Chris's Reviews > 1776

This book should be required reading for every American at some point in their academic careers. Unfortunately, it will be ignored because American history is being disparaged or revised every day. Worse, it is being replaced by Black, Native American, Feminist, LGBT, Everyone-With-A-Grievance Studies. While these shouldn't be ignored they should not represent the sum total of a student's history studies. It's a pity that all anyone seems to know about George Washington is that he was a slaveholder rather than the enormous sacrifices he made to free us from English domination. He did not see his home for eight years and one of those years is documented in this book. Losing battle after battle, and losing recruits, he never lost his faith in his country and what he could do to make it free and great. The book culminates in his triumphs at Trenton and Princeton after crossing the Delaware with his troops on Christmas night. Yes, we eventually became a free country and yes, the continuation of slavery was part of the bargain. But the great thing about this country is that it evolves, it recognizes its mistakes and corrects them, maybe not right way, but usually at last. This is our heritage and it began with George Washington in 1776.