1776 David Mccullough Leadership Qualities

America’s battle for independence was a long, hard-fought war that began even before the American Revolution. Since the Sugar Act of 1764, America had shown signs of rebellion, each outburst getting worse as tensions rose between the Colonies and Britain. The novel 1776, by David McCullough, takes off in 1775, just after the Revolutionary War has begun. Closely following Washington, the novel takes the reader to the trenches to experience their losses, retreats, stalemates, and glorious victories. McCullough covers a wide variety of themes, ranging from military tactics, to the core government behind British Society. Through following Washington through the novel, the author allows himself to focus on the positive and negative leadership qualities

However, it does start in the year 1775, right after colonial soldiers have fired on the British soldiers at Lexington and Concord. King George III pondered what actions to take to simmer the tensions between the colonists and Britain. Eventually, he chooses to engage in the war, knowing that it will be a long and bloody conflict. Washington was somewhat fearful of this war. He knew the potential outcome but also understood that his soldiers were weak and uncoordinated. Washington had a very charming karisma, and was respected because of this. He had all the traits of the ideal image of a leader. “A leader must look and act the part” (McCollough, 23) This establishes his position as commander of this Continental Army. Once this role is established, the reader is taken through several important battles of the War. Daniel McCullough does a excellent job through these battles of describing his tactics and talking about what is changed after every victory or defeat. For example, after the colonists are crushed by the British at Fort Washington, McCullough goes into detail on how Washington this less of one of the fellow soldiers named Nathaniel Green. Towards the end of the book, after Washington's’ major victory at the Battle of Trenton, the author does a sudden conclusion. This conclusion goes through how 1776 was an important, but also tragic year for

Many of the soldiers in the Continental Army joined for the steady job or the fear of how British invasion would interfere with their ability to make money and feed their families. In fact, during the beginning of the war, the Colonies still showed little call for freedom or independence. “[King George III] had denounced the leaders of the uprising for having American independence as their true objective, something those leaders themselves had not yet openly declared.” (McCullough, Chapter 1) This idea of practicality even applied to volunteers in the army, including mothers and children. “There had been sickness aplenty from the start, deadly "camp fever," which grew worse as summer went on. Anxious mothers and wives from the surrounding towns and countryside came to nurse the sick and dying.” (Chapter 2) The woman that volunteered to nurse in the army had the main thought of keeping their own families safe, not the idea of