to New York, since they could not move all of the soldiers across before daylight. Without the fog they could have been discovered and been caught during their retreat.

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    1. Kelsey Jane Holdridge
      Collin, I agree with you, due to the title of the next part being “The Long Retreat”, the American’s will probably need to retreat from New York due to the lack of Navy and ability to even feel confident in winning battles there, not to mention their lack of experience and being very outnumbered by the British. The American Patriots retreating may in fact be the only way that they can escape the British Navy and survive to keep fighting. The Declaration of Independence was indeed one of the most important turning points in American History, although not actually recognized by the British, it fueled the American’s to continue fighting for their Independence.

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    2. Matt Knowles
      I agree with your idea that this war was different from all other wars. Usually wars are fought in an attempt to try to help another country by imposing your ideals on them; to get them to conform to your way of life because you think it would be better for them - such as the U.S. in Iraq.

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  4. Austin Kleman
    Connections-Through their eyes: If you look at the war and the patterns forming through the Washington's eyes you can relate the war's ups and downs to the economic cycle. The Americans won at Boston, lost at New York, and made a final stand at New Jersey and Trenton. By looking at the winning and losing streak of this particular war it is a back and forth battle. Now you may not be able to compare this to all wars but in this one in understanding the limited number of soldiers and supplies Washington had he made a very good stand. As we know the Americans did win the war but how they got there can be examined as a cycle. If you look in Washington's perspective you see perseverence was the only thing keeping him going and the little hope that he was doing the right thing. When the british strike back you have to see that he only had a few men and to lose them would mean he stood less of a chance. The cycle can also be seen as ground covered and lossed. Retreat to save lives meant a down curve and holding out but a lose of men and winning would mean a up curve.
    Visualize-Differing Perspectives: To imagine what those cold December nights where and see just how hard the American people struggled crossing the Delaware. As stated on page 275, "...Washington's other daring river-crossing by night, a northeaster again, decisively, a blessing and a curse..." If you take a British look you see that the Americans would not ever be stupid enough to do anything in this weather, hence their slack filled preperations. To the Americans though it was the perfect night for an attack when your enemy would least expect it. Imagine the hurrican Issac raging across your home and instead of just rain it was also snow. As well as a big river right in front of you and you had the options, stay and face the storm or cross but you don't know if it is better on the other side. That was what the soldiers in the American amry had to face. Of course they didn't get the option to choose what to do. So put that choice into a person that you have only known a few months and you have never once personaly talked to that person. Those are the exact hardships the soldiers faced. Now think to yourself, if that doesn't make what they did seem all the more important and terrifying then you are not a true american. For without them we would probably still be ruled by a king and queen with a prince who goes to clubs in vegas. Adding all those twists I believe you can now tell Nathanael Greene who said "... a scene that filled the mind during the action with passions easier conceived than described." (page 281) that you now understand what they went through.

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    1. Kylee Stokka (Reply)
      I agree with you because Washington had to have a lot of characteristics in order to be the successful leader that he was. He was very intelligent in order to come up with the war strategies he did and also had to have a lot of perseverance like you said. Washington always doubted himself as a leader and frankly, i don'think he gave himself enough credit for what he accomplished.Good relation between the attack in the night and hurricane Isaac. It really paints a picture of the reality the British had to face in the night with the unprepared attack.

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  5. Kylee Stokka
    Part 1
    Big Idea/Generalizations-Cause and Effect: Throughout the battles it was evident that Mother Nature played a big role on the outcome of the war and how long the war lasted. On many occasions throughout 1776, brutal weather from freezing to scorching to complete clear skies to treacherous storms challenges the soldiers. For example guns had to be transported by boat across Lake George which was not yet completely frozen over. Page 83 goes on to explain the sudden climate change, "Still there was no snow. Instead a 'cruel thaw' set in, halting progress for several days...With ice so thin, the heavy caravan could only stand idly by at Fort George and wait for a change in the weather. When the change came, it was a blizzard. Three feet of snow fell, beginning Christmas day." The needed weather change finally came due to the unpredictable Mother Nature which took a toll on the timing of the war. Another example of how weather played a role in the war that took place on the night of August 21, 1776 is described on page 156, "Houses burst into flame. Ten soldiers camped by the East River, below Fort Stirling, were killed in a single flash. In New York, a soldier hurrying through the streets was struck deaf, blind, and mute. In another part of town three officers were killed by a single thunderbolt. A later report described how the tips of their swords and coins in their pockets had been melted, their bodies turned as black as if roasted. "This storm was so bizarre that Major Benedict has commented, But there seems hidden meaning, some secret purpose, when the blot is launched by an invisible arm, and from the mysterious depth of space." It seems that some may be referring to the act of God working through the weather. In many situations outcomes were alter because of the choices of people or nature. For example Major Alexander Scammell misunderstood the order of George Washington, which was then told to General Mifflin. The effect of this mistake is spelled out on page 189 saying, "The order was a blunder of exactly the kind that could spell disaster." Another cause and effect is explained saying that British victory could have been total. Or the wind turned earlier, and the British navy moved into the East River, the war and the chances of an independent United States of America could have been long delayed, or even ended there and then.(195)
    Connections-Change and Continuity: There are many connections associated between the war of 1776. Many Americans surrendered to the British which made them prisoners of war. The concepts and treatments of those who are prisoners of war in current wars are similar. The British would stab the Americans repeatedly as a way of torture. A well-known person, presently known as John McCain, was also a prisoner of war and suffers from it today because he is unable to life his arms above his head because the enemy broke them. Torture in war still exists today as it did in the war of 1776. A drastic change that occurred was death toll of the British. Howe reported "his losses to be less than 400 - 59 killed, 267 wounded, and 31 missing. The Hessians had lost a mere 5 killed and 26 wounded. (179)" This was a negative change for the British because they have lost a good amount of his soldiers which benefits the Americans.

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    1. Mr. Seeley

      Great work on your cause and effect Kylee. It is crazy to think but weather has clearly shaped our history.

      You have done a great job with your blog. I am impressed.

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  6. Kylee Stokka
    Part 1
    Big Idea/Generalizations-Cause and Effect: Throughout the battles it was evident that Mother Nature played a big role on the outcome of the war and how long the war lasted. On many occasions throughout 1776, brutal weather from freezing to scorching to complete clear skies to treacherous storms challenges the soldiers. For example guns had to be transported by boat across Lake George which was not yet completely frozen over. Page 83 goes on to explain the sudden climate change, "Still there was no snow. Instead a 'cruel thaw' set in, halting progress for several days...With ice so thin, the heavy caravan could only stand idly by at Fort George and wait for a change in the weather. When the change came, it was a blizzard. Three feet of snow fell, beginning Christmas day." The needed weather change finally came due to the unpredictable Mother Nature which took a toll on the timing of the war. Another example of how weather played a role in the war that took place on the night of August 21, 1776 is described on page 156, "Houses burst into flame. Ten soldiers camped by the East River, below Fort Stirling, were killed in a single flash. In New York, a soldier hurrying through the streets was struck deaf, blind, and mute. In another part of town three officers were killed by a single thunderbolt. A later report described how the tips of their swords and coins in their pockets had been melted, their bodies turned as black as if roasted. "This storm was so bizarre that Major Benedict has commented, But there seems hidden meaning, some secret purpose, when the blot is launched by an invisible arm, and from the mysterious depth of space." It seems that some may be referring to the act of God working through the weather. In many situations outcomes were alter because of the choices of people or nature. For example Major Alexander Scammell misunderstood the order of George Washington, which was then told to General Mifflin. The effect of this mistake is spelled out on page 189 saying, "The order was a blunder of exactly the kind that could spell disaster." Another cause and effect is explained saying that British victory could have been total. Or the wind turned earlier, and the British navy moved into the East River, the war and the chances of an independent United States of America could have been long delayed, or even ended there and then.(195)
    Connections-Change and Continuity: There are many connections associated between the war of 1776. Many Americans surrendered to the British which made them prisoners of war. The concepts and treatments of those who are prisoners of war in current wars are similar. The British would stab the Americans repeatedly as a way of torture. A well-known person, presently known as John McCain, was also a prisoner of war and suffers from it today because he is unable to life his arms above his head because the enemy broke them. Torture in war still exists today as it did in the war of 1776. A drastic change that occurred was death toll of the British. Howe reported "his losses to be less than 400 - 59 killed, 267 wounded, and 31 missing. The Hessians had lost a mere 5 killed and 26 wounded.(179)" This was a negative change for the British because they have lost a good amount of his soldiers which benefits the Americans.

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    1. Rachel Stuplich
      I completely agree. It is entirely eerie to see how much of these battles and maneuvers were affected by the weather, and I question how much of the wars outcome would have changed had the weather not intervened.

      That is a great connection between wars then and wars now, especially since the wars were so different, being that the wars then had hand to hand combat, and actual action, when most of today's wars are fought with much more technology than man power.

      I disagree on the point you made about the death toll for the British, however. That is a shockingly low death count for wars of these times, and really, was most likely inconsequential to the British leader. When an army has tens of thousands of men, a few hundred is really a very small matter. Especially since the Rebels lost far more men than the British in this battle, and they started with so few men to begin with. So, I disagree, and think that this death count for the British was not that negative a change, and in reality, it could be said that this death count is of far more detriment to the Rebel army than help.
      (I apologize for any spelling errors or any errors involving grammar.)

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  7. Part One: Parts I and II
    Kelsey Jane Holdridge
    Preview/Predict: Obviously by just seeing the title of this book being 1776 tells me that this book is going to be about the year 1776, the main year of the American Revolution. The pictures show me that there will probably be a lot of information of those men pictured, the generals and colonels, King George III, all of these historical men. When I began to read the book I realized that seemed to be a lot of just simple background information, I imagined that eventually the book would gain detail and become at least somewhat more interesting. It’s hard to try to predict future events when it’s the past, and something that we, as Americans, are taught a lot about. One prediction I could make thus far that I didn’t already know, the answer prediction was that the attacks went back and forth from British and American, all surprise attacks at night, at least up to the end of the second part written within the book.
    Connections: The American Patriots, originally planned to rebel only to get attention and receive an equal coexistence with their British Mother-Country. It wasn’t until the King decided that the Patriots wanted to fight for complete separation from Britain and began to have his army fight against such a plan that the American ideal of Independence from England was actually thought up by American Patriots. I connect with this and I think most of us do because we all are American, adding the fact that we’re modern rebellious teenagers. I think a lot of us can connect to the basic idea of when someone tells you not to do something, and they explain how to do it and it sounds fun to you, even if you weren’t thinking of doing anything like it beforehand, you decide to do it.
    Question: One major question that I had was simply why did David McCullough decide to add multiple unnecessary details, like the love lives and affairs of the leaders in the war? It really doesn’t pertain to the story of the American Revolution, who slept with whose wife.
    Turning Points: The weather created turning points and held aspects of real life foreshadowing during the American Revolution, on page 156 foreshadowing appears, “’The lightening fell in masses and sheets of fire to the earth, and it seemed to strike incessantly and on every side.’ Houses burst into flame. Ten Soldiers camped by the East River, Below Fort Stirling, were killed in a single flash…Before Dawn the following day, Thursday, August 22, the sky was clear and cloudless, as if nothing unusual had happened. And with fresh morning breeze and the roll of drums, the long-awaited British invasion of Long Island got under way.” This turning point right after the storm, when the British would begin a battle and defeat the Americans before the Patriots regain their footing and the end that all of us know is the true end of the American Revolution, to gain Independence.
    Differing Perspectives: The book is written in a third person narrator’s perspective with many written pieces from the perspective of both sides, Patriot and English/Loyalists. The narration is meant to be unbiased but everyone knows who eventually wins the Revolutionary War in America. There are perspectives completely outside of the English and American ideas, including the Hessians and completely unrelated groups of people. The unbiased perspective is easy to agree with because it is mostly just facts.

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    1. Haley Kroll
      Kelsey- I also made some predictions about 1776, but it was interesting to read what you had written because my thoughts were much different. I had predicted what each part was going to be about, because I too had found it hard to predict the future of a war in the past. When I had began reading the beginning of the book, it was strictly facts about King George III and the general ideas of what was going on, and I was't really into the book. But as I continued to read, it became more intriguing and a little more interesting. Also, I agree with you on your ideas of the differing perspectives and I had very similar thoughts to yours. One of the things I really enjoyed about reading 1776 was that David McCullough did a good job at giving the perspectives of both sides of the war, which helped me better understand how both the British and Americans were effected by this war and what they both went through. The unbiased perspective which simply gave mostly facts helped give accurate information about the war, instead of biased opinion. I also really like your quotation of the book about the weather, as a turning point. Weather had created many turning points, and just as the quote is put, the author clearly describes how the weather changed as the war did along with it.

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  8. Haley Kroll-- Part 1 and 2 of 1776 by David McCullough Reading Thoughts
    Predict/Preview: Before I began to read part one and part two of 1776, I looked over the title of each part to get a sense of what they were going to be about. Part one was called "The Siege" and since I didn't really know what the word siege meant, I looked it up. By definition it means "A military operation in which enemy forces surround a town or building, cutting off supplies, with the aim of compelling the surrender..." I began to ask questions like, is the British cutting supplies to the Americans, or the other way around? What town is going to be surrounded? And who is going to be forced to surrender? Part two is then called "Fateful Summer" and I began to predict that this was going to be about the summer of 1776. I predicted that the author was going to focus all attention to the war, and exactly what was going on and when. I asked questions like what did the summer of 1776 bring? Where was most of the war taking place at this time? Making these predictions and asking some questions allowed me to get more interested in the novel and understand it better.
    Visualize: While reading part 1 and part 2, I was able to create a picture inside of my head of what the soldiers looked like and what kind of condition they lived in. As the author put so much detail into the book, it was easy to picture the how bad the clothes were and how dirty the camps were and even how bad they smelled. Reading from the bottom of page 32 to the top of page 33 gave me this clear picture of the lives of these soldiers. Previously on page 28, reading Emerson's passage gave me an understanding of what the camp really looked like, and how each of the soldiers had a different impact on the living area. I could just picture how each tent could represent the one living inside of it, and how diverse all of the tents in this one area could be because of how diverse all of the American soldiers were. Then, aside from the soldiers appearance and living conditions, I was also able to visualize some of the main figures of the American Revolution, like George Washington and King George III, who were both described several times. Having a visual of what they looked like made it easier to picture what they were doing and where they were. Creating these visual images while reading helps me better understand what is going on and who is who and where the scene is taking place, and in 1776, it is very easy to make this visualizations.

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  9. Haley Kroll-- Part 1 and 2 of 1776 by David McCullough Thinking Like a Historian
    Through Their Eyes: It is hard to understand how the American soldiers and even the British viewed their world during this time of war. While reading this first section, especially in part 2, it was hard to imagine the Americans actually going through the war and the decisions that had to be made during it. Through the eyes of George Washington, he had to make some very tough decisions during the war. I wonder if Washington ever had any guilt about any of his decisions he made for his troops and his attacks. For example, did he ever have any regret about splitting up his troops, keeping some at New York City where the attack never happened in chapter 5? Lastly, through the eyes of the American soldiers, it must have been hard to keep fighting for a chance of freedom. They were defeated, they were tired, many were sick and wounded, and all were wanting food. It would have just been easier for the soldiers to just give up and be under the control of the British, but they trusted George Washington to lead them to victory.
    Change and Continuity: The major thing that had changed in part 2 was the British army. With the help of the Hessians, the British clearly had gained an upper hand on this war, or in other words was basically winning the war at this point. They had better weapons, a larger army, and were much better prepared and trained for war. The British were able to improve their weapons even more, along with their firing mechanisms, which gave them an advantage over the Americans. On the other hand, I had noticed that the American army was still much unorganized and lacked in training. In New York during part 2, Washington still didn’t have the ideal number of men that he had hoped for, and there was just never a large enough army during the war. The army lacked skills needed for a successful battle, and the Americans also still struggled with showing roles and ranks within the army between the soldiers and the generals.

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    1. Collin Humpal

      I agree that it did seem that the British had a major advantage over the Americans, and when they lost the war they must have been very surprised since they seemed to have so much of an advantage over the smaller, unorganized, and untrained American army. Luckily for the Americans they were able to help in the war from the French or they could have had a much worse outcome in the war.

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    2. Mali Theiss
      I agree when you said, you wonder if George Washington had any guilt because I would feel guilty for putting the soldiers through some of the things he did, like splitting them up. Although, because he was such an intelligent guy, he probably had reasons for what he did. I think that he had to try things that no one would expect him to do to win the war.

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    3. Hayley Tobalsky
      I feel like it was a very dumb decision on Washingtons part to split the soldiers up. He was very lucky in the outcome and I think through that process he lost a lot of respect from a lot of people. For me the outcome was shocking. Some may think its because he was an intelligent man, others would say luck. As a soldier, it would be very hard for me to stay positive and try to win, especially without the advantage. Whether or not it was luck or good judgement, i still disagree with the way he slip up the army.

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  10. GRETCHEN MURPHY
    Big Ideas/Generalizations-Cause and Effect: During most of the battles the natural elements had a very large impact. The storm on page 96 is and example of those elements. Had the storm not brewed, the battle could have had an outcome with many more causaulties. Strong winds could have had an effect on ships trasporting weapons and soilders also.

    Importance-Turning Points: Still going off of the whole weather aspect, that could have involved turning points in the battles. The fact that if there would not have been storms, the outcomes would not have been the same. Another stand out point is the entire Revolution was a turning point in history. The way those battles were fought and the different ideas of becoming a country has done big things for the US.

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    1. Rachel Stuplich
      I agree entirely that weather had an impact on the outcome of some battles, but I also believe that the battle where the Rebels were occupying Dorchester Heights would have been won had the British decided to not turn and run. The Rebels on the Heights had very strong fortifications, they had the Red Coats nearly entirely surrounded with people on the Heights, soldiers hiding in a college building near by, and having soldiers in ships ready to mount an amphibious attack should they be necessary, so I don't think that the British not turning due to the weather would have made that big of an impact in the war. In fact, may have raised the morale of the Rebels further, being that they won a battle purely of their own hands, without relying of the fleeing of the British. Also, the author of the book mentioned that the weather may not have been the entirety of the reason the fled, many of the British soldiers expressed that they wished to flee too, so General Howe probably fled due to all his soldiers really really not wanting to be there.
      So in that particular case, I believe that weather didn't have as big of an outcome as you mentioned above, and may just have been a minute detail in the telling of that battle.
      (I apologize for any spelling errors or any errors involving grammar.)

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  11. Rachel Grosskurth
    Section 1

    Reading Thoughts:
    Importance- James Warren wrote, "He is certainly the best man for the place he is in, important as it is, that ever lived." This quote, on page 57, is important because it gives the reader the opportunity to see opinions of others during that time period. Most people today, in 2012, would agree that George Washington was definitley an excellent General. This quote solidifies that people of 1776 had faith in Washington's abilities and that he would bring them through the war. George Washington, the man to which the quote refers, was a great man. He had military experience with past wars, such as the French and Indian War. Washington also had been a politician for about 15 years prior to 1776. He was a natural leader and served to arguably be the best man for the role he served.

    Visualization- Page 156 gives an amazing word picture to readers. Lightning crashing, houses bursting into flames, officers fall to their death via thunderbolt, a storm brewing... Despite the chaos and commotion, Major Benedict noticed a, "cloud remaining stationary for so long..." This imagery of the cloud reminds me of the verse from the Star Spangled Banner that goes, "And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there. Amidst the war, the American flag flew proudly. In both situations, the cloud and flag gave the people comfort that everything would turn out fine. Both served somewhat as a symbol of peace; the calm during the storm.

    Reading Like a Historian:
    Through Their Eyes- "We are fighting for our country, for posterity, perhaps. On the success of this campaign the happiness or misery of millions may depend (135)." The men fighting in 1776 had their sights not exclusively on their present lives, but the lives of the future Americans. Henry Knox knew that if the war was won in their favor, their decendents would live independently from England. If soldiers fighting would have lost the war, the United States may not exist today. It could still belong to England.

    Differing Perspectives- In some ways, England was like the 'parent' country to pre-USA. England was a developed country at the time with an established army. England provided its people with basic needs. "How people with so much, living on their own land, would ever choose to rebel against the ruler God had put over them...for the invaders incomprehensible (158). This was the perspective of England.
    On the other hand, the Americans viewed England as very controlling. Americans wanted to be able to stand on their own two feet, by providing for themselves. If I lived during this time period, I think I would be among those people loyal to England. Although I agree that England was lording over the Americans, I would have found security in England.




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    1. Trinity Huggins I agree that it was important for the war that Washington was the cammander-in-chief. He gave a lot of people chances that other generals wouldnt have so without washington people like Greene and Knox wouldnt have been acknowledged as much as they had been and could have meant a different ending to the war.

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  12. Rachel Stuplich
    Section 1:
    -Reading thoughts:
    Evaluation- I found it extremely interesting that we received a description of King George III. I found it entirely fascinating that he was a man of simple tastes that enjoyed living life simply, and in fact, preferred to be farming. Also, later in the section, when explaining his support in other branches of government, David McCullough described how the people he ruled over supported him in all his decisions. I found it to be quite intriguing how from all previous knowledge of these event, it was told as though he was a tyrant who was only still in power because of his birth, when, in fact, he had an extreme amount of support from all people in Britain.
    Visualize- When the Rebels set up an artillery with the canons from Ticonderoga, hay bales, and barrels, etc. I was envisioning all of the ox teams bring all the equipment on Dorchester Heights, totally dark, in the dead of night, running like clockwork. I felt as though I could really see all of the things set up on the hills surrounding the Kings army as the sun rose and all the British and Loyalists were just shocked to see so much set up in one night, and I imagined it like the hills were entirely covered with so many people and equipment.

    Thinking like a Historian:
    Turning Points-
    One of the turning points was definitely when the British packed up themselves and many fleeing loyalists on their ships to go back to Britain. Washington feared that it was to sail to New York and attack there, but when their real destination wasn't New York, it must have jump started the Patriots and raised their morale exponentially. Also, it must have embarrassed the British to the point where their morale dropped so low that, coupled with the rapid rise in Rebel morale, they lost.
    Really, that win from taking the Dorchester Heights may have been the turning point for the entire war, and may have been the beginning of the end of the war.
    Through Their Eyes-
    I thought it was interesting seeing Washington's perspective on the war. Such as how he really didn't want the role of General, but it was thrust upon him. Also, I thought it was interesting how he thought that the army was not disciplined, and dirty and rather disgusting, yet, eventually, he still led them to an amazing victory. Not only that, but he, at the beginning of the war, hated New Englanders for nearly no reason, and I found it really really fascinating that a person portrayed as such a caring leader could hate his own men like that, but still lead them to an unexpected win. (I apologize for any spelling errors or any errors involving grammar.)

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    1. Nicholas Giordano
      I agree with your statement about King George. I thought it was very interesting that David McCullough put so much detail to shows us how the Bristish feel about their King and their pride toward him. It helped me get a better understanding of the Bristish at the time and gave me much needed background information. I too found it odd that the King liked being a farmer and wearing farmer clothes but it gave me insight on how he worked.

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  13. Collin Humpal

    Connections-Using the Past: One connection that I made is that in almost everything, we need good leaders. Washington realized after a few battles that the army as a whole was not at fault for them not winning the battles, but that the problem was that they did not have enough good leaders. Washington knew that they would need good officers to lead the men correctly and help the army to be more successful. Throughout history we have needed good leaders and it has been shown through history that the people with the best leaders have been more successful than others. We need good leaders in government to make the right decisions for our country and to promote the interests of the people. Without good leaders in government the conditions are bad for the people in the country and the country itself. Also, in businesses, good leaders are needed to run the business correctly, and efficiently. Without good leaders in businesses, the business would not make much of a profit and the employees would not be happy. History has shown that we always need good leaders even in the present day.

    Importance-Differing Perspectives: On page 293, the author said, "... it was Washington who held the army together and gave it 'spirit' through the most desperate of times". From this quote the author tells that overall it was Washington's leadership and ability that helped the Americans get through and win the war for independence. The British as well as some Americans like Joseph Reed and General Lee saw Washington as incapable of leading the army and making the right decision. The British thought that they could beat the Americans because they thought that Washington did not have enough experience and skill to lead an army that size to victory, and Reed and Lee thought that Washington was too indecisive to be in command of the whole army. However, there were still many people in America that believed that Washington was capable of leading the Americans to victory, and most people today, like the author, realize that Washington was capable and that one of the main reasons that the Americans won their independence was because of Washington's leadership and strategies. I agree that Washington was a good choice to lead the army because he did make some mistakes like not making a definitive order on whether or not they should evacuate Fort Washington, but most of the time he did make the right decision and was capable of leading the army because he was able to make important decisions on when to attack like at Trenton and was able to create some victories for the Americans when his men were very discouraged.

    Reply:
    Rachel, I agree that taking Dorchester Heights was very important for the Americans because it showed that the Americans had good strategy and good leadership. They showed good strategy because everyone knew that the Heights would need to be taken to have a good position on the enemy, but also they showed good leadership by being able to direct all of the men and set up a defense of the Heights in one night.

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  14. Rachel Stuplich
    Section 2:
    -Reading Thoughts:
    Questions (almost predictions)- Clearly, from background knowledge and the fact that we are not part of Great Britain, the Rebels win the war, but at this point in the retelling of the accounts, it seems nearly impossible. They are greatly outnumbered but Red Coats, they are untrained and undisciplined, and extremely sickly. And all of this was in enormous contrast to the British and Hessians being well disciplined, well trained, well clothed, well fed, and far more cleanly. Also, the British and Hessians were far more experienced in war. The defeat at the Battle of Brooklyn was so great, and the Rebel army wasn't getting much larger or more soldierly, so I question greatly how they are able to turn it around so well and so quickly that they still come out on top.
    Visualize- At the Battle of Brooklyn, where some Rebels were holding the line against the initial attack, but the British start closing in on the army from all sides, I was visualizing this, and it was very powerful. I could almost feel the distress and fear at being crushed inward from nearly all sides. It must have been a terrifying thing for some men, who at this time, had never seen battle, and were now looking upon what they would probably see as certain death. I can't even fully comprehend the emotions most of the men were feeling as they began to retreat from the British and Hessians.

    Thinking Like a Historian:
    Differing Perspectives-It was interesting seeing how different the British soldiers and the Rebel soldiers saw the retreat maneuver that the Rebels executed in the night following the crushing defeat at the Battle of Brooklyn. The Rebels and many news papers saw it as a good strategic move, and extremely well executed. Washington got praise and a renewed faith from many of his officers and soldiers for managing to move the entire army back to New York. The contrasting view of the British soldiers was astounding, they condemned the action as cowardice saying they had "behaved very ill as men". Though the higher ups, such as General Grant and General Clinton saw it for the well executed move that it was, seeing the differing perspective of the soldiers themselves is quite intriguing.
    Cause and Effect- It is amazing seeing how weather affected the outcome of another event in the war, and it is truly spectacular to see how fate is intervening in this war. In this particular section, not all soldiers had gotten across the river in the night during their retreat, as the plan had stated, but when the sun rose, a thick fog covered the Rebels actions. That is quite odd and extremely coincidental. It is very interesting to think that only the weather can have such an impact on that maneuver, and ultimately the war.

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    1. (I apologize for any spelling errors or any errors involving grammar.)

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    2. Michael Plaza
      I think the point you made on the differing perspectives of the British, and the Rebels on the retreat after the Battle of Brooklyn was one well made. I completely agree that it is funny how the two could see the maneuver in such contrasting ways. I suppose that is how war can bend the minds of soldiers to keep morale up in whichever way possible. The Rebels were trying to regain some confidence after a crushing defeat, and restore General Washington’s image in whatever way possible, and the British were commending themselves on the victory, and the increased self-confidence helped them see the retreat as a cowardice move. As for the weather, I agree with you on how lucky of a coincidence it was that the northeasterly wind that was keeping the British out, changed for just one night to let the Americans get away, and then the fog set in to cover them. I happened to post on this point to, and it is just amazing to realize how much luck went into America winning the war too.

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  15. Nicholas Giordano
    Part 1&2 : The Seige and Fateful Summer
    Reading Thoughts

    Preview and Predict: When I first read the title 1776 the American Revolution immediately came to mind. That date has been ingrained into every student since elementary school due to its importance. I predicted that this book would inform the reader on the important events that occured in the Revolutionary War in 1776 as well as important people and dates. I also predicted through the Table of Contents that the Seige would detail one of the most important seiges of the Revolutionary war, the seige of Boston. Before, I even started reading I made a prediction through the cover illustration that this book would talk about the major battles that occured during the Revolutionary War.
    Visualize: One of my favorite parts of this book was the move of all the mortars and cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston. I could see the hundreds of men it took to put all of the artillery on the boats and then rowing for hours on end trying to go as fast as possible. The struggle of the sleighs as they went down the mountains trying to make sure no cannons were lost. I felt that I would have been one of the many gwackers who watch as these men moved the artillery to Boston. I wished I could have been there to actually see this amazing train of artillery.

    RLH:
    Cause and Effect- One major cause and Effect I found was the American loss at New York. They in the end lost about 1,000 men and had to retreat. One of the biggest causes of the defeat was that after the Battle of Bunker Hill the Americans assumed the British would attack with a full frontal attack like before. This lead to Major Sullivan, and General Putnam to leaving the Jamaica Pass unattended. Another cause and effect was the sickness General Greene had which was accidental that caused the loss of "his familiarity with every detail of the Heights of Gowan(pg 181)" maybe causing this major loss. The effects from the these causes were not only a terrible defeat but also a blow to the American spirit. "The high spirits of the soldiers that had been counted on for so long to compensate for, even overcome, whatever advantages the enemy might have, were gone(pg. 183).
    Turning Point- One major turning point was the taking of Dorchester Heights that lead to the British retreat out of Boston. This could have been prevented had General Howe listened to his advisors and put defenses on Dorchester Heights but failed to do so causing his inevitable retreat. This decision narrowed his choices to either retreat or have a head on fight instead of being able to sit it out in Boston and wait till the American army fell apart. This turning point helped the Americans come closer to independence.


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    1. Morgan Johnson-
      I disagree with you when you say that one of the biggest causes of the defeat in New York was because of the assumption of another Bunker Hill. "But in fact a British victory had been certain all day, no matter what the Americans did."(P.194) The British had far out numbered their troops. Either way, the British would have surrounded the Americans and claimed the victory. The only smart choice left was to retreat as to not lose many more men. They had no control on that outcome.

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  16. Mali Theiss
    Preview and predict:change and continuity:Before reading part 1 and 2 of 1776, I realized that I did not know the meaning of siege. The dictionary told me that siege meant a military operation in which enemy forces surround a town or building..once I found out what siege meant, I began asking myself questions like, who is going to do this and to who? Also I thought why would they want to do this? Before reading "Fateful Summer" I predicted that something either really bad or really good what going to happen in relation to the war. Automatically I wondered what was going to happen and how it was going to change the war. Overall, predicting what I thought was going to happen helped me better understand what was going on as I read the book.
    Connection: through their eyes: While reading part 1 and 2 of 1776 made me think of when I was younger and my grandpa told me about what it was like to be in the war. For example, the surrounding, smells, feeling they all had. The author made it really easy to make it feel like you are there with them on the battlefield. The description of the cloths and smells reminded me of the stories told by my grandpa. Seeing through the eyes of the soldiers made it easier to feel like you are in the story and feel like you are going through all of the struggles with them.

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  17. Morgan Johnson-
    Big Idea/Generalizations: One of the most frequent ideas I found in this book was that everything happens without control; it's more by chance or fate than anything. For example the night they retreated from Brooklyn they had not yet finished the clean escape by the morning, but it just so happened that that morning was extremely thick with fog, covering them up just as much as the night did. This helped them escaped without any gun firing. As did the wind, it had blown a direction so that the British ships were unable to reach land, preventing the Americans from being surrounded in the waters they needed for escaped. One can plan, but not see the future.
    Vocabulary/Concepts: The unfamiliar term "aide-de-camp" puzzled me while reading. I found out that it means a civilian aide usually to an executive. This definition helped when ordering the people by rank, knowing who they were connected with and what they did. Originally I had thought these people were more like cooks or doctors "aiding the camp." With this definition, I now see the importance of the men talked about.
    Cause and Effect: The "rebels" wanted change because they felt an unjust treatment was at hand; however, the British Loyalists did not believe in change because they believed that the Americans had life good and fair. These clashes of perspectives arose a rebellion that turned into a long war. While not everyone was fighting the war, most had a side. Depending on where they were, they were ridiculed and tortured for their opinions (i.e. when the rebel supporters tared, feathered, and rail paraded loyalists).
    Turning Points: When the Continental Army took over Dorchester Heights, they were hoping for Howe to keep to his word and attack. By doing so it could create another battle like Bunker Hill, depleting the British of more soldiers. However, Bunker Hill changed Howe's mindset as well, especially for the Brooklyn attack where he decided to surprise them from behind midway through battle. Bunker Hill was a huge factor in which helped both sides win/claim land.

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    1. Makayla Pagel
      Morgan, I agree with your comment about how a lot of things happened that weren't in their control. Some things were good and some things were bad. The fog thing helped them in a good way. Something that they couldn't control that was bad was the freezing cold winters. This caused many problems for them like not being able to send as many boats with supplies over the frozed water or just not allowing the soldiers to be comfortable or able to do their best.

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  18. A'Lea Yonker Section 1
    Through Their Eyes: It's hard for those of us in modern time to understand both the British and American viewpoints of the war. While in the first section, I found it difficult to put myself in the Americans' positions of having to make decisions throughout the war. An example of this would be George Washington. I stopped readiing and thought about if he ever felt bad about the decisions that he made like splitting up the troops. Also, the American soldiers stuck with the war until the end. They didn't give up when all was failing and that seems like it would be very difficult to do. Instead, they trusted Washington's decisions versus buckling under British control.

    Change and Continuity: The one of the most important variables that had changed by Part 2 was the British army. The Hessians assisted the British in gaining the upper hand in the war because they were more prepared for war. This enabled the British to improve their weapons, therefore giving them the advantage against the Americans. To their disadvantage, the Americans were still disorganized and lacking in weapons. In Part 2, Fateful Summer, Washington was in New York, lacking in the number of men that he had and also in the army's skills. All around, the Americans were disorganized and unprepared for the war.

    Reading Thoughts:
    Visualize-In Ticonderoga, when the Rebels were setting up an artillery, I could easily picture the teams of oxen that were used almost as machines to bring in all of their equipment.It was almost like a movie and I could see when morning came, the Loyalists and the British were shocked at what had appeared literally, overnight.

    Preview and Predict-When I first picked 1776 as my summer assignment book, I knew that it would be about the American Revolution. Not only because the date was so obviously presented, but also because of the illustrations on the front. My prediction was that this book would inform me about the most crucial factors in and about the Revolutionary war. The contents in the first few pages of the book also told me that the book would cover major battles that were crucial in the outcome of war.


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    1. Paris Gunderson:

      I agree with your comment on the fact that the Hessians helped the British gain the upper hand in the war. By having well trained Hessian soldiers, the British were able to better their own training, as well as have the access to better/more advanced weaponry. If the British did not have this assistance, it would have been a more level playing field between us and the British which could have created a major change in the events of the war.

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    2. Kiley Bradfish

      I agree with both of you. The British and Hessian troops had a huge advantage over the Patriots not only in size but in training and experience. They describe the British and Hessians to be better in almost every way than the American soldiers which is seen through the difficulties and failures of the Patriots through most of what is covered in this book. However, if it wasn’t for the Patriots’ drive and determination to win the war they could have easily given up when times were hard like you said A’Lea. All in all, after reading this book it was almost surprising to know that the Americans won after facing such a immense force and that they didn’t give up after failing so many times.

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  19. Paris Gunderson
    PART 1:

    Connections- Compared to other books/textbooks we have read in school about the American Revolution, 1776 by David McCullough allows the reader to go deep into the events that occurred at the announcement of the war through 1776. Most books about the revolution will go over just the main parts of the whole war that lasted a long 8 years. This book shows you how they planned each event, the execution, and it also lets you get to know the people behind the action. Just reading a rough overview of the war, like previous books I have read, doesn’t let you get to know the people and understand how hard it is for them to leave everything behind and fight for their freedom. 1776 is unique because you get to hear the stories of the soldiers and develop a connection to them, see in a completely different side of the war with each person you meet.

    Importance- I feel that the message that David McCullough is trying to send through the stories of the American Revolution in the first two sections of the novel is that it is important to keep going even in the midst of defeat. After all the losses that Washington and the American army suffered, Washington felt very doubtful of his ability to lead. But, in the midst of all this, he was able to keep his army together, and eventually win the war. From the Battle of Bunker Hill to the Battle at Long Island, Washington had lost his share of battles and many thought that he was not the right leader. They thought he was indecisive and inexperienced, but Washington, instead of giving up, he kept moving his troops, trying to defeat the British.

    Differing Perspectives- I enjoyed that this book told the story from multiple points of view. Prior to reading this novel, knowing only what I had read in textbooks, I hated the British for controlling the colonies and not just letting them break free from England. As McCullough told the story of General Howe and his commanders, I felt more compassion for them. Yes, they were against the idea of America being free, but they were fighting for their country, just like the American soldiers. I agree with the Americans that they should be able to be free from British rule, but once you hear someone else’s side, like that of William Howe, you gain more respect for them. I also liked how McCullough wrote of the situations of men in different ranks. You heard some of the background of the leaders like General Washington, but also read about teenagers that fought.

    Turning Points- In part one, the Battle of Brooklyn (later known as the Battle of Long Island) is a major turning point. Washington was very indecisive and unsure of himself during this battle, and when he did finally decide what to do with his army, they ended up losing Brooklyn. If they hadn’t lost control of New York, the war might’ve ended differently. If Washington hadn’t lost possession of Long Island, he might’ve gained the confidence of congress and the citizens that he had the ability to lead the army to victory.

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    1. A'Lea Yonker
      I also enjoyed that the book was told from the British perspective and also the Rebel perspective. It gave insight as to how both sides viewed the war and the actions of themselves or the other side. It was interesting to hear the refined and levelheaded views of the leaders, but also the scared perspectives of the soldiers fighting.

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    2. Rachel Grosskurth

      Hi Paris,
      I really liked how you worded David McCullough's theme: "...it is important to keep going even in the midst of defeat." I agree that this statement does summarize the message of 1776. George Washington didn't take his focus off of the goal (winning the war) despite the number of defeats and struggles they endured and pursued it until the war was won. It was true for General Washington and his army and it is applicable for us as well.

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  20. Paris Gunderson
    Part 2:

    Visualize: In part two, David McCullough clearly describes some of the events that go on while the American army is station around the Delaware River. I pictured the enormous ships/rafts that they used to carry all the men and equipment across. When he talks about the large nor’easters that came during their travels, he painted the picture of dark times for men who were only trying to help gain freedom for their new country. He clearly describes Trenton as, “With perhaps a hundred houses, an episcopal church, a marketplace, and two or three mills and iron furnaces, it was, in peace-time, a busy but plain little place of no particular consequence, except that it was at the head of navigation on the river and a stop in the King’s Highway from New York to Philadelphia. There was also a large two-story stone barracks built during the French and Indian War, and the bridge over Assunpink Creek below town.” (Page 278) This is so descriptive that you can clearly see a picture of this small town in your head.

    Questions- In this section of the novel, Washington still hasn’t completely proven himself as a leader to the army and congress. With him not being the best leader according to the people and heads of society in the colonies, I wonder what he did that would make them choose him as leader for their newly founded country.

    Using the past- In this novel, McCullough talks about the tough times that the American army was going through, the rough winters, the many losses, and the lack of supplies, soldiers, and training, but the army somehow stays strong together because they all were there to fight for their country. This is the start of Patriotism in America. The reason why we are so full of love for our country and our rights now is because the group of men back in the 200 some years ago came together under the leadership of George Washington and fought for something they believed in: freedom.

    Change and Continuity- From part one to part two of this novel; something that stayed the same was the American army. In both sections, Washington is very indecisive about moving his troops. He has a hard time making the initiative to do something to fight against the British or retreat. Also, in both sections, the American army is small in numbers and has a very low amount of training. Something that changed from part one to part two is that the British army became much stronger. Having the support from the Hessians helped them beat the Americans in numbers and in training. The Hessians helped them gain a much larger army and got them more weaponry to defeat the Americans.

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    1. A'Lea Yonker
      Paris, I agree with your question on how George Washington gained his position as a leader to the army and Congress. No, at points he wasn't the best leader at times, but also, considering the circumstances, he did make some good decisions and was very dedicated to the war.

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  21. Jensen Richards
    Section 1

    Connections: George Washington wanted his troops to be the best that they could be, and on the outside he acted like he was very proud of them and wanted to encourage the soldiers. When reading his personal letters to his wife, you see a different side of him. He was actually really worried about the war because of his 'unqualified' soldiers. Washington seems to be like a protective parent because of the way he acted with such confidence that made the soldiers believe in themselves. Wanting no one else to see that he was scared for the battle, he kept it to himself and his wife.

    Evaluation: When thinking about how the war changed the way that we are today amazes me. If the rebels hadn't acted out we could possibly still be a part of Britain, or we could have prolonged the economic struggles and lack of leadership within the colonies. Everything that happened in the war made a direct impact on the way the United States is today. One mistake, or change in weather could have made a drastic change in the outcome of the war.

    Cause and Effect: When Washington found out that Church had been a paid spy for the Loyalists he imprisoned him. If Washington had never found this out the British could have found more information out that could have had a completely different impact on the ending of the war, and seperate battles. This also led to the Rebels being careful and putting their guard up when it came to trusting people and watching for possible spies. In a way it was good that it happened when it did so it didn't directly impact the way the war ended.

    Through Their Eyes: People of England didn't really have a clue what was going on in the colonies if they didn't have communication with a colonist. The soldiers fighting didn't really know what was going on either. In the book David McCullough said that they didn't know where they were going when they were marching but they knew that they needed to go to fulfill their duties. There was also a divide between the colonies because some of them were loyalists and some were rebels. As the first battle ended more people were joining the rebel side, because it seemed more promising since they had won.

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    1. Jordyn Thompson
      It is true that Washington was deeply concerned about his odd mix of soldiers. He knew they were up against a very powerful and organized militia. It would take a certain type of leader to achieve what Washington did. I believe that if any of the British generals were given a bunch of misfit soldiers as Washington was, they would have given up. The British undermined their enemy, belittling the fact that they did not look as well equipped for war and looking past their strong will and determination. It's safe to say that Washington was discouraged with their appearance, but continued to be encouraging. And your right, it was great that Church was found out, even though Church most likely was not the first and certainly not the last of the undercover spies on either side.

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  22. Trinity Huggins
    Section 1 - The Seige & Fateful Summer

    Importance: In The Seige, Knox had played an important role in motivating Washingtons army when most of their hope had already been dashed away by the harshness of winter and the recent loss of General Richard Montgomery in Quebec. When Knox made it back to Boston from Ticonderoga it finally gave Washington the opportunity to strike against the british before they tried to sail for New York. If Knox hadnt made it back with the cannons at that time Washington wouldn't have been able to prove that he could take on the british even with the odds against him.

    Visualize: In fateful Summer the author did a wonderful job of describing the defenses the continental army had put up in New York. From the details in the book I could clearly see how much effort and hard work it was to put up the defense in New York even with thousands of people working on it at the same time. I was able to imagine how tiring it would be to do so much hard work day after day in the summer heat, from digging trenches between the forts to putting up road blocks 10 feet wide just to resist any attacks from the british.

    Cause and Effect: Winter was closing in and so was smallpox, but all the soldiers could think about were the days until their enlistment ended and they could leave for home. The generals tried to convince people to stay, they had speeches and talked of the future glory that was to come from battles against the british. Few changed their minds about leaving, but when the speech the king had made to parliment reached the colonies it fired up the soldiers hopes again and many renlisted and stayed behind, reinforcments were even sent. Because of the timely arrival of the speech, Washington was able to keep enough people to be able to call his army a reasonable size and move on with the defenses in Boston and ready for winter.

    Change and Continuity: When the army gets to New York you can tell how their confindence had been boosted from "chasing" the British out of Boston. As their confindence grew so did their supporters, but what hadn't changed was how their appearance was unprofesional and they didn't have many official uniforms and also considering most of them were still just from the working class and weren't even trained soldiers. When the crowds gathered to see them on their way to New York they would often be disapointed by how they saw the army, but the hope the army gave to the crowds outweighed any of their disappointments.

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    1. Brianna Woodruff
      I agree that Knox played a very important role in giving the American army the hope and sense of strength they needed. Because he accomplished bringing the cannons that the American's definitely needed to be successful, it helped them fortify Dorchester Heights and chase the British out of Boston.
      I also agree that when the King's speech arrived in the colonies it reminded the Americans that they were doing this for their cause and that it was important to fight against the British. It also fueled their desire and determination to to make it through the hard winder and illness for the sake of their country and future.

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  23. Haley Jagodinski
    part 1 and 2

    Big Ideas/Differing Perspectives

    In a conflict as large and influential as the American Revolution one must wonder how the soldiers of the opposing sides viewed each other. In their eyes both sides saw their opponents as in the wrong. To the Americans, "The British regulars, the hated redcoats, were the "invaders" and must be repelled(54)." They saw the "lobsterbacks" with disgust as they were the barrier that sat between themselves and independence. "American soldiers who lay in wait for them would probably have said they were hardened, battle-scarred veterans, the sweepings of the London and Liverpool slums, debtor, drunks, common criminals and the like, who had been bullied and beaten into mindless obedience. It was the common American view(166)." The American view was however not entirely correct. "That the rank-and-file British regular was far better trained, better disciplined, better equipped, and more regularly paid than his American counterpart was beyond question(166)." The Americans saw it as their right to be free from the British and their unjust taxation. The British soldiers however saw the Americans as rebels and betrayers of the crown and what they perceived to be the best government in existence. "And with the pride in who and what they were went a very real contempt for, even hatred of, their American foes, whom they saw as cowards and traitors(168)." Both sides remained stubborn in their "correctness" leading to the American Revolution as we know it.

    Visualize-Through Their Eyes

    I simply cannot fathom the thoughts that must race through ones mind when facing the tribulations that became the lives of the American soldiers in the American Revolution. Before they even had a chance to lay their eyes on the horrors of combat they had to witness the deaths of many of their comrades in camp due to the camp fever. Also, with the lack of gunpowder it was a very real likelihood that they may have to face the British guns with little more than spears. However, "They knew from experience, most of them, the hardships and set backs of life. Preparing for worst was second nature. Rare was that man who had never seen someone die(34)." When I visualize myself in their situation I certainty lack the morale they had. They were so willing to lay down their lives for freedom that they were unsure they would even be able to claim. When I see their situation with my minds eye, from the putrid camps to the marches to their deaths, I cannot help but wonder how they could sign their lives away on such uncertainty. however I do suppose to them it was their dreams of heroism answered, or what they believed to be their lives calling, or perhaps they simply longed for independence.

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    1. Kylee Stokka:
      I agree with you, both sides would have to almost hate each other or other wise they would have a tough time getting through war. I'm glad you included what and why the British were bitter toward America as it is the reason of why there was a war. Also because of the lack of gun powder, soldiers many times used bayonets to stab the enemy instead using bullets and gunpowder. However, I disagree that soldiers went to war with the intent of being a hero. I think they did it for the freedoms of America at that time and for the future. They also were required to be enlisted. Washington originally did not want blacks to be enlisted but recruits were needed urgently. There were number of free blacks who wanted to serve so his changed his mind about his previous decision of black enlistment.

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  24. Kylee Stokka
    Part 2
    Visualize: The author, David McCullough, does a wonderful job of explaining the miseries that the soldiers had to endure. McCullough adds details told from the perspective of the soldiers themselves. For example John Greenwood explains, "After a while it rained, hailed, snowed, and froze, and at the same time blew a perfect hurricane, so much so that I perfectly recollect, after putting the rails on to burn, the wind and fire would cut them in two in a moment, and when I turned my face to the fire, my back would be freezing. However... by turning myself round and round I kept myself from perishing." Just by these two sentences, Greenwood paints a picture of what is was like trying to survive through the cold winters during the war. Two Americans had also died from the cold in their sleep.

    Importance: One of the key events that happened in part two is the capture of General Lee. This was a huge accomplishment for the British as they were described on page 266 as, "jubilant". It took less than 15 minutes to capture Lee. British fired at the building, in which, Lee was inside. Lieutenant Banister Tarleton shouted that he would burn the building unless Lee gave himself up. Lee surrendered, commenting he trusted he would be treated as a gentleman.(265)Washington had described this incident as a, "severe blow.(266)" Taking Lee had a huge impact for both sides.

    Cause and Effect: A man's health during war was not viewed as a priority what so ever. Charles Willson Peale viewed this issue on a rather personal level described on page 263, "they looked as wretched as any man he has ever seen. One had almost no clothes. 'He was in an old dirty blanket, his beard long, and his face so full of sores that he could not clean it.' So 'disfigured' was he that Peale failed at first to recognize that the man was his own brother, James Peale, who had been with a Maryland unit as a part of the rear guard." The idea that one could be so unhealthy and uncared for that they cannot be recognized by their own family member is astonishing. The cause of war on a person can create an unidentifiable effect. Furthermore, Lee complained of, "his troops having no shoes, it had been no exaggeration for effect.(269)" General Heath writes of seeing Lee's troops pass through Peekskill, "so destitute of shoes that the blood left on the frozen ground, in many places, marked the route they had taken." This infers that after walking miles on cold grounds, the skin on the bottom of their feet ripped causing them to bleed creating a visible trail of where they have traveled.

    Through Their Eyes: As the war of 1776 was slowly moving toward a conclusion, people who were involved in the war and helping the wars had seen and experienced things most never go through in a life time. The war of 1776 is described, "as dark of time as any in the history of the country.(291)" Dr. Benjamin Rush has wrote of his first direct encounter with war. He writes, "His right hand hung a little above hung a little above his wrist by nothing but a piece of skin. It had been broken by a cannon ball...We all (doctors/surgeons) lay down on some straw in the same room with our wounded patients. It was now for the first time war appeared to me in its awful plenitude of horrors. I want words to describe my anguish of my soul, excited by the cries and groans and convulsions of the men who lay by my side.(287)" Many as well as Dr. Rush view their world during this time as hurt, pain, and overall angry all because of the war. One would become so immune to seeing and enduring this they would become almost immune to their morals as well. There was no time for shock or sadness.


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    1. Makayla Pagel
      I agree with you Kylee that David McCullough does a great job explaining the miseries of the soldiers. It makes you really feel bad for them and realize how bad it was. It does really make you visualize what it looked like. I also liked how he included the quotes from actually soldiers too because you get to here how they actually explained it in their own words.

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  25. Kelsey Jane Holdridge
    Part 2: Part III the Long Retreat
    Connections: A major connection that I made while reading this entire book and more importantly this section of 1776, this connection is that strong leadership is especially important, in war, in life, and in all of our daily lives. After several loses of the American Army, Washington realized that the majority of the men in the ranks were not at all at fault, but instead those who had become their sources of leadership were the true cause of their incessant failures. In all of our great American history we have faced turmoil due to the shortcomings of our leaders. This is the reason why we now elect our leaders in current government, to make sure that our leaders are those that the majority of the American people believe have all of the qualities for success. Even in our everyday lives, in groups of people pursuing a common goal, one person generally takes the leadership and is allowed to do so without question, only if the person seems to have qualities for success. So that we have leaders with the true ability to help groups succeed.
    Visualize: The book 1776 seems to have been written in a way that oozes the ability to accurately visualize detailed images within the story. One example that I found was the description of events as the American Army is stationed around the Delaware River. One could easily acquire a picture within their own mind of the enormous ships carrying all sorts of equipment and men across the river. David McCullough wrote the story in an intricate and detailed fashion, helping us to picture Trenton as a lovely small town, in times of peace. It’s very descriptive and well written in a general sense, but just detailed enough to help us picture an interesting little scene.
    Cause and Effect: The health of the men of army was seen as less important than we would assume, many men were run ragged, too sick to fight, and in wretched condition, yet they fought on, in most cases. Troops lacked sufficient ammunition, food, clothing, anything and everything they could need to fight in a war, and yet in most cases this seemed to be an issue almost completely ignored. The Effect of this poor health and other poor conditions was most likely something similar to the losses of battles, sickly men in poor conditions most likely cannot win a battle against a group of well dressed, well-armed, and well trained men.
    Differing Perspectives: There were again the British and the Rebel soldiers as well as the British men’s Hessian allies in this section. Mainly the British and the American perspectives were written about in 1776. One major difference in their perspectives was how they saw the execution of the retreat maneuver of the American Army. Washington was praised for the retreat, the entirety of the American army and patriot papers saw it as a brilliant play, an excellent strategic move. While, the British were calling the men of the American Army cowards, and disrespecting them more than ever, but only the more respected Generals saw it as a well laid plan.

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    1. Morgan Johnson-
      I agree with your "differing perspectives" comment about how the men were perceived as both heroes and cowards. The British just saw them as too scared to fight. However, that is not the case because the strategic move was to create as much damage as possible without too much damage to themselves. That's why they needed to retreat. Otherwise they may have lost every Continental soldier fighting. Losing that many would be extremely devastating to the small army as it was.

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  26. Makayla Pagel
    Part 1

    Big idea/generalizations: While reading this book I noticed that the war could have been very different if the weather had not been the way it was. Many things could not be completed if there were certain weather conditions. The freezing winter temperatures were one example of weather condition that made lots of things change. Although it was very cold for both of the armies, the British were not used to it at all so it was worse for them. “The harsh winter winds and driving snows of the bay area inflicted misery indiscriminately on both armies, of course, but for the King’s men, unaccustomed to such a climate, the punishment was all but unbearable (McCullough 72).” Fuel and food was also in high demand for the town but not many ships could get through because of severe snowstorms. These weather conditions caused the war to be a lot more difficult and longer.
    Cause and effect: Like I said in the last part, one of the causes of the war being as long as it was was because of the weather conditions, which the armies had no control over. If there would not have been the freezing cold winters with the snow there could have been in a battle or gaining ground instead of trying to just stay warm and alive from the coldness. They also could have gotten fuel and food faster which would have helped them a lot. I am sure that if both armies could have decided they would not have decided to have those weather conditions.
    Vocabulary/concepts: The title of the first part of 1776 was The Siege and I didn’t know what siege meant. I thought because it was the title of the part it must be a word I should know so I looked it up. The definition of siege from dictionary.com is the act or process of surrounding and attacking a fortified place in such a way as to isolate it from help and supplies, for the purpose of lessening the resistance of the defenders and thereby making capture possible. Finding this definition helped me to better understand what the section would be about.
    Differing Perspectives: The book 1776 was written by an American writer born in the 1900s, David McCullough. Because he was an American and did not live during the time of the actual event, the book could have been written in different perspectives. For example, if someone that was British wrote the book we could have had stories that weren’t in this book and some that were in the book might not have been. Also, some of the stories could have been a little different because different sides think different things. Another perspective the book could have been written in is by someone who actually lived in 1776 during the time. That way they would know a lot more of what was actually happening.

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    1. Morgan Johnson-
      I agree with your comment about weather in the book it was a huge factor. It decided each armies' luck. It provided death, disease, protection, escape, etc. The weather was probably one of the biggest reasons why the Continental Army won.
      Also I agree with your comment about the author it does appear to have more of a lean towards an American story. It wasn't really written in either way, but it did have more stories about the Americans most likely due to access of information. He had written many stories about Americans based off their journals, which shows he had less access to journals by the British in the libraries and archives he studied in. This might have hindered his take on the events like you said.

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  27. Morgan Johnson- Part 2: The Long Retreat
    Preview/Predict: The name of the Part "The Long Retreat" and the name of the chapters, "Fortune Frowns" and "Darkest Hour", tell me that there is going to be a lot of misfortune and death. I predicted that the Continental Army was going to lose many battles, forcing them to retreat countless times and distances. Also, it seemed that the "Darkest Hour" would be when all the soldiers were to that point when they thought it was over and there was no hope. That they were almost to the point of giving up.
    Importance:(P.224) "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country," were Nathan Hale's last words as he was killed by the British when they found out he was a spy. This was an important quote because it showed the patriotism the soldiers had for the Cause. If there wasn't such dedication the war would have ended sooner because most likely the men of the Continental Army would have surrendered the war with how much difficulty they were having.
    Change and Continuity: One change that was turning the war, was that the British were now winning almost every battle instead of it being more of a back and forth type deal. The thing that didn't change was that the Continental Army wasn't going to give up, even though the British Army was larger and more equipped then them like always. This change was benefiting the British because it was wrecking the spirits of the Continental soldiers and made them, at the time, be winning the war. Once that streak ended their luck was running out.
    Differing Perspectives: The person General Lee was said to be was not as important to winning the war as thought. Washington found Lee helpful, but was a little too stubborn when he and Washington had disagreed(Like how he didn't complete or try to complete his task in New Jersey). Reed, once he lost faith in Washington, thought Lee should be the commander. This had made Washington feel betrayed and a little more skeptical. The third perspective was that the British thought Lee was the only really valuable person for the Continental Army, therefore by capturing him they would ultimately win the war. This had made the British slightly let their guard down.

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  28. Kiley Bradfish
    Part One:

    Reading Thoughts
    Preview and Predict -
    Before starting the book 1776 I previewed the book’s table of contents as well as photographs in the book. By doing this I was able to see the progression of the war before starting the book. The contents includes “The Siege”, “Fateful Summer”, and “The Long Retreat” in addition to the chapter titles that ranged from “Sovereign Duty” and “Dorchester Heights” at the beginning of the war, “The Lines are Drawn” in the middle of the war, and “Darkest Hour” at the end of the war. The portraits, maps and sketches periodically throughout the book illustrate who is going to be important, what events stand out, and where everything took place.

    Vocabulary/Concepts -
    As I started to read this book I came across the word “Tory” multiple times. One of the first uses of this word was “There was no longer any question whether the Americans would fight, conceded Tory Adam Ferguson, but could anyone doubt the strength of Great Britain to “reduce” them?” (p 15). Later in the book the title “Tory” is also used in other ways so I wasn’t sure what it actually meant, so I looked it up on line. When I searched it in Google, “Tory” is defined as “An American colonist who supported the British during the American Revolution.” It was a good thing I looked up this word because it is used frequently throughout the book to distinguish the Patriots and the Loyalists. In addition it was important to know the meaning of this word not only because the author uses it, but it is also used in letters and newspapers from the time.

    Thinking Like A Historian
    Cause and Effect -
    Throughout this war, as any conflict, many different things can influence the outcome though the chain of events. One cause and effect scenario I thought was important in 1776 was effect poor conditions and leadership had on the outcome of the start of the Revolution. The beginning of the book, Part I: The Siege, focused a lot on the conditions of the troops in camps and the lack of proper food, clothing, shelter, and medical supplies. As well as a lack of necessities like shelter from the elements, uniforms and gunpowder, proper leadership and discipline was also missing. The beginning of the book shows the lack of proper leadership with the several of those in charge not having much experience and the men didn’t have military training and know how that their British counterparts had. Along with a lack of experience, there was a lack of discipline. Soldiers came and went as they pleased and wasted recourses like ammunition. This had a negative impact on the result of their battles. As a result of the lack of knowledge, skill, and order the Patriots suffered many losses at the start of the war.

    Turning Points -
    One of the most important turning points in the first section of 1776 was when the Americans received copies of King George III speech on how he was going to handle the American Rebellion. The speech enraged Patriots and made them want to fight even more for their cause. This was a turning point for the in 1776 because during a harsh winter this lifted the troops falling spirits and reminded them of why they were fighting this war. Without this turning point the wars outcome could have been very different without the troops rallying and continuing their fight for “The Cause”.

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  29. Matt Fiene
    One of the things that interests me is how poorly the American soldiers were equipped. During the Siege of Boston, the American army was so low on powder they had to stop soldiers from shooting geese. "So great was the need to conserve powder that the morning gun, a camp ritual, was dispersed with." (Page 60)

    It also surprised me that the Americans didn't have enough canons either, and that Henry Knox had to go to Fort Ticonderoga to go and bring them back down to Boston. I have been to Fort Ticonderoga and Boston personally, and it amazes me how Henry Knox made the trip with all the canons and guns with only oxen. It just shows the determination these guys had.

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  30. Matt Fiene
    part 2.

    I thought it was astonishing just how many ships and troops the British army sent to New York. "On August 1, a swarm of forty-five ships carrying Generals Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis and some 3,000 troops were sighted off Sandy Hook, newly returned from South Carolina and making 'a very fine appearance.'in the eyes of the British" (page 147). Furthermore, the British sent even more. "On August 4, Nathanael Green reported that another twenty-one had been counted on the horizon, the whole of Lord Howe's fleet." (147).

    It was easy to see how badly the British wanted New York. Another thing to note is that the British were in lots better health than the Americans were. While sickness was rampant in the American lines, the British kept good hygiene. The British made sure to keep good sanitation in their ranks. "Amond the regular troops every private soldier is obliged to put on a clean shirt twice, perhaps three times a week, according to the season and climate; a certain number of officers appointed every day to see that each man washes his own linens." (167)

    I have to think if the American army would have done better in New York if they were in better health. They also had this problem in Boston as well. The difference between the two armies shows the experience and knowledge the British had over Americans.

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    1. Nick Guralski

      I agree with you on the sheer amount of troops that were sent to America to squash the revolution. It really shows how much the British wanted to keep the American colonies. And the reason the British had such better hygiene is because they could afford to they had the resources and the troops to have time to bathe regularly.

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  31. Matt Fiene

    Reading thoughts
    Preview/predict-Based on the title I thought it would be, obviously, about the year 1776. I decided on it because I was thinking it would be a good background about the start of the American Revolution/Revolutionary War.

    Vocabulary-In the book, many letters are written to "George Washington, Esq." I had no idea what "esq." meant. I looked up the definition and I learned it meant Esquire, which is a title of respect for British nobles.

    Thinking Like a Historian
    Cause and Effect-During the Siege of Boston, I was amazed at how ill-equipped the Americans were. They had few canons and so little powder the officers had to stop allowing soldiers to shoot geese. Also, "So great was the need to conserve powder that the morning gun, a camp ritual, was dispersed with." (Page 60) The lack of powder, along with no guns, forced Henry Knox to go all the way to Fort Ticonderoga and get canons. I have personally been to Boston and the Fort Ticonderoga, and its amazing to think that Knox had to bring all the canons that whole way, through the mountains with only oxen and other men.

    Turning Points-the canons, when they finally reached Boston, turned the course of the battle. Using hay bails to hide there movements, and moving at night, the Americans occupied Dorchester Heights and put canons on the hills around Boston. Without the canons arriving, there is no way the American army could have forced the British out of Boston.



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    1. Chris Babiarz
      I was also surprise about the lack of provisions that the Americans had. They were already at a disadvantage in training to the British army, I believe, and not having necessary supplies made it even harder on the Americans.

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  32. Makayla Pagel
    Part 2
    Connection: When I was reading this book I noticed that George Washington was a great leader. Without his leadership the Americans most likely could not have achieved as much as they did. I connected this to everyday life. No matter what it is a group project, a team, a business, anything, more is achieved when you have a great leader. When you have a great leader that pushes you it makes you work harder and therefore achieve more. George Washington stepped up and became a great leader that everyone listened to. “Washington was no less a commanding presence than ever… he seemed imperturbable, entirely in control (McCullough 226).”
    Using the past: When we read 1776 it shows us what our past was like and what we did in war. By seeing this we can then see what worked well and what didn’t and decide what we should keep doing and what we should change. One thing that we have changed is being able to help the diseased and sick better so not as many people are dying. In the book they could not help these people very much and many would die. Now, we have advanced and we have medicines to help them and trained doctors and nurses that know how to help them. We have also changed the type of weapons we use and we have technology that helps with a lot of things.
    Turning points: I thought that the capture of General Lee was a turning point. “… James Wilkinson would later describe how a cheer went up among Lee’s captors and a trumpet sounded. Then off they dashed with their prize, the ‘unfortunate’ Lee, hatless, still in his dressing gown and slippers, mounted on Wilkinson’s horse, which happened to have been tethered at the door. The astonishing raid had taken no more than fifteen minutes (McCullough 265).” This event caused some things to change because the Americans lost a leader and the British gained him along with more confidence. “A Hessian captain wrote in his journal, ‘We have captured General Lee, the only rebel general whom we had cause to fear (McCullough 266).’” Later though, Washington realized that Lee was not the helpful, respectful person he thought he was.
    Visualize: One thing that I though David McCullough did very well in the book was describe things so we could visualize what it looked like very easily. “The attack began just after eight o’clock. The Americans under Nathanael Greene came out of the woods and across a field through driving snow about half a mile from town. They were moving fast, at what was called a ‘long trot’ (McCullough 280).” All these details really help the reader to imagine just what it looked like and what was going on.

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    1. Haley Jagodinski

      I would certainly agree with you that George Washington was a great and influential leader. "It was Washington who held the army together and gave it "spirit" through the most desperate of times(293)." He was patient and "without Washington's leadership and unrelenting perseverance, the revolution almost certainly would have failed(294)." I however would disagree that the capture of General Lee was a turning point in the American Revolution. At that point in the war the British already had the upper hand, therefore for a turning point to take place the power would have had to shift. The Battle of Trenton would be a better example of a turning point as the Americans came back from their losses and began winning again.

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  33. Matt Fiene-Part 2
    Visualize-I can't imagine what it must have felt like to be an American soldier in New York when the British fleet sailed in. "On August 1, a swarm of forty-five ships carrying Generals Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis and some 3,000 troops were sighted off Sandy Hook, newly returned from South Carolina and making 'a very fine appearance.'in the eyes of the British" (page 147). Furthermore, the British sent even more. "On August 4, Nathanael Green reported that another twenty-one had been counted on the horizon, the whole of Lord Howe's fleet." (147).
    I would have been very scared to see such power in the enemy's hands.

    Importance-one of the things the Americans did not do well at Boston or New York was stay healthy. Their poor sanitation resulted in high amounts of disease. Sickness spread quickly, as McCullough states "the army was growing sickly. Smallpox appeared and several soldiers died." (125). Had the American army been able to stay healthy, they would have been able to boost morale and fight and train better.

    Using the past-I've always known that America has had a high amount of patriotism. But, you could ask, where did all this come from? I would say a lot of it came from the events of 1776. It is amazing to see how patriotic our soldiers were in 1776. Thousands of soldiers, from all over the colonies came to Boston and New York to fight and stand up for their beliefs. The Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. The events of 1776 are undoubtedly the source for America's patriotism.

    Through their eyes-as a soldier in the Continental Army, I would have felt almost hopeless. The courage of these men was astonishing. Fighting against the best and biggest army in the world, seeing the power and size of the British fleet in New York, and the discipline of the British regulars, I would feel hopeless. It took great motivation and bravery to do what these men did.

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    1. Jensen Richards
      I agree with Matt about how much the illness affected the war. So many of the Rebels and their families were sick and couldn't fight anymore. Also, when I was reading letters that some of the soldiers wrote to their families it made me realize that they were extremly worried about them and wanted to go home. In their letters, many of the Rebel soldiers made it seem like the war wasn't all that bad and that they were doing fine. This was to make sure that there wasn't extra stress on them. I'm sure that some battles would have turned out differently if there wasn't that disease spreading. Greene would have been well and could have helped but because he was ill they gave his position to someone else, which could have been why they lost.

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  34. Taylor Kelm
    Part 1

    Reading Thoughts
    Preview and Predict:
    Prior to reading the book 1776, I looked over specific parts of the novel that I knew would help me better understand the order and main concepts of the events that are covered throughout 1776. A main aspect of the book that I looked over very well was the pictures and its captions. Personally, a book is easier to understand if I can picture who is saying what and where while reading. Portraits showed me what main people looked like and the maps helped me visualize where important events occurred. Previewing this helped me predict the development of each war and who was involved. As well as previewing the book’s illustrations, I also looked over the chapter titles which helped me better understand the order of events between the first chapter, “Sovereign Duty” to the last chapter, “Darkest Hour”. In addition to previewing the chapter titles, I read over the blurb on the back cover of the novel to give myself some background information other than what I have learned in past years.
    Vocabulary/Concepts:
    In a way, this could somewhat go under “Preview and Predict” because it is something I did before I even started reading the novel. I looked over the table of contents and went through each title and “part” and made sure I knew what each title meant. This is important to know prior to reading because it gives you background information that is important to know if you don’t already. For example, I wasn’t sure what the word “Siege” meant. I found the definition on “dictionary.com” and Siege means, the act or process of surrounding and attacking a fortified place in such a way as to isolate it from help and supplies, for the purpose of lessening the resistance of the defenders and thereby making capture possible. In addition to the word “Siege” I saw the place Dorchester Heights and thought it would be important to know a little about that area. After looking up Dorchester Heights in Google, I was informed that it is the central area of South Boston. It is the highest area in the neighborhood and commands a view of both Boston Harbor and downtown. And read on to learn more of an overview about what had taken place there.
    Thinking Like a Historian
    Cause and Effect:
    Fate had a huge impact on the outcome of the war. If Mother Nature would have decided differently to not have stormed, the British would have attacked Dorchester Heights and the Colonies might have lost, as explained on page 96. As well as the drastic conditions throughout the night, the winds might have had an impact on the ships route for transporting ammunition. There could have been a completely different outcome with the war, if it wasn’t for the storm. These bad conditions in chapter three, was the causing effect on the battle that night.
    Turning Points:
    A major turning point was the Battle of Long Island, which was earlier known as the Battle of Brooklyn. Washington took a long time making a decision on planning out what he was going to have his army do during this battle. Because of his indecisive self, he ended up loosing Brooklyn by the time he figured out his plan of attack. Washington might have gained the spirit of congress and citizens that he could lead the army to victory if he hadn’t lost Long Island, like he did when he and his army forced the British to retreat back to England earlier in battle.

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  35. Trinity Huggins
    Section 2 - The Long Retreat

    Preview/predict: Part three The Long Retreat is started with a quote, "These are the times that try mens souls". (Thomas Paine) From looking at this quote and the pictures of battles in chapter six I can predict that the continental army will be struggling to fight off the British in future battles and from reading the first part of Fortune Frowns I can also tell that most of the soldiers have already given up their hopes of defending New York, which will increase the difficulty of defeating the British.

    Big Idea/Generalizations: Since the beginning of the book I realized that one key aspect to the success of the continental army was how people with little military training were able to overcome many obsticles that many wouln't have been able to conquer. For example, how Greene's only military knowledge was based on books that he had studied, but yet he always had the most disiplined soldiers and was a very important General in the war. Another example is when Henry Knox was put in charge of getting cannons from Ticonderoga and when he made it back he was put in command of the artillery and was another important figure in the war. Without these people the outcome of the war could have been vastly different even though they weren't trained soldiers like the British they played big roles in this part of history.

    Through Their Eyes: The people who lived during the time period in the book lived through a uniqe political change. The people who lived during this time had their world going through an immense change, they were in a time period were people in the colonies were talking about independence and how they didn't want to be watched over by the British any more. The people of this time period were starting a political change by fighting with England.

    Differing perspectives: The main perspective in the book is the Colonies and how they see the war, there is also the perspective from the British, but the colonies is the main bulk of the book. The people from the colonies who are against the king are fighting in the war for independence but the loyalists and the kings army are only fighting the war to put the "rebels" in there place and show them that they can't defy the king. I think the colonies are fighting more for a cause while the British army is fighting more for thier pride.

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  36. Brianna Woodruff
    Secion 1 = Part 1 & 2
    Reading Thoughts-
    Preview/ Predict: From looking at Section 1 Part 1 we find the title to be "The Siege," which means surrounding and attacking a fortified place to isolate it from help and supplies. Because a siege takes place over a prolonged time I predicted that during the section it will include the important people who influenced the siege, important events leading up to the initial attack, and the attack itself.
    Visualize: In part 2, "Fateful Summer," it describes how a terrible storm unlike any other broke over New York. I could visualize the large and terrifying lightning overhead that covered the entire sky with bright flashes. Also, I could see the lightning striking the ground, people, and houses which sent them ablaze.

    Reading Like A Historian-
    Turning Points: Congress needed to find a General for the Continental army, so they delegated George Washington because of his abilities and past political affiliation with Congress. Although he didn't want to have the responsibility to lead untrained men against the most formidable military on earth, he knew he had little choice because he was the most suitable for it compared to other possible choices.
    Through Their Eyes: In the past, Britain viewed themselves as the greatest country in the world because of their power and achievements. Since they viewed their country as superior and that they owned America, they chose not to take Dorchester Heights when they first thought they should even though it had a great tactical advantage and their disinterest of the American's . Therefore, their worldview affected their choice and the outcome of the siege.

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  37. Taylor Kelm
    Part 2

    Reading Thoughts
    Visualize:
    While reading 1776, the concept of visualizing was a very important aspect throughout the book for me. Especially during every battle, I could picture where it was taking place, the set up of the battle, and who looked like what. It was almost a movie going through my head as I was reading. For an example, the Battle at Bunker Hill was clearly layout in my head. I could picture the lines of soldiers, being picked off one by one.
    Evaluation:
    The impact that the war has on us today astounds me. What goes on in the world today is a direct result on what happened those years of fighting for American independence. If Washington and his army hadn't stood for what they and their society believed in, we could possibly still be controlled by Britain. Everything that happened in those years, whether it was one significant person not existing to the little impact of weather, could have created a different world for you and I today. When you really look back on every war, every death, and every victory, it makes you realize what you actually have and how bad you could have had it if it weren’t for those battles. Everything we have today was allowed to us by our victory from Britain and I’m proud to say that I am free American, thank you to General Washington and the colonial army.
    Thinking Like a Historian
    Using the Past:
    Throughout this Novel, 1776, David McCullough does an amazing job at illustrating the importance of sticking together and fighting for the same cause. America wouldn’t be as patriotic as we are today if it weren’t for the events in the past that brought us, as a whole, together. The main cause of everything that went on in those important years was the fight to freedom. Society fighting for the same cause is what brought our nation together. Because of the patriotism all those years ago, it has taught us all the importance of sticking together as a country and fighting for what we all believe in.
    Change and Continuity:
    One of many things that did not change from part one to part two was how unorganized the American army was. Washington was depleted of soldiers and not only lacking numbers, but also the little soldiers he had were uneducated and unskilled in battle. Washington was still every undecided what to do in battle. It was hard for him to get that set plan of attack for his army. However, the main thing that changed in part two was the British Army. The British achieved an upper hand in war and at this point, was practically winning the war. They were better in everything. Between their weapons, larger army, and training, the British had a huge advantage over the Americans.

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  38. Jordyn Thompson
    Reading Thoughts Part 1
    Questions: While reading 1776 by David McCullough I was lost when I tried to comprehend the distance from battle to battle and town to town. They would always talk of marching and covering great lengths of land but I could not understand how both forces would eventually meet up or know where the opposing side was. I assumed they would get intelligence from spies. The map slightly helped, but I never fully understood the location layout.
    Importance: This book had many details about different generals and leaders. McCullough was also very descriptive when it came to the soldiers. At times I would get frustrated because I would not know what was important from page to page. I then realized that McCullough not only wanted to give us great visuals, he also intended for us to take out of them the overall importance. The many details about different generals were to give us an idea of what kind of person each leader was. When he described the appearance of the soldiers, I feel the best way to sum up the details would be to say they were very unqualified in comparison to the British troops.
    Differing Perspectives: There are different perspectives of people who know about the war or have read this book who see the rebels’ victory as luck and some see it won by skill. I personally think that the war was won by a little luck due to the weather but I truly think that George Washington was a very motivating leader. He brought out such spirit and he and the help of other generals though of very ingenious plans of attack.
    Through Their Eyes: The rebels during this time saw the Stamp Act and increase in taxes as unfair and they acted out against the king and his military figures. They wanted to see more freedom and less control. There were still loyalists in the colonies that didn’t see any trouble with the king. The people in England had much respect for their monarch and had little clue of what was going on in New England unless they had some sort of contact. The British soldiers looked down upon the rebel force and had little respect for them.

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  39. Jordyn Thompson
    Reading Thoughts Part 2
    Connection: On page 202 McCullough described how groups of soldiers were just leaving. Soldiers would just leave as they pleased and sometimes come back on their own terms. It was shocking to read. I thought of how today our soldiers would see major consequences if they decided to desert their duty. Today it would be called going AWOL.
    Question: After reading part three of 1776, the question of how George Washington succeeded in the war when there was so little structure crossed my mind. It was sometimes confusing that a man such as Washington could lead such a messy troop. I then remembered a marvelous quote by George Washington. “A people unused to restraint must be led, they will not be drove” (1776, pg.293). This answered my question. George Washington was a leader who succeeded in leading his soldiers to victory and did by boosting morale and perseverance. He could have threatened them or put a gun against their head but that would have gotten him nowhere.
    Turning Point: The most important turning point in the third part of this book was after Trenton the night crossing of the Delaware. Although Trenton was just a “squirmish” and wasn’t a battle, the British looked at the rebel forces with a new respect. They saw how they were capable to fight. They were capable of being cunning and had great spirit of enterprise.
    Using the Past: We see it happen in the world all the time, history repeats itself. Although this book did not cover the background of why the Revolutionary War began, it is common knowledge that it was because many of the colonists yearned for independence. Their King was becoming far too controlling and overwhelming in almost every aspect of their lives. They galvanized around the position that the Stamp Act of 1765 and the increase in taxes was unconstitutional. This resulted in the war which 1776 gave us insight to and helped us to further our knowledge that war is not a fun game. Our great country today should let the Revolutionary War be a lesson to us. We should remember what makes our country so unique, which is that everyone is free to pursue their happiness without a controlling government lurking over them, which is ultimately what was fought for and earned by our founding fathers. Today, we need to be grateful for the freedom and independence we have because it is directly because of that war.

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  40. Kiley Bradfish
    Part Two:

    Reading Thoughts
    Visualize -
    This book has a lot of very descriptive scenes and moments throughout the story that are extremely clear and easy to visualize. One aspect of the second reading section of the book that gives you a good picture in your head is the Patriot army and the great fatigue they all face. While reading this section of the book images and little movies play out in your head showing Washington’s fatigue and the effect it was having on him and the army as a whole. You can visualize how dead tired and worn out he is by the effect it is having on him and his decision making, clouding his judgment. Another scene in this book that helps readers to experience the hardships and struggles of the American soldiers is when the author describes the troops with having little to no clothing and hardly any shoes. Further their hardship can be imagined when it is said that their paths can be seen in the snow because of their bloody footprints due to their lack of proper clothing and protection from the elements.

    Big Idea/Generalization -
    One of the generalizations you can make from this book about war is that the side that has a better cause to fight for is more likely to win. For example, in 1776 the Patriots were all volunteers who were fighting for their liberty, a fight fueled by anger toward the King and the desire to have a free nation. In contrast to the Patriots, the British and Hessians, although well trained and disciplined, lacked the spirit and emotional connection to the outcome of the war. This difference is especially obvious in the case of the Hessians who were simply fallowing orders and knew little of what they were fighting for. Furthermore, the Patriots were dependent on winning the war. This was crucial to their success because without it they wouldn’t have been as passionate in their efforts to achieve success even though the odds were stacked against them in supplies, training, size, and experience.

    Reading Like a Historian
    Through Their Eyes -
    The way this book is written there are many opportunities to see the different sides of the war as well as what and how the people of the time thought. One example of seeing the actions through the Patriots eyes was when the Hessians and British were in New Jersey. The Americans saw their actions as disgraceful and indescribable as they did and took what they wanted. Through Greene’s eyes “the enemy’s ravages in New Jersey exceed all description . . . Many hundred women ravished” and that “their footsteps are marked with destruction wherever they go” (261). From the written letters and diary entrees from the Patriot army and those who witnessed the war, it is very clear that, through their eyes, the Hessians and British were not only enemies because of their goal in the war but because of their attitude and the way they treated people.

    Differing Perspectives -
    Throughout this book the perspective is continually changing. Not only does the perspective move from one side to the other of the war but it also changes to perspectives of those who played different roles in the war. During this book readers would experience the perspective of George Washington as well as how the war was seen through the eyes of a soldier who had a wife and family he had to leave behind or from the perspective of a fourteen or sixteen year old boy who witnessed the war. An example of the difference in perspective this book shows is how the American Patriots saw the British soldiers. From the American perspective, British troops were “debtors, drunks, common criminals” who had been “bullied and beaten into mindless obedience.” However their view of the King’s army was incorrect. They were “far better trained, better disciplined, better equipped, and more regularly paid than his American counterpart” (166).

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  41. Kiley Bradfish

    I agree with both of you. The British and Hessian troops had a huge advantage over the Patriots not only in size but in training and experience. They describe the British and Hessians to be better in almost every way than the American soldiers which is seen through the difficulties and failures of the Patriots through most of what is covered in this book. However, if it wasn’t for the Patriots’ drive and determination to win the war they could have easily given up when times were hard like you said A’Lea. All in all, after reading this book it was almost surprising to know that the Americans won after facing such a immense force and that they didn’t give up after failing so many times.

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    1. Sorry, this isn't suposed to be here. I kind of did something wrong. Just ignore this all.

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  42. Jensen Richards
    Section 2

    Through Their Eyes: Washington decided that it would be better if he split up his army, which the British saw as a sign of weakness. Even though there were plenty of soldiers in the thirteen colonies, none of them wanted to go far from home which left Washington with even fewer soldiers. The British however had so many soldiers that they were at an advantage.

    Importance: In the beginning of part three the author explains that there wasn't a lot of discipline. People would just start to leave, and could get away with it. Washington and John Adams decided that they needed to make the punishments more severe when people disobeyed them. From this thought they made the death penalty more common and they had more serious consequences for people that didn't follow the rules. This was important in the war because it made the soldiers become more obedient and more serious about what they were doing.

    Turning Points: In part three of the book, the British start winning the battles and the Rebels are being torn apart. Even though they are losing, the Rebels don't give up. I see this as a turning point because it shows that they are going to try their best to beat the British. They could have given up but they chose to keep fighting, and to show the British that they were there to fight

    Visualize: To me it seems like a horrifying thing to picture all of the soldiers that were killed and injured in the battles. When I read some of the numbers of people who were killed and injured it was saddening. Also all of the illness in the Rebels that was going around, some of them even dying adds to my grief. In addition, I was able to clearly picture when the enemy ships were lined up on shore on the Delaware River.

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  43. Michael Plaza Blog Post #2
    Visualize:
    While finishing the book, the part that struck me most, was the final battle of the book, at Princeton. I could really create a picture in my mind of the ferocity, and bloodshed of the battle. I could picture in my head swarms of British, Hessians, and Americans alike engaging in hand-to-hand combat, as bullets and cannonballs whizzed in the background. The most disturbing image that was created in my mind was that of the American officer Hugh Mercer being killed. I could picture it in my head as I read, “Mercer, who had dismounted when his horse was hit in the midst of a British bayonet attack, fought with his sward until he was clubbed to the ground, then bayoneted repeatedly-bayoneted seven times-and left for dead.”(289) The incredibly use of imagery and description in this specific part, created an distinct picture in my mind.
    Importance:
    In this section of the book (The Long Retreat) there seemed to be the common theme of defeat and retreat by the Americans. The most important aspect of this, that I concluded from repeated reoccurrence of the idea, was that of insufficient leadership. At many points throughout this section McCullough mentioned how many of the officers were young, and have never had any experience with battle strategy before. He stressed how decisions made by General Greene to try to hold and defend Fort Washington, or General Washington to instead of taking the highest ground (Chatterton Hill) at White Plains, take another hill, were ill advised, and could have been avoided had there been better, more experienced commanders in place. Despite the condition of the army being worse than in tatters, the author stressed more how first the Continental Army needed officers to win the war. This idea of America needing officers was very important, and key in this section of the book.
    Through Their Eyes:
    Living now, readers of this book could be very critical of the soldiers and people of the time, having never actually lived through it, but stepping into the shoes of a person living during the Revolutionary War might put some of those criticisms at bay. For example, we could be very critical now of all of the soldiers deserting the Continental Army, or even honorably discharging when there enlistments were up. We could question how they could be so selfish, and call themselves patriots, then just abandon their Army. I was even awestruck when McCullough talked of December 31st, 1776 and how General Washington pleaded with his men to stay another six months, and even offered them and ten dollar bounty and when, “Those willing to stay were asked to step forward. Drums rolled, but no one moved.” (285) I couldn’t believe even after such victories at Trenton, and Princeton, the soldiers wouldn’t stay, but then looking through their eyes I had second thoughts. These men were suffering. It was the middle of winter, and they had all been serving for six, perhaps even twelve months prior. They had fought valiantly, and had endured sickness, cold, hunger, and anything else imaginable in the process. On top of that they were homesick, and had probably been away from their families for the longest period of time in their lives. They believed deep down they had done their duty, and it was time to go home. Looking at it this way, a reader can better understand why so many soldiers were leaving in such great numbers.

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  44. Michael Plaza Blog Post #2 (cont...)
    Turning Points:
    It is obvious the greatest turning points in this section of the book come at the end of it. The Battles of Trenton and Princeton definitely turned the tide for the Continental Army. After suffering humiliating defeat at New York and retreating, then fighting respectably at White Plains, but still not having enough to win, and finally experiencing the incredible catastrophe at Fort Washington, the Americans needed a victory bad. By sneaking across the Delaware in the middle of the night and surprising the Hessians at Trenton the Americans were able to secure a win. Then shortly after making the bold and ingenious maneuver of looping around and catching the British from behind at Princeton, the Americans were finally back in higher spirits. Just to prove this true, Washington was able to secure the troops ready to leave on January 1st, for longer, if even only a month. Despite the short time they agreed to stay, this proved Washington regained the trust his men had in him, this a crucial point that the Army needed more than anything. Now with the men in good spirits again, and Washington’s gusto back, it seemed the Americans could do anything, which would not have been possible without the victories at Trenton and Princeton. Had those battles not been won, America might not be a free country today.

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  45. Reading Thoughts Part 1:
    Big Ideas/Generalization:
    In the novel 1776, many key themes were re emphasized throughout the book and allowed readers to focus on ideas which shaped the outcomes of the American Revolution. One key theme that strongly led this novel was the impact of leadership, and what role communication played in the influence of leadership. It is clear that leadership lacks when there is no clear communication. The British side struggled when communicating with their commanders in England. This is seen in page 155 when McCullough states, "... the British commander knew almost nothing of their true situation, their perilously thin lines, their lack of gunpowder". This emphasizes just one weakness in the British Army that the colonists did not struggle with. The Colonists had strong communication and were able to move timely according to the desires of their commanders. This key generalization was extremely influential in understanding the importance of the novel 1776
    Connections:
    Through out the novel 1776, the role that communication plays in leadership hasn't changed from 1776 until now. One example of the key importance that communication has played in the success of leadership was seen in the capture of Osama Bin Laden. In 2007, American troops were led to mountain caves in Tora Bora, Afghanistan, and through lack of communication they were unable to capture Bin Laden. In the article posted by NBC news "Bin Laden May Have Just Escaped U.S. Forces" Justin Balding, Adam Ciralsky, Jim Miklaszewski and Robert Windrem write about this event saying, "... Some in the special operations and intelligence community are telling NBC News that there was a lack of coordination particularly in the choice of support troops." America learned from their mistakes and was later able to capture Bin Laden.
    Reading Like a Historian Part 1
    Change and Continuity:
    Throughout this novel, the emphasis of wealth's association with power and leadership is still seen today. During the time of the American Revolution the colonists had George Washington as their leader. The rich leader that was described on page 99 as "Washington's wealth and way of life, like his physique and horsemanship, were of great importance to large numbers of the men he led and among many in Congress". This allows the reader to understand the association between how Washington's power was automatically associated with his wealth which was expressed as "horsemanship". This is significant because even today the most powerful such as the president, Barack Obama is seen living in luxury. His power is accompanied by the beautiful White House and a salary that matches up to $400,000.
    Through Their Eyes:
    Throughout this novel the world seen through the eyes of the British when entering the land of the colonies was seen through eyes of entitlement. The British acted entitled to the land. They were seen calling the colonists rebels. This is significant because it suggests that the British are already occupying the land. John Burgoyne was also seen as calling the colonists, "... A preposterous parade and rebel in arms". (pg.41) These insights seen through the eyes of the main characters throughout this novel allow the audience to understand more clearly the feelings that shaped the events of the American Revolution and the motives behind many battles and struggles.

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    1. Big ideas/generalization: Another advantage that the Colonists had over the British actually came from their lack of trained professionals. McCullough explains how in the Colonial army almost every person’s ideas could be heard. Individual’s could prove themselves into a officer position. When Knox successfully moved 120,000 pounds of artillery almost 300 miles to Cambridge, he received command of the artillery. In the British army all members had more specific roles. To gain a role as an officer, one would need a strong education, training, and experience in another war such as the French and Indian War.

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  46. Part 1&2
    Reading Thoughts
    Importance= General Howe of the British army was very relaxed and patient especially during the first Winter. McCullough called him “slow-moving, procrastination, negligent in preparing for action, and interested more in his own creature comforts and pleasures.” (pg. 153) The leader of the colonists, General Washington was much more impatient and stressed with the colonists struggles throughout the winter. He planned and prepared several attacks, always confiding in Congress for their approval or denial. Although General Howe was much more experienced, Washington’s strong personality and attitude towards his leadership helped the colonists obtain the Dorchester Heights.
    Evaluation= General Nathanael Greene was very self-educated through books. As a leader he followed rules of the qualities in a general. These included courage, intelligence, and health. The leaders also focused on disciplining the soldiers and showing them the importance when they wanted to leave. This intense self-education and persistence by the colonist officers definitely helped them lead a much stronger army.
    Reading Like A Historian
    Cause and Effect= As the Colonists first began to form their army, their lack of artillery, gunpowder, disease, lack of shelter and food, and the undisciplined soldiers caused the army to undergo many losses. Unlike war today the colonists leaders were also often unprofessional and only self-educated. When coming to fight the rebels, the preparation and training of professional and experienced soldiers made the British army much stronger and at a huge advantage to the weak colonists.
    Turning Points= The miraculous win by the colonists at the Battle of Bunker Hill and the huge defeat of the colonists at Quebec definitely changed the Colonists approach to the war. They knew they could not attack the British and win.

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  47. Michael Plaza Blog Post #2
    Visualize:
    While finishing the book, the part that struck me most, was the final battle of the book, at Princeton. I could really create a picture in my mind of the ferocity, and bloodshed of the battle. I could picture in my head swarms of British, Hessians, and Americans alike engaging in hand-to-hand combat, as bullets and cannonballs whizzed in the background. The most disturbing image that was created in my mind was that of the American officer Hugh Mercer being killed. I could picture it in my head as I read, “Mercer, who had dismounted when his horse was hit in the midst of a British bayonet attack, fought with his sward until he was clubbed to the ground, then bayoneted repeatedly-bayoneted seven times-and left for dead.”(289) The incredibly use of imagery and description in this specific part, created an distinct picture in my mind.
    Importance:
    In this section of the book (The Long Retreat) there seemed to be the common theme of defeat and retreat by the Americans. The most important aspect of this, that I concluded from repeated reoccurrence of the idea, was that of insufficient leadership. At many points throughout this section McCullough mentioned how many of the officers were young, and have never had any experience with battle strategy before. He stressed how decisions made by General Greene to try to hold and defend Fort Washington, or General Washington to instead of taking the highest ground (Chatterton Hill) at White Plains, take another hill, were ill advised, and could have been avoided had there been better, more experienced commanders in place. Despite the condition of the army being worse than in tatters, the author stressed more how first the Continental Army needed officers to win the war. This idea of America needing officers was very important, and key in this section of the book.
    Through Their Eyes:
    Living now, readers of this book could be very critical of the soldiers and people of the time, having never actually lived through it, but stepping into the shoes of a person living during the Revolutionary War might put some of those criticisms at bay. For example, we could be very critical now of all of the soldiers deserting the Continental Army, or even honorably discharging when there enlistments were up. We could question how they could be so selfish, and call themselves patriots, then just abandon their Army. I was even awestruck when McCullough talked of December 31st, 1776 and how General Washington pleaded with his men to stay another six months, and even offered them and ten dollar bounty and when, “Those willing to stay were asked to step forward. Drums rolled, but no one moved.” (285) I couldn’t believe even after such victories at Trenton, and Princeton, the soldiers wouldn’t stay, but then looking through their eyes I had second thoughts. These men were suffering. It was the middle of winter, and they had all been serving for six, perhaps even twelve months prior. They had fought valiantly, and had endured sickness, cold, hunger, and anything else imaginable in the process. On top of that they were homesick, and had probably been away from their families for the longest period of time in their lives. They believed deep down they had done their duty, and it was time to go home. Looking at it this way, a reader can better understand why so many soldiers were leaving in such great numbers.

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  48. Michael Plaza Blog Post #2 (cont...)
    Turning Points:
    It is obvious the greatest turning points in this section of the book come at the end of it. The Battles of Trenton and Princeton definitely turned the tide for the Continental Army. After suffering humiliating defeat at New York and retreating, then fighting respectably at White Plains, but still not having enough to win, and finally experiencing the incredible catastrophe at Fort Washington, the Americans needed a victory bad. By sneaking across the Delaware in the middle of the night and surprising the Hessians at Trenton the Americans were able to secure a win. Then shortly after making the bold and ingenious maneuver of looping around and catching the British from behind at Princeton, the Americans were finally back in higher spirits. Just to prove this true, Washington was able to secure the troops ready to leave on January 1st, for longer, if even only a month. Despite the short time they agreed to stay, this proved Washington regained the trust his men had in him, this a crucial point that the Army needed more than anything. Now with the men in good spirits again, and Washington’s gusto back, it seemed the Americans could do anything, which would not have been possible without the victories at Trenton and Princeton. Had those battles not been won, America might not be a free country today.

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  49. Haley Kroll-- Part 3 of 1776 by David McCullough Reading Thoughts
    Vocabulary: grievous- (of something bad) very severe or serious (page 203)
    parsimony- extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources (page 203)
    exhorting- strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something (page 214)
    contrived- Deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously (page 228)
    intrepid- fearless, adventurous (page 232)
    appraise- Assess the value or quality of (page 240)
    imperturbability- coolness; calm and unruffled self-assurance (page 244)
    outflank- move around the side of (an enemy) so as to outmaneuver them (page 252)
    egotistical- characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance (page 266)
    imprudence- a lack of caution in practical affairs (page 266)
    destitute- without the basic necessities of life (page 269)
    ruminate- think deeply about something (page 274)
    vie- compete eagerly with someone in order to do or achieve something (page 280)

    Connections: When reading part 3 of 1776, I had made one main connection to our society today: that in order to have success, there needs to be strong leadership and someone to trust. Washington knew that there were just not enough leaders after just a few battles, and in order to have a successful battle, he needed good men to lead these soldiers, in training and in battle, and if not, there was not much hope for the American army. He knew that it was not the soldiers fault that they were not trained to the best they could ever be, and when several battles were lost, the soldiers did all that they could, but it just wasn’t enough. With better leaders and even more leaders, it lead to a more controlled and a bit more organized army. Connecting this to society today, we have leaders in most aspects of life, from government, to school, to work, to sports, and so on. Without leaders, it would just be chaos. We need leaders in a government, to make decisions for our country, and we need to elect those leaders to be sure we have a leader who can bring success to us. We need leaders in school to make sure the students learn what they need to. We have leaders at work to make sure businesses are making profit and function correctly. And we have leaders in sports to make sure teams are successful. Leaders are always important, whether it was back in 1776 or today, and we need to trust in those leaders to have success in what we do.

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  50. Haley Kroll-- Part 3 of 1776 by David McCullough Thinking Like a Historian
    Using the Past: In part 3, and throughout the entire novel, the author clearly describes and explains the conditions that they soldiers went through; the low supply of food, the lack of training, the cold and hard winters, the fatalities, and even more. It’s hard to even imagine living through these conditions, but makes it even easier to appreciate all that the soldiers did and what they fought through for our freedom. We can look back to the past from today and be so thankful for the rights we have and the lives we live, because over 200 years ago, our country united together, and George Washington led us to something we would appreciate forever. The American Revolution helps us make sense of the lives we live today and the things we have, because life would be so much different if this war turned out a lot differently. We can learn from this war by being thankful for what we have, supporting our current troops who are still fighting for us, and just not taking advantage of the things we don’t absolutely need.

    Differing Perspectives: Throughout 1776, there was always the perspective of the British and the perspective of the Americans, and the author did a good job of giving the view of both sides of the war so the reader can clearly understand what both sides went through and how each were affected differently. One main point of differing perspectives was when the American army had to retreat, the British thought of them as cowards, and that the retreat was out of complete disrespect to the British. On the other hand, the Americans praised the army for this strategic move, and they thought it was just brilliant. In my opinion, it was a brilliant move to retreat, because the American army wanted to create as much damage as they possibly could without putting the American army in too much trouble.

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  51. Louden Ostrowski
    Part 1
    Vocabulary/Concepts:I didnt have a clear definition in my mind of what the word "siege" meant so I looked it up. I found out that it means the act or process of surrounding and attacking a fortified place in such a way as to isolate it from help and supplies for the purpose of lessening the resistance of the defenders and thereby making capture possible.
    Questions:I was wondering how storms could have such a big impact on the war as most of the storms did in 1776. There were many storms that were harsh and then to clear and blazing skies. I understand that it would have somewhat of an impact but not that big of a impact as change the outcome of the war.
    Turning Points: The weather played a turning point in the war because if there was not any storms during the whole war the outcome could have been completley different.
    Through their eyes: Learning how Washington did not want to be the General was something that i did not know. He did not believe that he could lead a nation through a war or handle the responsibility. It would have been hard not having confidence in yourself yet still lead a nation to an amazing victory in war.

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  52. Louden Ostrowski
    Part 2
    Visualize: During the second part of the book David McCullough went into much detail of the battles and I felt like I could see for myself what was happening like I was right there by the soldiers. I could see the battle terrain and the bloodshed taking place in my mind.

    Question: I didn't really have any questions but one that I did have was if Washington ever felt completly comfortable and wanted to lead the nation through the war. I know that he did not want to take the responsability at the begining.

    Through their eyes: Being a soldier in either army would have been miserable. You go into war thinking if you will make it out alive or not the whole time you are at war. I give all the soldiers for both sides credit for going out there. For the rebels it would have been very scary going up against most likely the most powerful army in the world.

    Turning points: Some of the turning points are when the British would win battles and the Continental army would be pushed back even more. The battles at Trenton and Princeton were most likely the most important battles of the war. Many of the soldiers did not want to stay and fight yet they agreed to stay a little longer. If they would not have stayed the battles at Trenton and Princeton would not have taken place and America could not exist today.

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  53. Griffin Cofell
    Part 1
    Preview/Predict-Cause and Effect: I assume that in the upcoming section of the book, the American army will be forced to leave New York. The next section's name, "The Long Retreat", Contributes to my predictions. The fact that a large portain of the British army is stationed in New York also adds to this prediction. The American's may have to retreat from New York, given that they don't have the naval power to counteract the British Armada. Also, Currently all of the Americans are held up in New York after being flushed out of Long Island in a previous battle, So the British army could easily surround and defeat the Americans. An effect of the retreat would be that the Americans could Escape the navy, Effectively lessening the forces against them. A negative consequence would be allowing the British army to take control of New York, and allowing them to establish a new base. While escaping the navy would seem like the best move, allowing the British to capture New York might ultimately end up being detrimental to their cause.

    Big Idea/Generalizations-Turning Points: Throughout the ages, war has been waged to convey a belief, advance one's territory, but perhaps most commonly to protect one's nation. The Revolutionary war was waged to gain independance, and no longer have to suffer over the British Monarchy's arbitrary laws. While the opponent may have changed, America and many other nations still do this today, whether it's to defend our own nation or help other nations defend theirs. The signing of the Declaration of Independence was an Integral step in order to finally gain the freedom the American's desired. Declaring independance was a risky decision, for it ultimately severed any chances of rejoining Britian, but if they achieved their goals, The American people would be free at last, able to establish the goverment they wanted, and make this country theirs.

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    1. Griffin Cofell
      Forgot to meantion, this is part two

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  54. Chris Babiarz Post 1

    READING THOUGHTS:
    Preview/Predict: Before i began reading the first section i made some predictions based on the chapter titles. The first section is titled “The Siege”. I did research on what “the Siege” was and i learned that “the Siege” was “The Siege of Boston.” I then predicted that part one of the book would focus on “The Siege of Boston”. The Siege of Boston was the opening part of the American Revolution where the militia from New England attempted to stop the British militia from moving throughout New England. The New England militia surrounded Boston and forced them to retreat to England.
    Vocabulary/Concepts: While reading i encountered the word “mortar” in the part of the book when the rebels set up an artillery in Ticonderoga. I didn’t know what the word mortar meant so i looked it up. According to dictionary.com a mortar is “a cannon very short in proportion to its bore, for throwing shells at high angles”. I also looked up pictures of 18th century mortars and i could see it looked like a short, fat cannon. This definition and picture helped me visualize better what the oxen had to move.

    TLH:
    Cause and Effect: Part one of the book told a lot about the bad conditions that the American troops lived in, poor shelter, little food, and lack of good clothing. This set them up for failure in early battles, they were already at a disadvantage to the British troops because of their superior training and this really added to the handicap. I believe the lack of supplies that the American troops had led to struggles in some of the battles.
    Using the Past: Going off of my “Cause and Effect” post, I have realized why the U.S. government today puts so much money into the U.S. military. Should they not have that funding the military would not have the necessary provisions to win wars. Troops would become weak and sick and would struggle in battle for sure. Also the funding provides the necessary training that the military requires. If they didn’t have this training they would struggle immensely in war.

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  55. Mali Theiss
    Visualize: differing perspectives: Throughout part two of 1776, the author, David McCullough did a very good job of making it easy for the reader to feel like they were actually in the war and more specifically showed how the soldiers felt. When they described what the weather was like, it was easy to put yourself in their shoes and feel it too. Obviously the war is not an easy place to be with all the huge events taking place, you could easily take advantage to the other sides weaknesses. For example, hen the spilders had to stay up all night to stay warm, the other side good use their lack of rest to their advantage.being able to see hat was happening in my head and seeing the different point of views made the book easier to understand.
    Vocabulary: parsimony: extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources(203)
    Philosophical: of or pertaining to philosophy (204)
    Provisions: a supply or stock of something provided (207)
    Cannonade: a continued discharge of cannons (210)
    Bayoneted: a daggerlike steel weapon that is attached to or at the muzzle of the gun.. (213)
    Immense: vast; huge; very great (216)
    Inpertuability: coolness; clam and unruffled self assurance (224)
    Intrepid: fearless, adventurous (232)
    Ruminate: think deeply about something (273)
    Learning the vocabulary helped me better understand what was going on in the book.

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    1. Gretchen Murphy
      Mali, I feel the same way about how much learning the
      vocabulary made it easier to understand what was happening in the book. I also like the way you described the conditions that the soldiers had to live under. It was definatly easy to picture what it was like for them and to feel sorry for them.

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    2. I totally agree with the fact that McCullough made a point to give the reader insights to how the soldiers felt during times of the war. This was so important for the reader to understand the history and to be able to remember the impacts that the war had on America even today. The imagery he used made it able for the reader to be impacted by the Revolution.

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  56. Chris Babiarz Post 2
    READING THOUGHTS:
    Preview/Predict: Before I read the second section of the book looked at the title of the second part: “The Long Retreat”. I predicted that the Americans would have to retreat from New York. This made sense because many British troops are already in New York. I also looked at the chapter titles “Fortune Frowns” and “Darkest Hour”. From these titles I predicted that the Americans would lose battles and things would really start going Britain's way.
    Visualize: I could really visualize the fighting and deaths that occurred during the Battle at Princeton. Bullets were going everywhere. I imagined soldiers trying to disregard the bullets going by them as they focused on the taking the opposition out. In my mind i could see colonel John Haslet getting shot in the head and dropping instantly to his death. The bloodshed in this battle was very graphic and i could see it while i read.

    TLH:
    Using the Past: Reading 1776 made me really think how much the soldiers gave up to win independence for themselves and generations to come. They had terrible conditions to live in, hardly any food, many of them were almost naked with no shoes, yet they still fought on to try to get their independence. They also died to win our independence, fighting in multiple battles. This makes me appreciate soldiers from the past and today. Today soldiers are putting their lives on the line to protect our country, much like in the past.
    Turning Point: I think that the Battle at Princeton was a turning point because the Americans were coming off losses. They needed a win to turn the tides and they got one at Princeton. The Americans killed as many as 100 men and captured as many as 280 men. Had the Americans not one this battle they may never have won their independence and life in America would be very different today.

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    1. Brady Borrell

      Chris I agree with everything that you said in Thinking like a Historian because while reading I could also picture how tough it was for the soldiers to live in such terrible conditions. This too made me appreciate our soldiers today because they go through this kind of stuff everyday. Also the battle at Princeton was a major turning point for the rebels because this was their first major victory in a long time. This win helped boost the morale of the soldiers and helped them to continue on to defeat the British soldiers.

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  57. Brady Borrell Part 1 and 2
    Reading Thoughts:
    Preview/Predict:Before reading each chapter in the first and second part of the book I took a look at each chapter title to try and make predictions of what was all going to happen. Also I went on and looked at each picture to see if I could determine what it meant or how it fit with the title of the chapter. This helped me to start making more connections as I started reading that chapter.
    Visualize: While reading I could really visualize what the soldiers had to endure while going into battle. For the Rebels during the winter they lacked a lot of clothing and food which ended up killing a lot of them. Also imagining what it would feel like to be in the middle of a battlefield hearing gunshots all around you and just trying to survive through each and every battle made me realize how hard it was for them to keep fighting for their independence.

    TLH:
    Through Their Eyes: For the rebels they viewed their world as being uncontrolled by the British laws. The main reason why was because they were separated from Britain which made them believe that they didn't have to follow their laws. This is what caused of all the battles because the rebels wanted to gain independence from Britain so they did not have to pay taxes to support them.
    Turning Points: When the people living in the New world made the decision to stray away from British laws it affected their future choices. Because they didn't follow the laws they had to fight for their independence which meant that British troops would kill anyone who disagreed with British laws. These actions by the British troops really narrowed what the people in the new world could do because they could either agree with Britain or die.

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    1. Brady Borrell
      That was only suppose to be Part One.

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  58. Brady Borrell Part 2
    Reading Thoughts:
    Questions: My only question that I had in the second part of the book was why France would want to join sides with the American troop when we were a developing country that still depended on Britain to survive? France had just lost a war against Britain earlier, what would make them think that joining us would guarantee that we would succeed?
    Visualize: During the second part I could really visualize what the scene would have looked like when Cornwallis was surrounded in Yorktown by twenty French warships in the harbor and with ten thousand army troops surrounding them on the outskirts. This moment had to have been unbelievable to the American troops.

    TLH:
    Turning Points: The biggest turning point for the Americans in part two had to have been when the French navy surrounded Yorktown along with the French militia and Washington's army surrounded the outskirts of Yorktown. This was a major win for the Americans because Cornwallis was one of the British's top generals. This defeat sent a clear message to Britain that they had lost control of the Americas.
    Using the Past: The alliance between the French and the American troops showed that befriending countries can turn out to be a huge reward in any situation. During the American Revolution it helped us gain our independence. Today the U.S. has many alliances with other countries so that if we were to get attacked our allies would support us. Learning that working together with other countries has helped us in the past, we now know that alliances will help us also in the future.

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  59. Louden Ostrowski

    Brady I also was wondering sort of the same thing and I think it is because of the defeat that they took from Great Britian and wanted to get back at them so they decided to help us out. Also another reason that they might of helped us is because we where a developing country. They might have thought that two armies against one would always be better than one army so our odds were better and that is why France thought it would guarantee success.

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  60. Brianna Woodruff
    Section 3 = Part 3: The Long Retreat
    Reading Thoughts-
    Visualize: During Section 3: The Long Retreat, a fire spreads across the southern tip of New York. It describes the chaos it caused while the British attempted to put it out and save what they could. I could visualize the terrified women, children, sick, and old running from the fire in the streets of New York trying to find refuge. I also visualized what the Americans could see from Harlem as they looked down upon the blazing city.
    Vocabulary/ Concepts: Throughout this section and past sections the word Hessian is used to describe some soldiers. I didn't quite know what it meant so I looked it up and found that it meant German missionaries the British used in their army against the Americans.

    Reading Like a Historian-
    Using the Past: The past helps us understand why and how our future came to be. It helps us realize the struggles of the soldiers and commanders that made our country the way it is. Our past gives us an appreciation of what our soldiers during 1776 had to endure; like hunger, sickness, weather, winter, and death. And even in our present we gain the understanding of what our troops are doing for the sake of our country and our future. I also think that reading 1776 helps us appreciate the rights and freedoms we have now that we might take for granted.
    Through their Eyes: Through the eyes of the American soldiers who were deserting the American army, I can understand why they left even after their victories at Trenton and Princeton. The soldiers that had survived and stayed after the winter of 1775-1776 certainly knew the many deaths that come form the freezing cold winter, lack of food, and sicknesses. I understand why they wouldn't want to stay another winter and risk the ever so possible death that could have easily taken their lives before. The fear of having to fight another day, seeing more death, and thinking about their families they have left behind is a good enough reason to leave after the victories they have already achieved for their country.

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    1. Nicholas Giordano
      Briannam, I agree with you completely on Through Their Eyes. I too would have probably have left. I know it may seem kind of cowardish but after reading what they have to go through, all the sickness, disease, death, and hunger. I can see why they would have deserted.

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    2. sorry about the extra m...

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  61. Nicholas Giordano Section 3= Part 3: The Long Retreat
    Reading Thoughts-
    Connections- When I read the first part of the Long Retreat I could totally connect with what the soldiers where feeling. “… [they] are dismayed, intractable and inpatient to return. Great numbers of them have gone off, in some instances almost by whole regiments(pg 186).” I like these soldiers would have probably left. I wouldn’t have been able to go a meal without food let alone 3 days. I couldn’t have gone through all the pain, sickness, starvation and defeat they had to go through. After the battle of New York, I would have packed my bags and left. I could also connect with soldiers today who go A.W.O.L. or leave without permission. They might do it for different reasons but like these soldiers they just can’t go on fighting.
    Vocabulary- Throughout reading the last section of this book, I came upon several words I did not know the meaning to so I decided to look them up in dictionary.com. I found out the word intractable(pg 186) means not easily controlled. I also found that resplendently(pg 190) means shining brilliantly which I would have never guessed. When reading, I came upon the word candid(pg 207) which I thought had to do with a candidate but it really meant to be frank with someone. I also learned that ardently(pg 260) means having, expressive of, or characterized by intense feeling. Finally, the last word I didn’t know was on page 261. The word wrought I found meant work.

    RLH
    Change and Continuity- When I first thought about what change and continuity occurred in the last section of 1776, I came upon the changing of the tides in the American Revolutionary War. The battle of Trenton. This battle changed the course of the War by giving the Americans hope and showing the British can be defeated. This lead to the battle of Yorktown which gave America the independence we have today. This battle marks great change throughout the world. Without it, I would not be writing this blog and I wouldn’t be taking APUSH due to the fact America may have never been free. I also came upon the realization that the Americans were lead by the continuous leadership of George Washington, Nathaniel Greene, and Henry Know. Through their continuous leadership all this change could happen.

    Differing Perspectives: The book 1776 in my opinion through reading it is mostly neutral, but it does lean slightly more to the American side. I came to this conclusion through reading the book and finding that throughout the book the perspective remains mostly to the Americans and their hardships and trials rather than the British. However, the author David McCullough gives us a pretty good overview of both sides. I believe in the American side mostly because I’m American but also because through the facts given I feel more sorry for the Americans and want to help them in their cause over the British.

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    1. Eric Weaver-
      I agree with pretty much everything here. Especially the RLH section. I think its interestion how much The battle of Trenton changed things. Its success in part to blame for the creation of America. And I think you're correct about how the book is neutral, but simply contains more information about the American side.

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  62. Haley Jagodinski
    Part 3

    Importance-Turning Points

    The battle of Trenton was an exceedingly important turning point in the American Revolution. Up until this significant event the American army's morale was very low due to their constant losses in battles as well as the enemy's capture of both Fort Washington and Fort Lee. The Americans throughout all these trials were greatly outnumbered by their opponents. Henry Knox even wrote to his wife about the need for men "who when fortune frowns will not be discouraged(202-203)." This discouragement Knox writes of was certainly portrayed at Kips Bay. Many peoples faith in Washington was also faltering including his close friends. In addition the British gained far more knowledge on the American situation from various sources such as William Demout. The win at Trenton really turned things around for the Americans."Washington had prophesied that some "lucky blow" would "rouse the spirits of the people", but he could hardly have imagined how stunning the effect of the news of Trenton would be on the morale of the country(282-283)." Some people even doubted the news of Trenton as it was almost too good to be true. This was exactly the turning point the Americans needed to get back on their feet again.

    Evaluation-Cause and Effect

    In the American Revolution the British made some asinine decisions that entirely effected the outcome of the war. The British brought a pause to enemy movements around the Staten Island Meeting. "The British had suspended operations during what could have been a golden opportunity to attack(208)." Another time when British pause aided the Americans was during the retreat between New York and Philadelphia when the British halted due to orders from general Howe. "For six days-six merciful days for Washington and his army-the British and Hessians made no move, a decision that puzzled, even infuriated many of the British and Loyalists who saw no reason to let up on the chase(258)." The effect of these British actions was clearly in the favor of the Americans. if the British would have pursued on at either of these opportunities they may have ended the war much earlier and we would still be a British colony.

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  63. Griffin Cofell
    Apperently Part one didn't upload or something, anyway. Part 1.
    READING THOUGHTS:
    Preview/Predict:: Prior to reading the first section I looked at the titles of some of the chapters. One of the titles was "The Siege". Not entirely sure what the title was refering to, I did some research and discovered that the aforemeantioned title, "The Siege" refered to the Siege of Boston. Given that research, I assumed that this particular focused on the Siege of Boston. The fact that the Siege of boston was one of the driving impetuses for the Revolutionary war, and the fact that this is still early on in the book helped me make the prediction. The Siege of boston is where the ragtag militia defended against the British in Boston.
    Vocabulary/Concepts: During my readings, I encountered a few words I was unsure of, one being "Mortar". While I had heard the term before, I wasn't entirely sure as to what it actually meant. The definition of "mortar" is “muzzle-loading indirect fire weapon that fires shells at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectory”. Which is generally what I assumed.. That definition helped add to the visual of the particular section.

    Thinking like a Historian:
    Cause and Effect: Part one depicted the poor and unsanitary situation the New England troups went through. They had very little training, a shortage of food, and didn't even have sufficient clothing. This, along with the Advantages the British army already had with their training and weaponry, Attributed to many of the American's early loses.

    Using the Past: In the modern day, The American Government gives the Military exorbitant amounts of funds, more so than many other nations. With this, the possibility of America being caught in a war without the necessary supplies is dramatically lessened. These funds also go to the intense training each of our soldiers endure. Without this training, the troops wouldn't no what to do in a war-like situation, and ultimately fail.

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    1. Maya Jourdan

      Griffin, that is an excellent point that you made about our government making sure that we would not be stuck in a war without proper funding and training for our troups! A lack of training nearly caused us to loose the war, and given todays technology there is no way we would win without being properly prepared for any sort of disaster.

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  64. Nick Guralski
    Part 1 and 2

    Reading Thoughts:
    Preview/Predict: In this book it was fun to try to guess what was going to happen next even though we have a good background knowledge on the revolution it's hard to imagine the time David McCullough really captures the time period very well. As I tried to guess what would happen in the next chapter or even the next page I had to think about not only the Revolution but the time period itself. For me it was fun and a little challenging at times.
    Visualize: Whenever I read a book I like to think of it as a movie and I try to visualize everything. Although in this book I think that my favorite thing to visualize would be during the siege of Boston when the British troops arrived, "On August 1, a swarm of forty-five ships carrying Generals Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis and some 3,000 troops were sighted off Sandy Hook, newly returned from South Carolina and making 'a very fine appearance.'in the eyes of the British" (page 147). Just the swarm of forty-five ships which I like to think of as galleons huge battle ships would be amazing and terrifying at the same time for the Americans.
    Thinking like a Historian:
    Turning Points: In my opinion the largest and most obvious turning point would be in the very beginning when King George was appealing to Parliament to back him on his decision to fight America. Turning points can't get any bigger because this is when Great Britain decided to fight to take America back this decision dictated all future decisions for the war.
    Cause and Effect: During the siege of Boston before winter was going to set in the British forces were getting somewhat desperate because they had wanted to take Dorchester before July 15 but at bunker hill they were delayed by the American troops and couldn't remove them until July 17 and it put them in a pickle they either had to move to New York or settle in for the hard Boston winter with the American siege in full force thus giving America the advantage because they knew that the British were in a pickle.

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  65. Sam Poeske
    Part 1
    Vocabulary:
    parsimony- extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources (page 203)
    Philosophical: of or pertaining to philosophy (204)
    Provisions: a supply or stock of something provided (207)
    Bayoneted: a daggerlike steel weapon that is attached to or at the muzzle of the gun.. (213)
    Inpertuability: coolness; clam and unruffled self assurance (224)
    outflank- move around the side of (an enemy) so as to outmaneuver them (page 252)
    Ruminate: think deeply about something (273)
    By looking up definitions of words I didn't know helped me have a better visual of what was happening since I knew what everything had meant by looking it up.
    Visualize:
    When reading 1776, visualizing each scene was very important to continue throughout reading this book. Especially during every battle, by visualizing I could then picture where it was occurring, the plot of the battle, and the participants appearances. As I was reading, it seemed to be like a movie, screening through my head scene by scene. The Battle at Bunker Hill was a great example that had a clear layout in my head. I could picture the solider's lineups, being picked off one by one.
    Think like a Historian:
    Cause and Effect: Part one of the book was a lot about the bad conditions that the soldiers had to live in. The soldiers had bad shelter and very little food. Just knowing this you know that it isn't going to be a good outcome because they are set up for failure. Also the British had high training which gave them an advantage. I think since the American troops had less training and lack of supplies made them have many more struggles throughout the battles.
    Using the Past: After reading this i have now realized why our country spends so much money on our military so our troops wont ever lack supplies and they will no longer have a disadvantage. If we didn't spend the money our troops may get sick and they would struggle.

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  66. Nick Guralski
    Part 3

    Reading Thoughts:
    Vocabulary: Throughout the book there were words that I didn't understand the first time I read them but in this part there were two that stuck out to me one being parsimony which I learned is basically being fickle they don't want to spend money or resources. And the other one is contrived which means that it was created unnaturally.
    Connections: This may seem like a weird connection but The conditions that the soldiers are in is a ton like the conditions that people in the Hunger Games that lived in the main characters district. In that district they were ridden with sickness they were very poor so they didn't get much food, or new clothing so most of their clothing was worn and dirty they didn't get to bathe to often, starvation was a common occurrence the conditions are almost identical... just one's fictional and one's real.
    Reading like a Historian:
    Turning Points: A very important turning point in this part would be when George Washington ordered his soldiers to cross the Delaware river and attack the Hessian soldiers on Christmas Eve. The reason this was such a turning point is because it got the pressure off the backs of the soldiers because the Hessian were hired to track down the soldiers, also it is a victory that gives the soldiers a moral boost and some momentum for the army.
    Differing Perspectives: In this book I think it did and excellent job on showing both sides of the war without being too biased to either side but if I had to pick David McCullough was leaning towards the American side because he kept going over how easy the British soldiers had it and how hard the American soldiers had it.

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  67. Eric Weaver-- Part 1: The Siege, and Fateful Summer

    Reading Thoughts:
    Vocabulary-
    Parapet (88): a defensive wall used for fortification.
    Cantonments (140): a usually large camp, used for training soldiers.
    Parsimony (203): An unwillingness to spend resources.

    Visualize-
    David McCullough is very good at writing. He makes it easy to visuallize a lot of things, like freezing soldiers, and battles, but one passage stuck out in my mind, although they are not the words of McCullough: "... a Negro man, wounded in the back of his neck, passed me and, his collar being open and he not having anything on except his shirt and trousers, I saw the wound quite plainly and the blood running down his back. I asked him if it hurt him much, as he did not seem to mind it. He said no, that he was only to get a plaster put on it and meant to return. You cannot conceive what encouragement this immediately gave me. I began to feel brave and like a soldier from that moment, and fear never troubled me afterward during the whole war." (P 36)

    Thinking like a Historian:
    Through their eyes- I have never really taken the time to think about what a revolutionary war soldiers life would've been like before reading this book. I noticed the hardships each soldier was faced with. The "Negro man" above being an example. Soldiers were usually starving, worn, wounded, and cold, and there was nothing they could do about it. Today these are things we take for granted.

    Change and continuity- In part 2 of the book, the british army changed. The Hessians joined, and gave the british side an advantage. In contrast, the American army stayed disfuntional. They were unorganized, and it appeared they would loose the war with little contestation.

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  68. Eric Weaver-- Part 2: The long retreat

    Reading thoughts:
    Connections- My grandfather was a WWII veteran (Rear gunner, and engineer for navy planes) so I have some idea how much an army's morale affects everything. I noticed that morale is a reoccuring topic in the book. I imagine that it affects everything even more so back in 1776 than now because communication wasn't as advanced, and solders forgot what they were fighting for, and lost hope in such rough conditions: "It was thought that the American army, spread now from the Battery to King's Bridge, numbered 20,000, but with men deserting in droves, it was difficult to tell. Perhaps a quarter of the men were sick, and officers, as well as men in the ranks, often feigned sickness" (P 205)

    Questions- This passage struck me as odd: "On the opposite shore, at Kips Bay, Private Joseph Martin was among the Connecticut troops posted in shallow trenches to help secure the retreat of the rest of the army. As night came on, sentinels by the water's edge reported regularly on the half hour, "All's well." From one of the British ships, Private Martin heard a voice answer, "We will alter your tune before tomorrow night." (P 210) I wondered how things could be so calm between the two armies, and yet they are apparently within earshot of eachother. I found it hard to believe that the sentinel reports "All's well" when theres a british ship within earshot! Is this really accurate?

    Thinking Like a Historian:
    Cause and Effect: When General Putnam's men were able to successfully flee from a battle (on pages 213-4) this affects things. They are able to recouperate, and come back later to be part of Washington's plan to counterattack across the Hollow Way. Putnam led the main attack with Greene, as Knowlton, his men, and three Virginian companies were led by Major Andrew Leitch planned to attack from behind. However Knowltons men opened fire too soon, turning the attack into more of a flank than a rear attack, ruining the plan.

    Differing Perspectives:
    This book is mainly from the American's point of view, although it does a nice job on including the british. There are many direct quotations from documents that make the book interesting, as well as accurate.

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  69. Gretchen Murphy
    Part 2

    Differing Perspectives: Whose perspective is this? This is written in more of an American perspective, judging by the amount of information about the American side compared to the British side’s information. What other perspectives exist on this topic? The British perspective was the only other one, and that was that the king should be the ruler of the Americans, whereas the Americans wanted independence. Which perspective do you agree with? I obviously agree with the American perspective. Their independence helped shape the country today and if the outcome of the war had been different, there might not even be a United States.

    Through Their Eyes: How did people in the past view their world? As it said in chapter five, the British were shocked that the Americans would even dream of breaking off from their ‘divine ruler’, much less actually do it. King George III was the British people’s God chosen leader, and the Americans wouldn’t have it anymore. How did their worldview affect their choices and actions? The British view of the King contrasting with the Americans’ view made the British make the choice of declaring war upon the American colonies

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  70. Maya Jourdan

    Part 1: Reading Thoughts
    Visualize: I found it hard to picture a New England without the millions of people and thousands of buildings. Additionally it is hard to visualize the trees and wild country side described in 1776. The New England back then was very different from today after all. During 1776 there was a mere 20,000 people in New York; now there are around 8 million. However, visualizing the wild terrain that many of the battles took place in helps with understanding the distinct advantage that the rebels had in battles such as the battles of Lexington and Concord. The rebels, many of them being farmers, were familiar with the terrain they were fighting in and knew how to surprise the British army.
    Evaluation: Fortunately, this book does not overlook the perspective of the loyalists. McCullough also emphasizes the importance of British perspectives by placing many passages from letters of British commanders and Loyalists. One man said this about the Rebels, “I found I could not stay in Boston and trust my person with a set of lawless rebels whose actions have disgraced human nature”. Perhaps this man’s words are not far from the truth; especially when you compare the rebels with the strict, dedicated British army. Even Washington, who loved his army, recognized the disorganized appearance and mannerisms of the rebels. Without the unbiased opinions of 1776, it would be hard to truly see the realities of 1776.
    Part 1: TLH
    Cause and Effect: 1776 goes into much detail showing what caused the Revolutionary War. The primary cause was unrest in the colonies due to lack of independence from the crown. Most of the upset was caused by heavy taxes on things such as tea. The effect of the colonies splitting into two sections was the creation of the rebels and the loyalists. The rebels believed they deserved more freedom, and the loyalists were happy being under the rule of England. The Loyalists did not support the rebels want for change, creating an opposition. Each party was led by prominent figures such as Nathanael Greene and William Howe. New English leaders organized uprisings and fed information to the people that made them want to join their side, creating a stronger force against the opponent. The British led through the commands of the King, and joined the war because it was their duty to their country. This book does an excellent job of explaining the advantages and disadvantages from both sides.
    Using the Past: The past is our most valuable tool in preventing crisis. Although we cannot view video or photos from 1776, David McCullough’s book 1776 is a valuable tool for examining past decisions and consequences. Emphasis on past leadership is extremely valuable. It helps current leaders to separate successful ideas from ones that have already led to disaster. Presidents can use the example of Washington and other American leaders to guide a country. The American war leaders were inexperienced and had few to no rules to follow. However, they still managed to win through various tactics and most of all, extreme dedication to their cause. The British had the uniforms, the government, and the weapons; however it was the Rebels determination and passion that conquered the British. The rebels could have given up after the disastrous events in New York, but they kept hope, and continued fighting. This has been seen in many conflicts everywhere, sometimes an underdog with passion is enough to conquer the well planned attacks of a more managed force. By looking at the events and decisions of the war, we can find inspiration and encouragement in hard times.

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    1. I have to agree when you said that many of the rebels were farmers who knew the land. When Washington was talking about retreating, he mentioned they could go to Western Virgina, because the British just did not know how large the US was. I think knowing the area and terrain would be a huge advantage for the US.

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  71. Maya Jourdan

    Part 2: Reading thoughts
    Turning points: Every decision made during 1776 made a significant difference in how we live today. The American Revolution was a war to decide the fate and foundation of our nation and 1776 does an excellent job of documenting these decisions. The initial decisions of the rebels in events such as the Boston tea party gave the British a firm impression of the rebel’s opinions on British policies. These first attempts at independence were the start of our nation, and therefore a significant turning point in our history.
    Through Their Eyes: The hardships that the loyalists and rebels faced were almost unimaginable. Both armies were constantly plagued by harsh New England weather, without the equipment we have today. Weather brought disease, and cures for things such as smallpox did not exist at the time. The threat of sickness was enough to keep anyone away from the army. Another hardship was the impossible odds that the rebels had. After the disastrous battles at New York, it seemed impossible that the rebels could win the war, due to a lack of people able to fight and inexperienced commanders. If it wasn’t for their determination, the rebels would have quit after the struggles of New York. Not only was death creating a lack of people to fight, not having consistent pay was also a contributing factor. It takes a lot of determination to fight without any immediate rewards.
    Part 2: TLH
    Big Ideas: Women’s rights and roles were a hidden theme throughout 1776. This was especially evident in the New York campaign. Women at that time, especially of lower class, were viewed as objects, and soldiers and generals had little to no respect for the female citizens of New York. The actions of the soldiers endangered the health and future of these women, and they put no thought into it. Scenes such as this in 1776 clearly show the how differently women were thought of during that time.
    Importance: 1776 is a very important piece of Revolutionary War literature. It reveals the details and truths about many social, economic, and political issues of the time, without being overly biased to the American side. This book also lets you learn the concerns and accomplishments of the war through the eyes the people who were there. The letters of these people may be biased, but they show commonly felt emotions about the events of this war, making reading about the revolution a much more real experience. One of the most important ideas in this book was leadership, and the sort of people that make leaders. McCullough gives in depth biographies of many of these leaders, namely George Washington. One quote from Washington sums up the sort of leader Washington was, (upon his appointment into office) “I am truly sensible of the high honor done to me in this appointment… However, as the Congress desire it, I will enter upon the momentous duty, and exert every power I possess in their service and for the support of the glorious cause….” As you can see, Washington was a dedicated and humble leader. He put every last effort into his duty, and did not let pride get in the way of the future of America. This was an important theme throughout 1776.

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    1. Nicholas Giordano
      3rd Blog to Maya Jourdan
      I agree that the book 1776 illustrates many turning points in are history but I believe that some parts did not necessarily change history as we know it such as the clothes General Washington wore but overall the American Revolution as you said changed history as we know it. I do agree with your statement on Through their eyes. I know I could not have standed the harsh weather and the constant sickness that lurked throughout both sides in the camps. I know like you said I would not have served without a constant stream of money which the Americans did not have. I do somewhat agree that women weren't treated as fairly as men which wouldn't change for more than a hundred years but they did respect some such as the wife of the artillery soldier who took his place when he died. In the process, she almost lost her arm. I believe that she did gain a lot of respect. Also, the British army had to rely on these women to do their laundary and make food which was important because apperance meant everything to the British. I totally agree which your stand on the importance of the book 1776. It gave me great insight on both sides on the conditions and what the circumstances were like at the time. This is one of the only books that I have ever read that was totally factual and I quite enjoyed it. The author does such a great job as you said of showing how great of a leader Washington was overall even though he showed some of his faults. I personally look forward to reading more books by David McCullough.

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  72. A'Lea Yonker Section 2
    Reading Thoughts:
    Predict-Because of the fact that we are Americans, it is automatic to be bias towards the Americans and we would think that the Rebels would win the war. Unfortunately, though, they were disorganized and undisciplined wherease the British and the Hessians were well-trained and they also had better knowledge as far as weapons. Also, the British and Hessians were more experienced in the entire aspect of war. The Battle of Brooklyn started off in the favor of the British, so naturally, I assumed that they would win. The Rebels, though, were able to make a complete turnaround, surprising many people.

    Visualize-At the Battle of Brooklyn, when the British started closing in on the Rebls from all sides, I was playing it in my head. The fear of the men was obvious and almost real to me. I could visualize the harsh reality that some of the men were probably feeling as this was probably the first time they were ever facing what was almost certain death.

    Thinking Like a Historian:
    Differing Perspectives-It was interesting to see both the British soldiers' perspectives and the Rebel soldiers' perspectives on the retreat of the Rebels that had followed their defeat at the Battle of Brooklyn the night before. The Rebels thought that that it was a good move on their part and George Washington received praise for moving his entire army back to New York. On the other hand, the British soldiers thought that they were acting like cowards. The differing perspective of the two sets of soldiers was very interesting in the fact that they were so drastically different.

    Cause and Effect-It's interesting to see how weather affected the outcome of part of the war. In Section 2, not all soldiers had gotten across the river the night of their retreat, but when the sun rose, fog hid the Rebels' actions which was very convienent and beneficial to them. It's kind of ironic to think that the weather could be the reason that an army could win or lose a war.

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    1. A'Lea Yonker
      I meant Section 3. Sorry!

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    2. Paris Gunderson
      I agree with your point on the weather having a major impact on the outcome of the war. I never really paid attention to that until your post. If there hadn't been fog to cover the rebels actions, the British could have stopped them thus stopping their retreat. Also, if the winters had been better, the Rebels would not have lost as many men which could have helped them be more prepared to fight the British. Many of us don't look at all these little factors that can completely change the outcome of the war.

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    3. Sam Poeske
      I also agree with you. The weather had a big impact on the battles. I was thinking that while i was reading if the weather wouldn't have been that bad they wouldn't have struggled so much. If the winter wouldn't have been bad either there wouldn't have been as many causalities

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  73. Sam Poeske
    Part 2
    Preview/Predict:Before I read each chapter in the first and second part of this book, I re-read some of the parts that I didn't understand, and tried to make a prediction of what was going to happen next. By looking at pictures, I can also try predicting on what would happen. This helped me connected to the story more as I read on.
    Reading like a Historian
    Through their eyes: Personally, I think being a solider or in the army would be horrible. You would always have to think about whether or not you would make it out alive. I would give all the soldiers for both sides credit for going out there and fighting for others lives.

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  74. Sam Poeske
    I also agree with you. The weather had a big impact on the battles. I was thinking that while i was reading if the weather wouldn't have been that bad they wouldn't have struggled so much. If the winter wouldn't have been bad either there wouldn't have been as many causalities.

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  75. Megan Stenstrom

    Reading Thoughts:
    Big Ideas/ Generalizations- Weather plays a reoccurring role in the outcome of many of the battles. Not only during the storm talked about on page 96, "By nightfall a storm raged...Clearly there would be no British assault that night," (96) which kept the rebels from fighting a battle they had no chance of winning but the weather also kept the war going longer than the British had planned. They figured just the whisper of a war or retaliation by the crown would have the rebels begging for forgiveness and surrendering right away. That didn't happen and since they hadn't planned for that then the King's army was unprepared for the winter weather. The British soldiers ended up burning things from people's houses to keep warm, which didn't set well with those back in England giving the War against the rebels a negative perspective on their side. Another break weather gave was during their retreat from New York when the fog rolled in keeping them covered leaving the British to find an empty camp in the morning. It also kept many more soldiers alive than would have been without the fog.

    Visualize- One thing I found very hard to do was visualizing the war as it played out. It's hard to drop pre-set ideas of what already happened. By trying to imagine New York as an area with woods and trees and not skyscrapers, I was really able to understand more of how they were feeling.

    Reading Like a Historian
    Through Their eyes- It seems many rebels' opinions changed as the war went on. At first, many signed up to be part of the liberty. Their freedom was one of the biggest pushes for men and older boys to sign up. By the time re-enlistment came up though the glory of war was gone and the revels had started to realize this war wouldn't have a quick finish. "He wanted a speedy finish, to fight and be done with it" (51) In this quote the he they were referring to was George Washington. He had the same mindset that many of the Continental army was in, either they would win fast and then have the freedom they so rightly wanted or the King's army would come in and destroy them and they would still live under the Monarchy. It makes sense then that spirits would dim and yet when time came for the re-enlistment more men than anticipated stayed. Granted many did leave but it seemed as though Washington underestimated the desire some men felt for liberty.

    Cause and Effect- Throughout Sections 1 and 2 it became evident that the Continental Army was unfit and unprepared for the war. George Washington, who was the youngest general ever to be put in charge of an army, was educated with what he read. He wasn't a Harvard educated leader and at certain points it showed. They gave him the hardest job filled with people who knew little to nothing of what they were doing and they wanted him to win a war against one of the powerhouses at that time. Also because we were so poor during that time payments were held back making the soldiers angry which resulted in a high percentage of people deserting. During this war we also had very little in way of ammunition meaning people were very careful with when and where they shot. Meaning during battle, they were in trouble because they didn't ever have chances to practice aiming. Another thing is the lack of proper barracks which lead to men freezing and getting sick which back then, with lack of medicine, meant many men were dying from sicknesses too.

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  76. Matt Fiene

    Change and Continuity-one thing I've noticed about 1776 is that the British do not fight well in winter. In Boston, during the Seige, the British were stealing tables and books and everything to keep fires going because of the cold weather. The weather helped the Americans win the Siege of Boston. During the summer, however, the Americans were handed down several defeats in a row, at long Island, Brooklyn, and Fort Washington and Fort Lee. Then, when winter started again, the Americans won at the Battle of Trenton.

    Question-If I were to talk to David McCullough, I would ask him why he put in so much personal details about the soldiers. Did anybody else notice he described about soldiers wives and children and everything? I didn't see how that had to do with battles or politics or anything at all.

    Differing perspectives-going back to my discussion about winter in my first paragraph, winter was a huge difference. The British didn't want to fight in winter. General Howe even "began suspending further military operations until spring, and retire to winter quarters in Northern New Jersey" (267). Washington, however, thought the British would cross the Delaware when it was frozen and attack. It never came. Washington used winter to his advantage and successfully attacked Trenton.

    Big Idea-one of the things that stuck with me especially in part 3 was how the top Generals never gave up. Even with the capture of General Lee, Washington and Knox and the other top officers never gave up on their cause. They wanted to be free from the British. With so many deserters it was easy to see why Washington could have just given up. He had to lift the spirits of his soldiers, and did so at Trenton.

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    1. Rachel Stuplich
      That is a fantastic observation in regards to battles being lost or won in particular seasons. Looking back on all I've read, its a shock to realize that the Rebel army basically only won major battles in the winter. This is most likely due to the fact that, on average, British winters only get to about 40°F so the British would have been used to a much more mild climate when fighting in winter, whereas the winters in areas like New York often get below freezing, so many of the soldiers endure that cold every winter, or at least something close to that cold, and can tolerate moving about in it.

      In regards to the detail question, I think that McCullough wanted to humanize the soldiers. We often see them as just soldiers, nothing outside that. We generally see soldiers in wars (especially further back in history) as numbers (i.e. "21 killed, 90 injured, 900 taken prisoner.") I think that McCullough wanted to show that these were people, they had lives outside of the war, and they were not just military minds or riflemen, but they were people. And I think he wanted to show us this because as wars go further and further into history, we almost forget that they were people and only remember them as a casualty count or as one in a brigade of thousands. And outside that, its kind of showing the soldiers motivation, if nothing else. Saying that they have wives and kids shows us what they were fighting for, and why.

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    2. Cassie Rick
      I agree with Rachel that as wars get older and older people think less about them, espcially about the soldiers that fought in those wars and lost their lives. All of those that died had families and loved ones that they were fighting for.

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  77. Rachel Stuplich
    Section 3:
    -Reading Thoughts:
    Importance- As failed spy, Captain Nathan Hale's mission of spying on the enemy was discovered, and he was sentenced to hang without a trial. Hale's last words were "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country," which had been based on a line from the play Cato, A Tragedy, in Act IV, Scene 4 ("What a pity it is/That we can die but once to serve our country."). Cato, A Tragedy was written in 1712 and first performed in 1713. It was written by Joseph Addison, and the play was a hit back in England, so all British present at Hale's hanging would know what he was referencing. Hale paraphrasing that quote is very important, because it is basically a slap to the face of the British. Not only because he was quoting a British play-write, and a play that the British public loved, but the play had numerous themes that Republicanism and individual liberty, and not Monarchies, are what govern best. The play was a hit throughout all of Britain's lands, including America, and probably lent a hand in the formation of the idea of a revolution, so Hale quoting it upon his death is extremely important to the British soldiers, and American soldiers alike.
    Evaluation- On October 18th, John Glover saw 200 some ships, and having no officer there, decided on his own to push forward to them to stall the enemy, and he ended up doing so successfully for an entire day. This was an amazing feat for 700 men, especially since they suffered little casualties and injuries while inflicting many on the British. This caused General Howe to be more cautious and concerned for every other possible attack (though none would come) which caused him to go much slower, because he was convinced he was in no rush. This small act done in the quick of the moment by Glover ended up being so very important to the Rebel army, because it gave Washington and his army time to complete their retreat.

    -Thinking Like A Historian:
    Differing Perspectives- While reading, a realization struck me. All persons fighting directly along side Washington noted how he was a good leader, dignified, calm, collected, and all in all, everything a leader should be in a time of distress and importance. One such person fighting was James Monroe (page 274). From a different point, all those not directly in his presence in battle, like the Congress, and some other army leaders (such as Lee and Reed) had lost faith in Washington. Maybe the differing perspectives come from them not seeing his fantastic leadership in action and were only seeing the end results, which were losses, even thought the losses were due to their extremely limited resources and manpower while the British army was entirely well off.
    Turning Points- Clearly the most important turning point of the entire book, Washington crossing the Delaware with his army was probably the turning point for the war and the fuel that kept the Rebels going until the end (which would not come for about 6 more years). From the beginning of section 3 in the book (page 201) to literally page 280, there had been nothing but humiliating defeats and loses for Washington's army. There had been many casualties, many retreats and many large battles lost. It took so long for them to achieve a real victory of a battle, and it was a big one. They battled a village full of Hessian's where in 45 minutes, they killed 21, injured 90, and taken about 900 prisoners, and all of this was done without losing a single soldier (though 4 were wounded). Then directly off of that battle win, they went on to win another very large battle, and after such a long time of defeat and humiliation at every turn, Washington proved himself to be a great leader once again. (I apologize for any spelling errors or any errors involving grammar.)

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    1. Megan Stenstrom
      Rachel, I like how you were able to make the connection of the ideas of republicanism that showed in the play Cato. I also agree with you on how people viewed Washington throughout the book as a level-headed leader, although I thought that he was given maybe a few too many victories when some of the credit should go to those underneath him who showed valiant effort but were overshadowed by the great Washington. For example Joesph Hodgkins who was also part of the battle at NY, which while they didn't do fantastically he lead wonderfully and kept his men in line, yet most focused on how Washington acted throughout that battle instead.

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  78. Sean Luedtke Parts 1 and 2:
    Predict/Preview: Since Part 1 of the book was titled "The Siege" I automatically thought that it would start with an important battle or event that would set the scene for the story. Before reading the first couple of pages I went on the internet and researched some important sieges throughout the American Revolution and found it to be the Siege of Boston which included many important battles in the war. I assumed that the book would be based around that. For part 2 of the book, "Fateful Summer" I thought that it would mostly be based around the summer of the year of 1776 when it was a pivotal time for both sides.
    Visualize: In the first chapter of the book, a paragraph describes the people that came off the ship who had been involved in the Battle at Bunker Hill. I was able to see the hardships of war and how they could really take a toll on their physical appearances. On page 8 the text states “there were some without legs, and others without arms; and their clothes hanging on them like a loose morning gown.” This made me think about a sad war movie and how many of those people were either going to die or endure many obstacles for the rest of their lives. In section 2 of the book there was one thing I found to be exteremely interesting was and that was how the rebels retreated from Long Island to Manhattan. To be able to move and retreat an entire army while coping with only a couple of fatalities in one night without British speculations is amazing. I found it interesting how they covered wheels with rags to prevent noise at all cost. All I can visualize in this section is a bunch of men sneaking around in the night almost like a suspenseful thriller.
    Reading Like a Historian:
    Cause and effect: In section 1 I found that a big cause and effect was the actions of the british king towards the colonies. King George III’s act toward the colonies caused the start of the revolution. He was only looking for the benefit from the colonies instead of treating them like humans. It was only due time that the colonies would break away from Britain. An Important cause and effect I found in section 2 came from the Battle of Long Island. Since the Continental Army didn't have a Navy, or the number of troops to fight the British. They basically took it over with little effort. This was caused by Washington dividing his forces when he shouldn't have. They weren't able to fight off the superior forces of General Howe and the British, but the loss occurred and they had to retreat with many casualties and men captured.
    Turning Points: Some key turning points was I think the colonist's victory at Boston after taking Dorchester Heights was a very major turning point for the colonists. However in Section 2, the takeover of New York by the British was another key turning point.

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  79. Rachel Netzer
    Part 1

    Reading Thoughts:
    Big Idea/Generalizations - The war could have been very different if circumstances had been changed -- namely, weather. Weather conditions prevented and allowed certain events to take place, such as storms preventing British assaults and winds that didn’t allow the Royal Navy to take the East River. The British also weren’t used to the harsh climate, so it was more difficult for them. Shipping food and fuel through storms was also difficult, and served to further draw out the war.
    Vocabulary/Concepts - I was unsure of what the term “aide-de-camp” meant while I was reading. I looked it up, and found it was defined as “an officer who acts as military assistant to a senior officer.” Knowing the definition was important to help me understand the ranks of those mentioned.

    Thinking Like a Historian:
    Cause/Effect - Weather played a huge part in the war. Because there was a storm, the British were unable to attack Dorchester Heights. Because of the north-east wind in the battle of New York, the Royal Navy couldn’t enter the East River. Because Lake George hadn’t completely frozen over, a shipment of guns was forced to stand by for several days until they could cross.
    Differing Perspectives - 1776 was written by David McCullough, a current American citizen. Because it was written hundreds of years after the events unfolded, there was less emotion and propaganda swaying the writing. However, it was still written by an American, giving it a pro-American bias.

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  80. Part 3-
    Reading Thoughts=
    Preview/Predict: There were many accusations for the start of the fire on the British in New York. New York was one of the most important cities for the Colonists, and when the extremely strong British navy came, they knew it was impossible for them to stay and protect it. They all quickly abandon the city, afraid of the British forces. The fire that erupted in the city later was blamed on Colonists and I think they were most likely behind it. New York gave the British all the housing and food left behind. Earlier in the book, McCullough also explains how Washington question if he should burn the city or not. Congress decided the city should not be kept intact. However, Nathanael Greene disagreed and wanted to burn the city. Washington also later agreed with him saying, “Had I been left to the dictates of my own judgement, New York should have been laid in ashes.” This proves that it was in the mind of the Colonist leaders and that it would serve as an advantage in the war against the British.

    Visualize: During the Battle of Trenton, McCullough made in easy to imagine the battle from all sides. He explained what the Americans had to go through, “having been on their feet all night, wet, cold, their weapons soaked,” as well as how it was for the Hessians. McCullough shows how Nathanael Greene viewed it as “the storm of nature and the storm of the town.” “It was all happening extremely fast, in wild confusion and swirling snow made more blinding by clouds of gunpowder smoke.” (538-539) I was able to visualize the entire picture of the battle because of the perspective he gave from both sides.

    Reading Like A Historian=
    Differing Perspectives: Throughout the book, I think McCullough mostly follows the American side. Although during many of the battles or British and American encounters he is able to show you the both sides, I think that the American struggles were showed more. Several times when describing the British army it was through the perspective of the Americans. I think that this causes the reader to side more with the American viewpoint rather than understand the feelings of the British in the war.

    Turning Points: The loss of New York to the unprepared Colonists changed how they continued in the war. It showed how strong the British could be in numbers, weapons, and experience. In Harlem Heights, the surprise attack the next day, they attempted to capture the British. Although this was unsuccessful, they did catch the British unprepared to fight, the Americans were able to win and watch the British retreat. Although this win didn’t seem as important to the leaders, I think it changed the Colonist’s war. It also boosted their confidence after the awful loss the day before. They became extremely concerned in spying on the British and being as prepared as possible for battles. This showed in the successful Battle of Trenton where the well planned surprise attack allowed them to capture hundreds of Hessians. This major turning point in the war also changed the Colonists success in Princeton as well as the rest of the war.

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  81. Lindsey Wetzel
    Part One
    Reading Thoughts:
    Preview/Predict: In the first few pages of section one, they described how King George III really enjoyed the arts and how he was a simple minded man that most people of his kingdom liked having as their ruler. By reading that in the first few pages I could predict that his followers would for the most part continue following what he says, and like the decisions that he makes in the future.
    Connections: A lot of times when you hear about George Washington you hear about his wonderful successes and often don't see him as a man that had ever failed in any way, so to hear about his retreat from Brooklyn was surprising. In any other materials I've read you hear about Washington's courage in everything he did, and so I connected that to this retreat and it really gave me an understanding of a different side of Washington, being his indecisive nature and how he likes to really think things through before making a move.

    Reading like a Historian:
    Cause and Effect: One sort of obvious cause and effect is the cause of the whole war being that the colonies were unhappy being dependent on Britain due to the heightening of tax prices on things like tea and that led to the start of the war in the first place with the Boston Tea Party and such. Another cause and effect of this first section of the book though is that McCullough put emphasis on the poor conditions of the colonies soldiers, meaning poor shelter and also little amounts of food. This and the fact that the British soldiers were trained for war caused a lot of struggles for the soldiers of the colonies and effected their performance in some battles because of their disadvantage to the British troops.
    Differing Perspectives: This book's author, David McCullough, is an American writer born in the 1900's and that gives the opportunity for a huge bias to be shown. Though it wasn't incredibly present, a bias is easily shown because of his American background and also due to the fact that he wrote this book in the 1900's and not during the time period of this war (1776) nor was he even alive during that time.

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    1. Rachel Netzer

      I agree that it was nice to see a different side of Washington for once. Since childhood, we're brought up thinking of people like George Washington almost as idols, and their flaws are rarely spoken of. Seeing a fresh side of him is very interesting.

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  82. Rachel Netzer
    Part 2

    Reading Thoughts:
    Preview and Predict - Chapter names are an easy way to predict what will happen in the section. Titles like “Fortune Frowns” and “Darkest Hour” suggest there will be much misfortune and bad times.
    Vocabulary/Concepts - The word “Tory” is used multiple times throughout the book. I hadn’t heard of the title before. I learned it was defined as “an American colonist who supported the British during the American Revolution.” Knowing the meaning is important because it gave me a much clearer understanding of a term that was used so frequently.

    Thinking Like a Historian:
    Change and Continuity - A major change is that the British start to come out on top in the second half of the book. The British started winning more battles. This change lowered the spirits of the Americans and benefitted the British.
    Through Their Eyes - The soldiers in both armies were incredibly strong and courageous. It would have been horrible to suffer through such extreme weather conditions.

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  83. Rachel Grosskurth
    Section 2

    Reading Thoughts:
    Connection- Henry Knox wrote, "The general is as worthy a man as breathes, but he cannot do everything and be everywhere(215)." Henry Knox's description of his general made me think about our country's current leader, President Barack Obama. A wise teacher I had in the past once told me, "Rachel, you can't please everyone." This is the truth when it comes to those in charge. Although there were people that supported General Heath, I'm sure there were skeptics that opposed his judgement calls. Similarly to the general, in that he did his best, yet it wasn't perfect, President Obama has done, what he considers to be the best job he can do with the knowledge, experience, and resources he has. Although many Americans disagree with his standpoint on hot-topic issues, his decisions, or the way he spends government money, President Obama has worked hard and carried our nation through everything from Osama bin Laden's death to visiting those affected by Hurricane Isaac. And, as the quote testifies, it is physically impossible for any person, president or otherwise, to be everywhere and solve all of the nation's problems in four years.

    Visualization- "Washington is said to have wept as he watched the tragedy unfold from across the river,...he surely wept within his soul (244)." This quote and the paragraph that preceds gave me an excellent word picture of George Washington as I read. I visualized him to have literally crumpled at his knees in to an emotional heap along the side of the river. The stress of leading an army and war was really getting to him. Inside, I imagine him crying out in anguish and utter despair and dismay.

    Reading Like a Historian:
    Change and Continuity- George Washington exclaimed in disgust, "Are these the men with which I am to defend America (212)?" The American army was simply a group of men (under age 15 and old men) who joined forces in General Washington's army. They had little to no prior experience in battle. They were, "all indifferently clothed, filthy, and without shoes (243)." Certainly not a sight for sore eyes. Upon laying their eyes on the American army, the British soldiers scoffed at the sorry looking group of men. "Their odd figures frequently excited the laughter of our soldiers" Frederick Mackenzie recorded. That was in 1776. Today, in 2012, soldiers are definitley better trained and clothed in official uniform. In addition, it is a custom to honor soldiers. I personally try to take the opportunity to thank members of the armed forces. My cousin, Luke, graduated from high school this past spring and decided to enroll in the army. He is currently at a basic training camp in Georgia for another 14 weeks before he will be sent overseas. Everyone from family to friends has praised his choice to serve his country to which I am very glad. I'm glad that soldiers are no longer perceived as "filthy" and pathetic, but as heros.

    Through Their Eyes- Captain Nathan Hale's last words before, "...he was about to be executed: I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country (224)." These are inspiring last words. A person's last words are arguably the most important, inspiring, and hopeful words spoken in their whole lifetime. For example, upon his deathbed, George Washington said, "I die hard but am not afraid to go." Or the dancer, Isadora Duncan said, "Adieu, mes amis! Je vais la gloire!(Farewell, my friends! I go to glory!) These final words protray the content of Nathan Hale's heart. Hale viewed his service in the military as the opportunity to give his country everything he had, including his very life itself.

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    1. I agree with you definitely that the army had changed quite drastically from the Revolution. We take pride in ourselves now a days from uniforms to training and most definitely our styles of fighting and equipment. However I thought these men were heroes even if they didn't have the different weapons,uniforms, equipment etc. that we use today. They were by no means pathetic. Anyways, good luck to your cousin. -Sean Luedtke

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    2. Hi Sean,
      Just wanted to clear up something. I don't think soldiers are pathetic at all, in today's society or in the past. I was simply stating that many people, mainly the British, of the time looked down on soldiers. Sorry if that point came off wrong or was unclear. ~Rachel Grosskurth

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  84. Rachel Netzer
    Part 3

    Reading Thoughts:
    Vocabulary/Concepts - I came across the word “resplendent” in the third part of the book. I was unsure of the meaning, but learned it meant “splendid or dazzling in appearance.”
    Big Idea/Generalizations - An interesting aspect of the American armies is that no matter how many battles they lost, they never completely lost hope or ran out of steam. Despite crushing defeat after defeat, they continued working toward their goal, and ultimately succeeded in winning their independence.

    Thinking Like a Historian:
    Change and Continuity - In the final part, the tides change once again, and the American side ends up triumphant. This is probably the greatest change, as America was awarded independence to be its own country.
    Turning Points - One of the biggest turning points in the third section was when Washington crossed the Delaware with his army. Up until then, there had been many losses for Washington, but this victory picked the American army back up and ultimately helped them succeed in another major battle not long after.

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  85. Megan Stenstrom
    Section 3

    Reading Thoughts:
    Evaluation- Throughout reading 1776 McCullough did a good job in giving perspective from both sides at the battle, but it stands base that he leans towards making the Rebels appear as underdogs and the British as the all-mighty overbearing rulers. It seems as though, towards the end of the book he gave more credit to the generals and soldiers on the American side and I think it would have made the book a little more creditable to give perspective from some who were fighting on the British side that didn't fully support the war. They would have had a different outlook as to how everything laid out and not just one of the more "aged" generals who were in charge. Also I thought it was interesting that, although the book is titled 1776, which gives you the idea that everything is happening in 1776 he should have put a bit more background information towards the beginning on the American side. There wasn't great emphasis on why they wanted their freedom from England, just that they wanted it. If he would have put more details into why, it would have made more sense to someone who didn't know any background information before reading this story.

    Questions- While McCullough did a wonderful job answering many unspoken questions as the book went on, I noticed a few pieces of history that I thought were important. For example Thomas Payne's Common Sense, which is what pushes so many of the farmers and merchants and not so well educated to help fight for their freedom. Also as mentioned before he didn't give a lot of information about before the war started. When the book first opens its already talking about parliament taking America to war. I also wonder why signing the declaration of Independence isn't given too much thought in the book either. It's approached as more of a means to an end and not like something that at that time was very important

    Reading Like a Historian
    Differing Perspectives- Throughout the book and even at end, McCullough did a wonderful job giving the perspective of everyone from foot-soldiers to generals on the British side. The way he wrote the story gave me a more unbiased view than I would have been able to see if it had just focused on the American side, or even if it was just a few of the highly educated perspectives. By showing how everyone saw the war I was able to understand and comprehend more of the story.

    Turning Points- One of the most obvious turning points was Washington crossing the Delaware. That is what children see when you bring up the Revolutionary war. That is because that was the battle that would make or break the war. Washington knew it was time to end this, so he took a daring stance and laid all his cards on the table. Along with crossing the Delaware, the battle of Trenton itself was a war-saver. A loss there would have meant fewer to no soldiers left to fight anymore and it was an all or nothing battle. With these victories the moral on the rebel side was increased meaning more men signed up to fight and there was more hope that the war could actually be won. They were the two major turning points for the whole war. Without them we most likely would have lost, sooner rather than later.

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  86. Reading Thoughts Part 2:
    Evaluation:
    Throughout part three of the novel 1776, it is significant to note the impact of the war on the British at this point. An example to show how traumatic the hopelessness that the war brought is shown through Joseph Reed. Reed was an intellectually strong philosopher who could find the light in the dark areas of the war, and at this point of part three he is found to be unable to find anything positive about their current position in the war. This is shown on page 204 when the author states, "... But it was a struggle now for him to offer even a fragment of hope. It was the sluggards and skulkers, the tavern patriots and windy politicians, who evoked a wrath he could not contain." This is significant because it shows that if not even the optimist of the British had hope for the upcoming battles then there was no hope to be found for those of the townspeople.
    Big Ideas/Generalizations:
    In the beginning of Chapter Seven, the leader of the colonist army is depicted in a way that allows the reader to understand how the colonists had such strong motivation and drive. They had this because of their leader, George Washington. Washington was described as having confidence and strength throughout all of his decisions, such confidence that would lead the colonist army to a victory like non other. The character of Washington’s leadership is significant because it reveals the role of confidence in leadership that is still true today. On page 247 Washington’s leadership is described as, “By young Monroe’s estimate, Washington had at most 3,000 men, yet his expression gave no sign of worry. ‘A deportment so firm, so dignified, but yet so modest and composed, I have never seen in any other person.’” This is significant because it explains the relationship that Washington shared with his soldiers. Washington’s army was able to have confidence because he himself had confidence.
    Reading Like a Historian Part 2:
    Turning Points:
    At the point of part three the British have a significant, unexpected turning point that show the readers the turn of the war. The British who were civilized and strong were now filled with despair and had drown in worry. The British were now effected by the cost of the war and had become surrounded by hopelessness that influenced the British to desire to give up. On page 202, David McCullough states, “The army that had shown such remarkable discipline and unity through the long night of the escape from Brooklyn had rapidly become engulfed with despair, turned surly and out of hand”. This Is significant because it depicts the turning point that the British army now faced, and the colonists who were the underdogs were able to turn to be the winners of this point.
    Through Their Eyes:
    Towards the end of Chapter Seven, McCullough reveals what the British have discovered about the Colonies. The British began to realize that the Colonies had wealth and resources and by that downturn of the war there was not hope for the British to win the Revolution. So in response to the wealth and potential prosperity of the Colonies which surrounded them they responded by ransacking the towns in attempt to cut off the resources which the colonies had, so that resign would come from the townspeople influencing the soldiers. On page 260, Ewald wrote, “All the plantations in the vicinity were plundered, and whatever the soldiers found in the houses was declared booty”. This shows the impact that the war had on the British in their desperate attempt to destroy whatever they could to impact the Colonists in a negative way.

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  87. Cassie Rick
    Parts 1 & 2

    Visualization- George Washington always said that camps where the soldiers stayed were dirty and always filled with disease. Most men, at one point during the war, had smallpox which spread rapidly throughout the camp. Many men didn't bathe either which didn't help with the spreading of diseases. This visualization makes me wonder how long these men suffered in these dirty conditions.

    Turning Points- The battle at Dorchester Heights was a turning point for Washington and the Americans. After walking all night to get the trenches dug and the artillery moved finally when General Howe saw the next morning that there were cannons facing him and his soldiers he chose to leave for New York.

    Preview/Predict- By looking at the titles of each chapter it was easy to get an idea of what was going to happen. Dorchester Heights for example, by seeing that title I could predict that it would be a battle or conquest.
    Also when Washington decided to only put a few guards at the Jamaica Pass I could predict that most likely the British would find out about the pass and try to get through without the Americans knowing.

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    1. Lindsey Wetzel
      I also found that scene easy to visualize due to how McCullough described them. I can imagine how gruesome of a scene it must have been in some of those camps. With the diseases that ran rampant throughout and the injuries of war that occurred, its a true testament to the will power of the colonies soldiers that stuck through the war and eventually won us our independence.

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  88. Lindsey Wetzel
    Part two:
    Reading Thoughts:
    Big Idea/Generalizations: A big generalization that can be made from the information this book gave me is that the side with the heart to win, will win. In this case the colonies soldiers, even without enough food, shelter or warmth most often, they still won the war because they had the motivation to win. The British soldiers had much more training and the proper resources most of the time yet lacked that passion to win because they weren't fighting for something as important to them as the independence the colonies so badly desired. This can also be connected to not only war because in many circumstances the more motivation, and the more heart one side has is the more likely that side is to succeed in what it wants.
    Vocabulary: There were quite a few words that tripped me up the first time I read through them but usually it is easy to use context clues and figure out what words mean. Two words I did look up though were Impoverished on page 250, which means either made poor, or to be exhausted. The second word I looked up was Adjourned on page 266 and that means to break off with the intention of resuming later, which was helpful when the book talked about Congressional affairs.

    Reading like a Historian:
    Change and Continuity: In part two of this book the Hessians joined the British army and gave them a huge advantage over the already dysfunctional colonial military force, so that was the first big change in part two that occurred and it made people believe they would have an easy victory and for a while they did,until the battle of Trenton. The battle of Trenton was a big victory for the colonists that led also to the battle of Yorktown which gave the colonists final independence.
    Through their eyes: As a lot of students have mentioned before looking through the eyes of the soldiers from the colonies would be so tough because of their extreme cold at some points, the lack of food and total dehydration. But, another person who can be looked at this way is George Washington who had no prior experience leading military forces and minimal governmental experience as well but still lead the army in a way that was helpful to the victory. If we look through his eyes I can't imagine how much of a struggle it must have been for someone with such an indecisive nature as Washington to lead a whole army to the victory of their independence.

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    1. Griffin Cofell
      Lindsay, I agree with your statement refering to the "heart to win" I would tend to agree that if you have the proper motivation, anything is possible, despite the odds against you.

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  89. Jessica Richards
    Section 1

    Preview/Predict: Before I even started the book I thought the whole thing would take place in 1776, hence the name. But, within the first paragraph I was wrong. The book started out explaining the situation in England which made me think the book was going to be more biased and focused on the English viewpoints. Reading on though, I found that the book has viewpoints from both sides and tries to give as much information as possible about each side.
    Visualize: Throughout the book, after reading a section, I would put down the book and just try to picture what I had just read. For example, "...a storm swept across the whole of the province...temperatures dropped to the low twenties, and a foot of snow fell...the troops continued with their routine as on any day" (67). Here i pictured exhausted and bedraggled young men freezing but still doing their duties and pushing through.
    Through Their Eyes: In the beginning many people wanted to fight for their freedom. As the war went on though, their opinions seemed to change because getting soldiers to stay got harder and harder. After their enlistment was up they wanted to go home, which left the army with no one to fight. They had nothing going for them if they stayed because most were humble farmers who needed to tend to their crops and families they left behind. The pay they recieved was no where near enough to support them and their families. Only when the army won a battle did morale go up.
    Using the Past: Many of the officers on the side of the rebels had never been in combat before. They were inexperienced yet they still were given a higher position simply because they were the most dedicated. We can use this now to know that even if someone isn't the most experienced they can still be one of the most useful people. The officers then were working with what they had and even if it was a ragtag bunch of inexperienced soldiers they were still able to come out on top in some battles, such as Dorchester Heights.

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    1. Samantha Eckmann

      I was also surprised when the book started out explaining what was happening in England. I thought it was interesting to learn what the British thought of America and the impending war.

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  90. Griffin Cofell. Part three
    Connections: Upon reading part three of 1776 I made a few connections, one being that in order to have a strong nation, you need a strong leader. George Washington was painfully aware of the lack of sophisticated training in not only the troops, but the military leaders as well, which could prove to be a pivitol detriment to the American Army. If the leaders of the army would better, that would in turn lead to a better organized, and more skilled army. This relates to modern day life in many ways. You pick any sort of field, and there will be a leader for it. Without a strong leader, the entire system can collapse, nothing would get done. Whether it's school, buisnesses, or even the entire nation, without a leader, we're nothing. In order to succeed, one needs a good leader, one that you can trust to make the proper decisions.
    Thinking Like a Historian:
    Using the Past: Throughout this entire book, the author puts in an effort to convey the deplorable conditions of all the troops.This adds the level of both shock of what they had to endure, and awe that they were able to do so. Looking back, we wouldn't have anything we have today had it not been for the efforts that those soldiers went through. Had America not won the war, life would be dramatically different, many if not all of us might not have even been born.. Both these soldiers, and the soldiers that fight today endure so much to give us the lives we have, and we should all be appreciative for it.

    Differing Perspectives: Unlike many other novels related to this era, this one brilliantly displays what BOTH sides of the war went though, and how they handled each issue they faced. An example of this was whenever the Americans retreated, the British viewed it as cowardly, while it was a necessary strategic move on the American's part.

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  91. Sean Luedtke
    Section 3

    Reading Thoughts:

    Visualization: The major vision I had in my head while reading this is the famous portrait of when George Washington crossed the Delaware River in the middle of the night to beat the Hessians while they were partying on Christmas. I can just picture the Portrait of him with the Flag behind him watching in the distance as his crew of about 10 men rows through the iced river with many boats in the distance.


    Using the Past: Throughout the book, McCullough references how drastically unfit the colonist troops were for battle, especially in comparison with the British army. They were hardly able to identify their generals and other fellow militia men, they weren’t trained to have any military skills or experience and mostly used the guerilla fighting style, and in many battles they were easily outnumbered. Now a days, our army is much more experienced and is trained to be one of the best. And unlike in the American Revolution, we do not have to have almost every citizen fighting in the war as we are able to maintain recruiting citizens without a draft.

    Reading Like a Historian:

    Turning Points: I saw 2 key turning points in this section. The first was most definitely the sneak attack on the Delaware river against the Hessians, since it proved to win the Colonists the war. But I also see the British not doing a full on attack of the Colonists a turning point as well, because if they would have attacked knowing the disadvantages of them, the entire outcome could have been different.

    Change and Continuity: In the third section, troops were still in a downward spiral morally which seemed to be one of the themes of section 3. One change that was different was that Washington had lost some of the respect he had in previous chapters. The Army started losing troops and started losing faith in their leadership and gave up on themselves and Generals.

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  92. Cassie Rick
    Part 3

    Big Idea/Generalizations- A big thing that I noticed while reading this book is that many of the poeple fighing are doing this not only for their family, but for their country as well. They give their time and some their lives for the hope of one day having seperation from Britain. On page 224 there is a quote by a man who was executed for being a spy and he says, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." It shows that these men would do anything to finally have freedom.

    Through Their Eyes- As the war continued and the Americans hadn't seen any sign of overthrowing the British, Washington began to doubt if they would succeed. Washington sees that the war isn't going their way, but he continues to lead the army and not give up and eventually he leads them to freedom from Britain.

    Visualization- When the Hessians and British troops take control of Fort Washington and the Americans are taken prisoner Washington weeps because of the loss. This is the first in the book that he has gotten emotional and showed showed that he truly cares about the soldiers serving with him.

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  93. Samantha Eckmann
    Part 1

    Reading Thoughts

    Visualize-The part that I thought was the easiest to visualize was the disorganization of the American army and their camps. The author seemed to focus on the fact that the American army was mainly compromised of average men from all different backgrounds with little to no military experience. This was evident in the way their camps looked which was described to be chaotic and disorganized. The army didn’t even have a proper uniform so they looked less like an army ready to defend their country, and more like the “rabble in arms” the British were convinced that they were.

    Importance-In the first part of the book, weather seems to be an extremely important factor. With little protection against the elements, the armies lost many men due to sickness that was caused by unfortunate weather conditions. Weather also played a huge role in the outcome of battles, and in some cases even decided whether a battle could be fought. In fact, bad weather was what deterred the British from attacking the Patriots once they had fortified Dorchester Heights. Since the British were not able to attack, their only other option was to flee. This was incredibly detrimental to their confidence in winning the war and only deepened their resolve to make the Americans obey.

    Reading like a Historian

    Turning points-I think one important turning point was the when the American army fortified Dorchester Heights. This seemed to have caught the British off guard, and due to the weather they were left with no other choice than to retreat. This was an important moment because it boosted the confidence of the American army and embarrassed the British army, which gave them even more of a reason to want to defeat the Americans. I believe this was the point that the British army realized the war would not be easily or quickly won.
    Differing Perspectives-Before I began reading this book, I thought the author was going to focus primarily on the American army and their opinion on the war. However, he seemed to tell the story without much bias. Although I felt the book mostly focused on the American army, it was interesting to see how the British army saw things and how they felt about the Americans and the war. I think that greatly added to the story and I feel as though I learned a lot more.

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    1. Jessica Richards

      I agree with your visualization of the ragtag American soldiers. That was how i saw it as well and time and time again they still managed to prove they were just as good, if not better, at times. Everytime I pictured them all I saw was a group of young guys in clothes that were no more than rags that would freeze in the winter yet they didn't give up.

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  94. Samantha Eckmann
    Part 2

    Reading Thoughts

    Connections-While I was reading I was very surprised at how common deserters were. Many soldiers would leave when their families were sick, when their farms needed tending to, or even when things just got too hard. It was so surprising because in our army now there are severe consequences for desertion. I think this just shows how undisciplined the American army really was during the Revolutionary War.

    Vocabulary-In the second part of the book the Hessians were mentioned quite a bit because they had been hired by the British to help them fight. I had no idea where they were from, but after some research I found out they were mercenaries from what is now Germany.

    Reading like a Historian

    Through Their Eyes-The perspective I find most interesting in George Washington’s. He was given a role he didn’t feel qualified for and handled it better than most would. I was surprised at how well he handled the pressure of making the decisions that would either win or lose the war.

    Change and Continuity-The British army hired Hessian mercenaries to help them in the war. This ended up being extremely helpful due to their vicious fighting methods and their extensive training. The American army continued to be disorganized and had little to no training.

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  95. Samantha Eckmann
    Part 3

    Reading Thoughts

    Big idea/Generalizations-From the very beginning the American army started at a disadvantage. They had a small inexperienced army, camps were unclean, and sicknesses were rampant in the camps. They were given the task of defeating the most powerful army of that time which seemed impossible. As time progressed America was losing more battles than they were winning and things were looking bleak. Many thought it was impossible for American to win due to the size of the British army. However, the American army overcame the odds and ended up winning the war due to their dedication to their country and for independence.

    Preview and Predict-Before I started reading the third section of the book, I looked at all of the chapter titles and I made the prediction that one of the armies would lose many battles and face very tough times. As I continued to read the American army continues to lose almost every battle. They don’t seem to have much hope, but their pride and independence.

    Reading like a Historian

    Cause and Effect-Throughout the story weather plays a huge part in the battles. Sometimes it was helpful, especially when there was fog when the American army retreated from New York. Without the fog, there was a good chance the British would’ve seen them and they would never have been able to retreat. However, most of the time the weather was detrimental and many died from poor conditions.

    Using the past-From the very beginning of the book it was pointed out just how poor the American army was. They didn’t have uniforms, they had very little gun powder in the beginning, and had far fewer guns and cannons that the British army did. This obviously made things much more difficult for them to win. Now the military receives huge funds to pay for weapons, proper training for soldiers, etc.

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  96. Jessica Richards
    Section 3

    Evaluation: The author did a fairly good job of showing both English and American viewpoints and standings. It does appear to portray the Americans as being very much at a disadvantage to the English and their superior fighting tactics, as well as the Hessians that were on their side. The Americans were the underdogs yet they still managed to pull off a victory when it mattered the most.

    Vocabulary/Concepts: 'Coup de main' I found is French for a suprise attack or sudden development. I also looked up what a tidal estuary was and I learned it is that part of the mouth or lower course of a river in which the river's current meets the sea's tide. Another word that confused me was vanguard. Once I learned it means the foremost division or the front part of an army it made much more sense.

    Turning Points: One turning point was after January 2, 1777. There was a battle that day and that night the Americans were forced to retreat. Instead of going to Bordentown though which was expected, Washington and his 5,500 men went to attack Cornwallis's rear guard in Princeton. This one decision led to the retreat of the British. This was a victory for the Americans, something they sorely needed to keep up morale and enlistment in a time when many didn't want to be away from their families and farms. The biggest turning point though, was the famous crossing of the Delaware.

    Cause and Effect: Washington was looked up to by many. He made change happen. As one young officer wrote of him, "I shall never forget what I felt...when I saw him brave all the dangers of the field and his important life hanging as it were by a single hair with a thousand deaths flying around him. Believe me, I thought not of myself" (289). Washington was the man that people looked up to and he did what needed to be done. When he needed more soldiers he increased pay by $10 and when that didn't work he used his power of speech to move people to stay and fight. If he didn't have this gift to convince people with his speech many things would have been different.

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  97. Matt Knowles
    Part 1
    Importance: It seemed that the weather and sanitation played an enormous part in this war. Soldiers were coming down with illnesses left and right because the shelter wasn't sufficient for northeastern winters. Sanitation was almost non-existent. McCullough wrote that many of the soldiers in the rebel army refused to wash their own clothes because it was deemed women's work at the time. The majority of the soldiers were not fit for duty.
    Big Idea/Generalization: The majority of wars in the past have been for the cause of cultural imperialism: trying impose one country's ideals upon another country. This war, however, was fought for the purpose of breaking away from the ideals of a country, specifically religion and government, but really just an overall way of life.
    Through Their Eyes: I'm not sure if it mentions in the book how much of the country were for the cause of breaking away from England, and having little prior knowledge on the subject I have to wonder if anyone was afraid that the country could not make it on their own, and did not really want to become an independent country. Also, were the soldiers in the military drafted or simply volunteers that firmly believed in breaking away?
    Using the Past: We have clearly learned from the past in the case of funding the military. It is necessary to keep our troops cared for properly, which I believe we are doing a much better job of now. Citizens have taken it upon themselves to give as much to out troops as they can in the form of donations, which is truly outstanding.

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  98. Matt Knowles
    Part 2
    Question: I have to wonder what tactics were used by the rebel army in order to fend off England's incredibly strong naval forces. It almost seems like an impossibility.
    Evaluation: Having broken away from England, how was the country able to support itself? I would like to read a book from an economic standpoint of post-war commerce. Or was England just not as financially connected to the U.S. as I had imagined?
    Cause and Effect: The cause of the war was simply the craving for independence from harsh British rule. This led to rebellion and enough perseverance on part of the Americans to not give up until independence was gained. George Washington faced some incredibly tough obstacles - weather it be size of the army, difficult conditions, or simply gaining the faith of his men, he overcame.
    Differing Perspectives: This may not pertain, but how would the war have been different if Washington wasn't leading the way? He was always confident and never gave up; however, had another man been in charge, possibly one with the perspective of the war being a lost cause, would the outcome have been the same? Or would he have just given up?

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  99. Kelsey Gilmore Hour 1
    Part 1

    Through their eyes: Being alive during the time of 1776 you may have been part of the single most important days in our country’s history. Yet, during the time, it may not have seemed so. Many Americans doubted Washington and his army after the array of losses the American army had endured when Britain returned from Bunker Hill larger and stronger than ever. Being an American not involved in the army could’ve been heartbreaking and bitter during the times of defeat on the American Army, yet the fate of our soon to be country was not the only fate on many American’s mind. Family’s had to send fathers and sons off to war to most likely never see again. Boys had to be transformed to Men in the course of a day, I don’t think anything could prepare these people for what was to come, but the result, in my opinion, was worth it.

    Using the past: the single thing that always intrigues me in war books and movies of the past is how far the structure and training of our armies have come. Today joining the U.S navy, army etc. provides you with money, an education, training, and much more. In the book 1776 and many other war stories of this time, young boys were literally stolen from their homes to fight in a face on shooting battle until death. They men were not provided with a clean environment, training, or much else other than a near positive death, or a long painful journey ahead of them.


    Connections: Throughout this book I made an array of connections, yet the one the I connected to immediately was when Howe, after finding the rebels occupying Dorchester heights, said, that "the rebels did in one night what I could not make my army do in 3 months". It was obvious that these rebels were against the British because the British had been taxing them heavily, and they were doing it in such an inconsiderate ways towards the colonists by oppressing them using force which is violating their human rights. When reading this 1,000 things filled my mind on how many situations happen when wrong is done toward a person, or a group of people, and the victims risk many things (sometimes even their lives) do get revenge. There are situations from as small as a trashing the girls car who stole your boyfriend, to as large as trading against your own country as the loyalists did.

    Visualize: While reading books, if they do not provide me with pictures I tend to visualize every single page as if I’m watching a movie. Some the most vivid images I could create were those of Washington’s small un-experienced Rebel Army. This may be because I took such an interest in the edge and courage these men had, by doing something that could easily end their lives, knowing their up against something much greater than them (British Army). I could really see how they were unlike any other army with their disorganization of uniform. While on the opposing side, the British were all matching in their red suits. The image not only created a picture but an understanding of the differential of courage, and pride, hope, and doubt in the opposing sides.

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  101. Kelsey Gilmore Hour 1
    Part 2


    Preview/ Predict: When reading the title of the first chapter, 'Sovereign Duty', I instantly thought that it would be about George Washington. By using prior knowledge about Washington I knew that he assumed his duty as commander of the colonial army, and took great interest of his soldiers and “people”. This prediction was also anticipated because many colonists looked up to Washington as a great authority figure and many treated him like royalty, resulting in him becoming the first President of America later in history.

    Turning Points: The Turning Point to me was when Washington ordered his army across the Delaware River and the Battle of Trenton began, ending in an American victory. This event is so crucial because it was the first battle that gave America hope. After the array of defeats on America, and the powerful army of Britain, America started to extremely doubt the capabilities of the Rebel Army and their leaders. Washington called this win the “brilliant strike” because it was the beginning that led them to success.

    Evaluation: Before reading this book I had no idea how un-prepared and equipped in numbers and in weapons the Rebel Army was compared to the British. I didn’t know most of the American generals and soldiers had never been in a war never less that the majority of the army knew close to nothing about military strategies and life. By reading how young boys were turned into soldiers blew my mind, and made me realize the true fight that was required to form our country. I also didn’t know that George Washington considered himself ill prepared and unfit for his position. No wonder America had little hope in their own Rebel Army.

    Question: As I was reading 1776, the subject of Loyalists and Tories came up on multiple occasions. After looking them up I understand more clearly what they are, but cannot discover the significant difference between the two.

    Sam Eckman, regarding your post of using the past, i couldn't agree more. The incredible change in our army today is the first thing that came to mind in how much our country has learned from its own past.

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  102. Hayley Tobalsky
    Part 1- Reading Thoughts
    Big Ideas/ Generalizations- Weather played a big role on the battles. It helped knowing the British weren’t aware of the conditions. It helped shorten the battle time and lengthen the war time. Even though the British had the advantage, it was amazing how the King hadn’t expected any kind of weather. In the one battle from New York it helped save soldiers lives. The fog was so dense it helped so they couldn’t see.
    Connections- While reading the text there were a lot of connections. The main connection I got from this was placing your trust in someone you may not want to trust. There are many people who didn’t like or disagreed with Washington as a leader. Because he was the leader, if you didn’t agree with him you had two choices, go home or continue to trust him and fight for your country. Personally I’ve never had to make that exact decision, but there are many others that are very similar. Being a 16 year old, it is not my place to change others decisions, but I do have the decision to quit essentially, or trust my leader.Ini the book, there was lots of times the army could have quit, but they believed in Washington and succeeded.
    Reading like a Historian
    Cause and Effect- The continental army defiantly benefited from Washington’s age and plans. He was a very intellectual man, also very young. Knowing about history and past events helped lead them to victory through that day and ages time. Most of the men in the army wanted freedom, so they were younger men who had the same mindset as Washington... I also blame his age for some of the disorganization just in being that he was young and leading a country’s army into war. Cause, new ideas, new age, effect, victory.
    Through Their Eyes- A lot of opinions changed throughout this section partly because of all the different decisions made. Understanding the different perspectives defiantly gives it a twist. As a soldier I don’t know what I would think. Probably I would think that Washington is crazy and why should we ever split up and go different places and then when we know we have the disadvantage, why would he still go through and fight?

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  103. Hayley Tobalsky
    Part 2- Reading Thoughts
    Big Idea/ Generalizations- After reading the book, it became clear to me that it didn’t matter whether or not you were the underdog, anything can happen and if your hearts in it to win, then you will. Freedom being the modivator made our troops become tough even though we did not have enough food, shelter, and the conditions were not good. This proves that anyone can win as long as you try and have your heart in it.
    Vocabulary- It got confusing especially in the middle to end to keep track of all of the groups and what they stood for and believed in, but with a little research it helped me to understand this a ton more.
    Thinking like a Historian
    Change- While Washington was still in leadership, the same wishy washy decisions no one could trust were going on. When the Hessians joined the British army, which now gave them a bigger advantage. We went into this thinking it was going to be easy. Luckily we kicked butt in Trenton and came through as the underdogs.
    Differing Perspectives- Being a soldier with a crazy leader would probably not be the best thing. Washington made many crazy decisions making a lot of people not trust him. When you’re losing and are expected to lose it is hard to find the heart in what you do again. The other way is Washington was very smart financial because in the money sense, he made some very smart decision

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  104. With how many people read this, I hope you guys really didn't enjoy this book :)

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