1776 (book)

Last updated

1776
David McCullough1776 book cover.jpg
The cover's artwork is The Capture of the Hessians at Trenton by John Trumbull.
Author David McCullough
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Subject History/U.S. History/American Revolution/Military History
Genre Non-fiction
PublishedMay 24, 2005
Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Pages386
ISBN 978-0-7432-2671-4 (hardcover)
978-0-7432-2672-1 (paperback)
978-1-4165-4210-0 (Illustrated Edition)
OCLC 57557578
973.3 22
LC Class E208 .M396 2005
Preceded by John Adams  
Followed by The Greater Journey  

1776 (released in the United Kingdom as 1776: America and Britain at War) [1] is a book written by David McCullough, published by Simon & Schuster on May 24, 2005. The work is a companion to McCullough's earlier biography of John Adams, and focuses on the events surrounding the start of the American Revolutionary War. While revolving mostly around the leadership (and often indecisiveness) of George Washington, there is also considerable attention given to King George III, William Howe, Henry Knox, and Nathanael Greene. Key Revolutionary War battles detailed in the book include the Battle of Dorchester Heights, the Battle of Long Island, and the Battle of Trenton. [2] The activities of the Second Continental Congress and the signing of the Declaration of Independence are treated in less detail, as the focus is on military rather than political events. The book includes multiple pages of full color illustrations, including portraits and historical battlefield maps made by British engineers at the time.

Contents

Illustrated Edition

1776: The Illustrated Edition 1776 illustrated.jpg
1776: The Illustrated Edition

1776: The Illustrated Edition was released on October 2, 2007. The Illustrated Edition contains 140 images and thirty-seven removable replicas of source documents. More than three dozen source documents—including a personal letter George Washington penned to Martha about his commission, a note informing the mother of a Continental Army soldier that her son has been taken prisoner, and a petition signed by Loyalists pledging their allegiance to the King—are re-created in uniquely designed envelopes throughout the book and secured with the congressional seal.

The text closely mirrors the original book, but omits or summarizes some parts deemed too long. The Illustrated Edition comes with its own protective slipcase, decorated with The Capture of the Hessians at Trenton, December 26, 1776 by John Trumbull and has a "fake watermark" of the Great Seal of the United States on the back and front. The book is plain covered in blue with the golden embossed numbers "1776".

Reception

1776 was selected as part of the 2005 and 2006 CSAF Professional Reading Program. [3] 1776 is also a New York Times and Amazon bestseller.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Revolutionary War</span> 1775–1783 war of independence

The American Revolutionary War, also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of the United States, fighting began on April 19, 1775, followed by the Lee Resolution on July 2, 1776, and the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The American Patriots were supported by the Kingdom of France and, to a lesser extent, the Kingdom of Spain and the Dutch Republic, in a conflict taking place in North America, the Caribbean, and the Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Princeton</span> American Revolutionary War battle

The Battle of Princeton was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, fought near Princeton, New Jersey on January 3, 1777, and ending in a small victory for the Colonials. General Lord Cornwallis had left 1,400 British troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood in Princeton. Following a surprise attack at Trenton early in the morning of December 26, 1776, General George Washington of the Continental Army decided to attack the British in New Jersey before entering the winter quarters. On December 30, he crossed the Delaware River back into New Jersey. His troops followed on January 3, 1777. Washington advanced to Princeton by a back road, where he pushed back a smaller British force but had to retreat before Cornwallis arrived with reinforcements. The battles of Trenton and Princeton were a boost to the morale of the patriot cause, leading many recruits to join the Continental Army in the spring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Trenton</span> Battle of the American Revolutionary War (December 26, 1776)

The Battle of Trenton was a small but pivotal American Revolutionary War battle on the morning of December 26, 1776, in Trenton, New Jersey. After General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton the previous night, Washington led the main body of the Continental Army against Hessian auxiliaries garrisoned at Trenton. After a brief battle, almost two-thirds of the Hessian force were captured, with negligible losses to the Americans. The battle significantly boosted the Continental Army's waning morale, and inspired re-enlistments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Stone House (Brooklyn)</span> Historic house museum in Brooklyn, New York

The Old Stone House is a house located in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. The Old Stone House is situated within the J. J. Byrne Playground, at Washington Park, on Third Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. Gowanus Creek once ran nearby, but today the southeastern branch of the Gowanus Canal ends 1,300 feet (400 m) west of the house.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York and New Jersey campaign</span> Campaign in the American Revolutionary War

The New York and New Jersey campaign in 1776 and the winter months of 1777 was a series of American Revolutionary War battles for control of the Port of New York and the state of New Jersey, fought between British forces under General Sir William Howe and the Continental Army under General George Washington. Howe was successful in driving Washington out of New York, but overextended his reach into New Jersey, and ended the active campaign season in January 1777 with only a few outposts near the city. The British held New York Harbor for the rest of the war, using it as a base for expeditions against other targets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Harlem Heights</span> Battle of the American Revolutionary War

The Battle of Harlem Heights was fought during the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War. The action took place on September 16, 1776, in what is now the Morningside Heights area and east into the future Harlem neighborhoods of northwestern Manhattan Island in what is now part of New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Landing at Kip's Bay</span> Action during American Revolutionary War

The Landing at Kip's Bay was a British amphibious landing during the New York Campaign in the American Revolutionary War on September 15, 1776. It occurred on the East River shore of Manhattan north of what then constituted New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Crossing State Park</span> United States historic place

Washington Crossing State Park is a 3,575-acre (14 km2) New Jersey state park that is part of Washington's Crossing, a U.S. National Historic Landmark area. It is located in the Washington Crossing and Titusville sections of Hopewell Township in Mercer County, north of Trenton along the Delaware River. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. It is supported by the Washington Crossing Park Association, a friends group that works to preserve, enhance, and advocate for the park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Pell's Point</span> Battle of the American Revolutionary War

The Battle of Pell's Point, also known as the Battle of Pelham, was a skirmish fought between British and American troops during the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War. The conflict took place in what is now part of Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, New York City and the towns of Pelham Manor and Pelham in Westchester County, New York.

The history of New York City (1665–1783) began with the establishment of English rule over Dutch New Amsterdam and New Netherland. As the newly renamed City of New York and surrounding areas developed, there was a growing independent feeling among some, but the area was decidedly split in its loyalties. The site of modern New York City was the theater of the New York Campaign, a series of major battles in the early American Revolutionary War. After that, the city was under British occupation until the end of the war and was the last port British ships evacuated in 1783.

<i>Washingtons Crossing</i> (book) Book by David Hackett Fischer

Washington's Crossing is a Pulitzer Prize-winning book written by David Hackett Fischer and part of the "Pivotal Moments in American History" series. It is primarily about George Washington's leadership during the 1776 campaign of the American Revolutionary War, culminating with George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River and the subsequent campaign, with the Battle of Trenton, the Battle of the Assunpink Creek, and the Battle of Princeton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River</span> 1776 surprise attack against Hessian forces

George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River occurred on the night of December 25–26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, was the first move in a surprise attack organized by George Washington against Hessian forces, which were German auxiliaries aiding the British, in Trenton, New Jersey, on the morning of December 26. Planned in secrecy, Washington led a column of Continental Army troops from today's Bucks County, Pennsylvania across the icy Delaware River to today's Mercer County, New Jersey, in a logistically challenging and dangerous operation.

John Haslet was an American Presbyterian clergyman and soldier from Milford, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a veteran of the French and Indian War and an officer of the Continental Army in the American Revolution, serving as the first Colonel of the 1st Delaware Regiment. He was killed in action at the Battle of Princeton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of the Assunpink Creek</span> 1777 battle of the American Revolutionary War

The Battle of the Assunpink Creek, also known as the Second Battle of Trenton, was a battle between American and British troops that took place in and around Trenton, New Jersey, on January 2, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, and resulted in an American victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fortification of Dorchester Heights</span> Military action of the American Revolutionary War

The Fortification of Dorchester Heights was a decisive action early in the American Revolutionary War that precipitated the end of the siege of Boston and the withdrawal of British troops from that city.

The 3rd Virginia Regiment was raised on December 28, 1775, at Alexandria, Virginia, for service with the Continental Army. The 3rd Virginia's initial commander was Colonel Hugh Mercer, who was quickly promoted to brigadier general. Its second commander, George Weedon, was also promoted to brigadier general within a few months. Weedon was succeeded in command by Colonel Thomas Marshall, the father of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. During its time at Valley Forge its commander was Colonel William Heth. The regiment saw action in the New York Campaign, the Battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston. Most of the regiment was captured at Charlestown, South Carolina, on May 12, 1780, by the British, and the regiment was formally disbanded on November 15, 1783. James Monroe, Thomas Helm, John Francis Mercer and James Markham Marshall served as lieutenants in this regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Fort Washington</span> Battle of the American Revolutionary War

The Battle of Fort Washington was fought in New York on November 16, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War between the United States and Great Britain. It was a British victory that gained the surrender of the remnant of the garrison of Fort Washington near the north end of Manhattan Island. It was one of the worst Patriot defeats of the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania in the American Revolution</span>

Pennsylvania was the site of many key events associated with the American Revolution and American Revolutionary War. The city of Philadelphia, then capital of the Thirteen Colonies and the largest city in the colonies, was a gathering place for the Founding Fathers who discussed, debated, developed, and ultimately implemented many of the acts, including signing the Declaration of Independence, that inspired and launched the revolution and the quest for independence from the British Empire.

Daniel Hitchcock was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Yale University. He moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where he became an attorney and was suspected by the authorities of involvement in the Gaspee Affair. At the start of the American Revolutionary War he formed Hitchcock's Regiment of infantry in the Rhode Island Army of Observation. He was first appointed lieutenant colonel in command of the regiment when it marched to serve in the Siege of Boston in 1775. His regiment was renamed the 11th Continental Regiment during 1776. That year, he led his troops at Long Island, Harlem Heights, and White Plains.

The following bibliography includes notable books concerning the American Revolutionary War. These books are listed in the bibliographies of books by prominent historians as shown in the footnotes. Under construction: This article is being expanded and revised.

References

  1. Powell's Books - 1776 accessed 7 October 2008. Archived 2009-05-02.
  2. "1776 (review)". Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  3. CSAF Professional Reading Program.