1776 Movie Summary

For this extra credit project, I watched 1776, a musical that goes through the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence. It begins with a song, as any good musical does. The story focuses on John Adams, a delegate from Massachusetts at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. The story begins on May 8th, 1776, and John Adams’ unrelentless tirade on Congress to vote for independence. Congress is not fon of the idea, and Adams turns to Ben Franklin for help. Franklin suggests that they send Richard Henry Lee, a delegate from Virginia, to the Virginia House of Burgesses to get a resolution on independency. About a month later, he returns with a resolution. The colonies vote on whether to debate the issue, with a 6-5 vote for debate.

1776 is a film about the path to American independence. Specifically the actions and conversations that the continental congress took part in. John Adams is the first character that is introduced in the movie. He has proposed the Idea of American independence before the congress 23 times and has been rejected every time because Adams is perceived as obnoxious and disliked within the congress. Adams goes to Benjamin Franklin for help getting congress to listen to him and Franklin suggests that they get Richard Henry Lee to propose Independence instead of Adams, because the congressmen like Lee more than Adams. Richard Lee then proceeds to go to his home colony of Virginia to get approval for the resolution. Lee comes back to Philadelphia

Throughout history, Americans have sought to spread the spirit of equality, which is believed to be the realization of true freedom. Before establishing this freedom, every American had only one question stuck in their head: What is freedom? Our country received it in the year of 1776 from the British through a series of difficulties and wars. African Americans defined it as an escape from slavery, while immigrants defined it as their acceptance into a new society. More yet, women of the women’s suffrage defined their freedom as their recognition into society and for their rights to be equal to that of every other man. These different perceptions of cultures/groups in America tied together to form an American view of freedom. Freedom is

The thirteen British colonies of North America were slowly going into independence. The people (colonists) were proud of being British, they had no desire to separate from their own country. April 19, 1775 people made calls for independent. Also in that year of July the Second Continental Congress sent the King a request for redress and reconciliation, which Dickinson had to drain indubitably.

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are two significant documents that transformed the history of the United States. The people of the “New World” went from being ruled by British law and living in the thirteen colonies, to becoming an independent nation with a democratic government. The Declaration was written to ensure that all official ties with its mother country, Great Britain, were suspended indefinitely. It then went on to describe the concepts and ideologies behind a just and fair government. The Constitution, however, outlined how the newly democratic government would operate. In 1776, after the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, a verdict was made that the only constructive way to ensure independence as a nation would be to declare independence from King George III, Parliament, and Great Britain. The colonists sought to fashion a clear, detailed document, known as the Declaration of Independence, which stated why the people chose to move in this direction as well as providing several arguments to support their case. This world-renown document is a symbol of the unity between the 13 colonies during their fight for independence during the American Revolutionary War.

The American Revolution, when 13 American colonies waged war against the most powerful country in the world, Great Britain, for their independence. Soldiers who fought in the war and risked their lives to gain the freedom we have today, is just one of the many prime examples of prevailing hardships in battle. George Washington proved to be exemplary just like many others heroic patriots, like Henry Knox and Nathaniel Greene, when triumphing over the British soldiers with what little strength they had and defeating them. Their victory was more than enough proof on why they deserved independence. David McCullough’s 1776, describes and educates us about events which happened before the war and foreshadows up to the revolution. We learn about the hardships thrown at George Washington and the Continental army whose intentions switched from equal rights to complete emancipation. Battles throughout the Revolutionary War, like the Battle of Bunker Hill, are well known, but McCullough shows the reader how the Continental army continues to strive on even when victory is not in their favor.

In his book 1776, David McCullough animates the events and people who fought for American freedom in a new light, bridging a gap between the past and the present. The events described in the novel encompasses the beginnings of the American Revolution during the year of the Declaration of Independence and, instead of putting the main focus on certain events or battles, McCullough emphasizes how the people involved may have felt throughout hardships, triumphs, and loss. In 1776 we see historical figures represented in a way never seen before, including their emotional reactions to events as well as their character, which is shown more and more as the book progresses. Events are evidently chronological, mostly in the year of 1776, and the

David McCullough’s novel 1776 is a compelling story of America’s war for independence. We have all read chapters and heard the related history of the war of 1776, but David McCullough takes the epic story even further. The book covers the entire year of 1776 from the beginning of the war until the end. The author provides an extremely detailed description of both sides of the conflict both American and British. David McCullough is a renowned author and historian and has twice won the Pulitzer Prize for two of his novels; John Adams and Truman, and with reading 1776 you can see exactly why he is so celebrated. His

1.The author claims that American independence did not become a reality on July 4, 1776. In what ways was America still subordinate to Britain after Independence Day?

It was a good year for a revolution, 1776. But it didn't start off quite as well as the colonists would have liked. When George Washington agreed to take command of the American forces in 1775, he probably didn't realize what he was truly getting himself into. Washington took command of an army made up of old men and young boys that had either come from their farms or the street. The army was short on weapons and gunpowder, lacked uniforms, and was racked by disease and drunkenness. Washington understood that what lies ahead would be difficult, considering he would be facing the most powerful country in world. But he probably didn't expect his worst problems to come from his own army, which was an undisciplined and

“Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.” This quote in a letter to James Madison, from George Washington, on March 2nd, 1788, explains that once the push for liberty comes through and change is made, it is like the snowball effect. At this point of the war, there were constant losses for the Continental Army they were lacking faith and hope for their liberty. The soldier’s enlistments were also very near to their end and time was going by fast; many were prepared to leave and not signing up again. Overall, the Continental Army was headed towards failure. They needed something to give them a push in the right direction. The battle that raised high spirits in the army was The

David McCullough author of 1776 puts faces and feelings to the events of the Revolutionary war making this an exciting novel even when the ending is known. Acting as a companion to an earlier work of McCullough’s, John Adams, 1776 is a strictly military view of the era versus political. Although the reader may have to get accustomed to the vast amount of characters introduced McCullough makes sure that those you are supposed to remember you will. Every character introduced is described incredibly well and throughout the novel you begin to feel as if you know the character and are going through the battle with them, specifically General George Washington with whom the reader emphasizes constantly with throughout the war.

1776 started off in Britain, giving a background of King George III and the start of the war. Then the book moved to the Siege of Boston in America. In the siege of Boston an account of both militaries moves and living routines were given leading up to the Continental Army taking Dorchester Heights. This forced the British to evacuate because Washington had sent for cannons and on Dorchester heights was close enough for deadly fire on Boston. From Boston, Washington left a small group, but the rest of his troops moved to New York; which was the British’s next target. At New York the battle of Brooklyn was disastrous for the Continental Army. Afterwards the British moved ships into the Hudson and unleashed the remainder of Washington’s troops who had yet to retreat. When they fled to New Jersey the Continental Army was once again bested. Soon after a brutal loss at Fort Washington was inflicted. Thousands of troops were captured because there were too many in the fort to defend effectively when they had to fallback. Finally Washington made a brilliant strike in the Battle Trenton that gave the Continental Army the momentum it so dearly needed.

In 46 Pages author Scott Liell is able to poignantly illustrate the colonies metamorphosis from a dependent arm of the English Empire to an independent country, the catalyst for which was Thomas Paine's Common Sense. Liell is able to not only articulate the turning point of the American consensus towards independence, but he also very intelligibly depicts the sentiments of all facets of colonial dogma and the torrential effect that Common Sense had in loosening the cement that held those beliefs. Using fantastic examples of the opinions of Tories, Whigs, and those ambivalent towards independence, Liell efficiently and

David McCullough, the author of 1776 placed countenance and emotion of the Revolutionary war material that is an exciting novel when the closing is established. The work of McCullough’s, John Adams, 1776 is truly military perspective of era versus political.