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The War Of The United States

Decent Essays

Although there are many defining years in the making of the United States as a nation, 1776 is the most important year due in majority to Washington and his decisions during the war. McCullough begins the text with a brief introduction to Britain and America in late 1775. He focuses particularly on the resentment in the colonies and how the British decide (after deliberating for hours on end) that enforcing their laws on the colonists is the best course of action. The British feel that teaching the colonists a lesson is more important than simply cooperating with them to allow everyone the opportunity to be happy. After this brief introduction, McCullough jumps into the life of Washington - his pre-Revolutionary War life; in examining Washington’s records we learn he was a meticulous individual, especially while hunting, where he "kept [a] precise account of exactly how long each chase lasted, to the minute" (48). McCullough also discusses some of the beginning battles of the Revolutionary War, and details Washington’s remarkable night surprise at Dorchester Heights where he took the high ground against the British. These seemingly unimportant details are quite the opposite of what meets the eye - these details about Washington 's life teach us how he thinks, how he calculates, how he observes and reacts. As the war carries on, McCullough revisits Washington 's genius on the night of August 29, 1776, where Washington seized a singular opportunity to pull his men out

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