I fashion myself an Alpha-Geek in note-taking of the first class. I take notes like some people take drugs. So to imagine a world with no written language seems inconceivable to me. I find simplistic material such as grocery lists, menus, thank-you cards, and appointment reminders to be of great significance in my everyday life, but these aspects would be secondary to the fundamental historical documents such as The Declaration of Independence or The Constitution of the United States.
Little of American History is known prior to 1776. Some events were documented, but it is only a fraction of the cited information that we have on record since The Revolution. The establishment of such vital information allows for the writing of history
Imagination is built on history that passes down from generation to generation. Whether it’s written, shared verbally, or physically present. But are those stories really true? How do the people of this world know what is true based on a written textbook or a person’s voice describing the events that happened prior to the newer generation? Just like the confusion in what is true or not, there is confusion in whether the American Revolution was in fact revolutionary. This was also known as, the War for Independence. It was between the British 13 colonies and England, which at the time was the most powerful country in the world, but was short lived when the 13 colonies took victory in between 1775 and 1783. They are now known
The Non-Fiction Historical Book 1776 By David McCullough is a historically accurate and in depth view of The American Revolution; starting from The Battle of Bunker Hill, Boston, Brooklyn, New York, Fort Washington, and ending its Analysis at the Battle of Trenton in 1776. There are many fascinating features, trends, themes, and characteristics used in 1776 that make the book a fluent and enjoyable read. Also the book gives a very detailed and informative account of the battles and military life from the Battle of Boston to the Battle of Trenton. Finally the author, David McCullough, of the book as many other works and experiences that tell the reader why and how 1776 is such a credible source
The author wrote this book to summarize the Revolution Era with a brief description of the pre-revolution; with some analytical arguments and opinions incorporated within the book. Morgan takes into prospective the actual motives behind the founding fathers' decision during the Revolution, which he claims to have been driven by their personal benefits. This shows as slavery was not eliminated even though a fundamental basis of the revolution was human equality. Morgan aimed to make an easily accessible outline of the Revolution Era, backed with several documents which critical to the outline; such as, The Constitution of the United States and the Articles of Confederation. He also devoted several pages outlining important dates mentioned throughout the book.
David O. Stewart, by profession, is a lawyer with a resume that includes everything from arguing appeals at the Supreme Court level to serving as a law court to the acclaimed Junior Powell. But in writing The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution (specifically, I read the First Simon & Schuster trade paperback edition May 2008, copyrighted in 2007), he uses that experience in law to prove himself a gifted storyteller. Two hundred sixty-four pages long, this United States history nonfiction book does indeed have the substance to engage the reader throughout. It has special features that include two appendices featuring the elector system and the actual constitution of 1787, author’s notes, suggested further reading, acknowledgments and an index (which escalate the total length of the book to three hundred forty-nine pages long).
At the beginning of the historical documentation of America, many individuals were amateurs and/or biased towards their native state. There were different sides as to what the American Revolution was about so, “If they wished to preserve their image unsullied by European incursions, Americans would have to develop their own narratives of nationhood” (Kornfeld, 40). This brought a movement of amateur writers creating historical
Following the many policies and taxes being passed in the new world came the American Revolution. It’s by far the sole most important war victory America has ever had. It marked not only freedom and independence from Britain, but it also was a victory for mankind and the age of new thoughts, ideals, and practices. The revolution also established a political structure for America that is still effective today. Great Britain outmatched America both militarily and financially but a combination of events happening in America’s favor precipitated one of the greatest victories in world history.
Though the American colonists had not achieved a true, uniform sense of identity or unity by 1776, on the eve of Revolution, the progress towards unity and the inchoate idea of an “American” between 1750 and 1776 is inevitable in both existence and significance. Previous to the French and Indian War, America as a whole had been, more or less, loyal mercantile-based, and subservient to the British crown as British colonists in the New World; however, the Americans' sense of unity kindled and proliferated with the increased tax burdens and coercive Parliamentary decisions, while even until 1776,
Dudley, William, Teresa O'neill, and Bruno Leone, eds. The American Revolution Oppsing Viewpoints. San Diego: GreenHaven P, 1992.
In the making of the United States, there were many events that are important. This paper intends to highlight a few of those events including; Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Federalist Papers. Many events in America’s history helped to establish the United States as a free and independent country. The Declaration of Independence in particular explains the rights and freedoms that Americans. Each document is like a stepping stones that leads to the next and building upon the pervious document.
In this essay I explain the evolution of American attitudes and ideologies—apropos of Britain—from 1764 to 1776. I do so by, first, beginning with providing the context and explaining the state of the relationship between America and Britain throughout the course of the years 1764 to 1774, which in turn, consequently lead up to and instigated the creation of Thomas Jefferson’s 1774 piece entitled A Summary View of the Rights of British America. Next, second, I situate and analyze this very piece, that being: Thomas Jefferson’s A Summary View of the Rights of British America, which is was a tract written before the Declaration of Independence, in which Thomas Jefferson (under his own personal authority/discretion) lays out—for the delegates of the First Continental Congress—a set of grievances directly against the King of England and his corresponding Parliament, and moreover, ultimately radically forewarns and threatens specifically the King of England to fundamentally change, alter, and lessen Britain’s stronghold on America or else something will be done on behalf of America. Finally, third, I reach to and evaluate another subsequent document, that being: the Committee of Five/Continental Congress’ 1776 Declaration of Independence, which is a statement written by the so-called “Committee of Five” (Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston) and the Continental Congress, which was to be adopted by the newly formed United States of
American history is full of battles and freedom fighters. From the Boston tea party to voting rights. America fought against a king who was unfair and unjust. They may have had a civil war but it was also for the idea that rights were being taken away. The country has many amazing historical characters that made it the country it is today. This paper will discuss the Boston Tea Party, George Washington’s inaugural address, his warnings upon leaving office as well as the Boston Massacre, the Battles of Lexington and Concord, and John Adams on voting rights.
History most times is written by the victor’s, but only certain people are included in the books. The reason history is written by the victors is because their survivors where most times the losers aren’t. The victors overwhelmingly influence the history and what is written and therefore don’t tell the tales of people they fought, but rather themselves and how they won. When you read a history book it doesn’t tell you about the losers. For America most of its history was dominated by white men and was also written by them. Another example is the Civil war in which the north was victorious therefore they influenced America, and what people believe right. While the south didn’t think everyone was equal the north throughout otherwise, and since
The creation of the American nation became what it is today from years of struggle in which the common people, as well as the Founding Fathers, played a vital part for independence. The promise of the Revolution, a nation based on the republican ideals of liberty, independence, and equality, was to some extent achieved. Yet the great principles of the Revolution have long shaped our thoughts of what it means to be an American. All the events leading up and after the American Revolution will have effects on the common people. The story of George Robert Twelves Hewes helps historians comprehend the part that the common people played in their struggle for freedom and republican ideals they wanted to achieve for the generations to come in the new nation.
prolonged life, in such a polarizing period in Boston, Massachusetts Hewes was an effective vessel to examine the larger issues of the American Revolution. Through the life of George Hewes, Alfred Young was able to offer an effective analysis of public and private memory. Young successfully uses the mechanism of micro history to integrate a very specific case study to a national event.