1776
Throughout this countries birth and the years that it has thrived and prospered, many leaders have stepped up to help this great nation out. This movie documents some of the leaders that helped stand up against the impossible and start one of the greatest countries in the world. Although not historically accurate, this movie does give people examples of the type of leadership roles that each congressman in the First Continental Congress showed. Not all of the people in the first congress demonstrate good leadership though. Many of the guys had bad leadership that didn't make the decision of independence any easier. Because of these great leaders, a nation was born and the roles of each person are now history in the eyes of each person today.
Each great leader in the First Continental Congress had there own unique leadership styles that shows us good and bad examples of leadership. One of the first characters I noticed during the movie was John Hancock. Hancock shows that he has poor leadership by letting George Washington stranded with little troops and no help. Hancock rejected Washington's request for help in the beginning of the movie which made me jump to conclusion that he was a bad leader and horrible man. Hancock ended up actually being a very strong leader, showing the viewers that he was strong and courageous by being the deciding vote in whether the congress should talk about independence or not. Hancock's vote could have gone either way, deciding the fate of the new country or of Great Brittan's power. In my eyes though, John Adams was the biggest leader, showing the viewers that he was determined to get rid of Brittan and all the wrong they have done. Under no circumstances does Adams step down for anyone or anything in his fight which made him a good leader and a powerful influence in the fate of this country. Thomas Jefferson was a good leader by showing his willingness and strength to help Adams write a Declaration and go against all the others who were against the idea of independence. One of the more odd leaders that also shows good leadership and courage is South Carolina's congressman Edward Rutledge. He stood up against John Adams for what he truly believed was best for him and the people.
1776 is a must read for a student of the Revolutionary War. It offers insights into the personalities of George Washington, his subordinates, and how one man can truly change the history of the world. Without George Washington, the Continental Army would not, in all likelihood, have survived 1776 and the United States would have had a dramatically different history. I recommend this book for every serious history student.
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 something that every American should be willing to do anything in order to maintain. We may have weapons of mass destruction, but when it comes to living in a peaceful, American lifestyle, our freedom is our greatest weapon.
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 untrained group that would eventually tamper with his great patience. Through it all he would stay determined and always try to stay one step ahead of the enemy.
Many people possess leadership qualities although they don’t rule a country. Meriwether Lewis, the official leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition has been called “undoubtedly the greatest pathfinder this country has ever known.” Just like Hazel, Meriwether Lewis led a group of followers into unknown territory. The two guides faced many difficult situations that they were able to overcome since they had the qualities of a notable leader. Both of the journeys were rough, but because of the brave leaders both expeditions were successful.
The Sons of Liberty was a group of men fighting for their independence. They were fighting before the continental congress or the beginning of the Revolutionary War. They were called out as being disobedient. They were believed to be political radicals at the time; doing what they felt was right for their town and their colonies. The Sons of Liberty were everyday men that expanded from New England all the way down the thirteen colonies. However, the high activity political gang started to appear with aggressiveness in Boston, Massachusetts. This paper will demonstrate the origins of the Sons of Liberty in Boston, their manifest, leading actions, and development within their first year.
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were two important men who affected our nations independence and the beginning years of our country. They helped form this nation into a free and sovereign country. Yet, they were different in many aspects they shared a few common features. Both Washington and Jefferson grew up in the southern state of Virginia and like most owned land to grow and harvest crops. In growing up they came from two different class levels of living. The Jefferson family was more famous and richer than Washington’s giving him a greater advantage and opportunity to succeed, especially in higher education. After Jefferson finished regular schooling he was able to attend the College of William and Mary were he studied law. He did so under the teaching of George Wthe who was considered perhaps the greatest teachers of law in Virginia at the time. Washington however was taught by his mom mainly in mathematics and received no higher education. Washington was still knowledgeable and began to put it to use in the army to become as a young British soldier. He interred the army at the young age of nineteen were he began to learn leadership and military strategy which would prove useful in the Revolutionary War to come. Jefferson on the other hand was involved in the laws, courts, and small politics. At the young age of twenty-five Jefferson was elected to the House of Burgesses in Virginia were he served for five years. Washington was known for his great motivational speeches that would rally troops together to prepare for war and lead on to victory. Jefferson was more of a writer not a speaker and by using his skill he wrote and brought forth fresh ideas of independence and freedom.
One of the greatest conflicts in the history of the United State of America, the Revolutionary War, was started when the colonies of North America declared themselves independent from British rule. A group of men known as the Founding Fathers, which included George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John and Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and others, formed the Continental Congress to rule their new nation. They chose Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence, which they would send to King George III to make their independence official. Jefferson knew that he needed to use strong language to make a solid agrument against British rule in the colonies and to convince the colonists that independence was the only choice to maintain their freedom as human beings. The powerful use of parallelism, ethos, pathos, and logos helpd Thomas Jefferson to convey his idea that all men are created equal with unalienable rights and that it is the duty of the government to protect those rights.
George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson were three incredible men who were very influential in the revolution of our country. They lived very different lives, but had the same ambition and desire for fame and fortune. The problems they faced and risks they took changed the course of our country and shaped it to what it is today.
Thomas Jefferson was also a key leader. He wrote the Declaration of Independence and truly made a statement when he said there acts were the natural right of humans. That it was their right to fight the unjust powers of government that had become corrupt. The declaration was printed everywhere, it was succinct and persuasive. It clearly labelled the want of the nation and declared their freedom. It was a bold move when it was clear to see that England was with a doubt the stronger power. I also highly admire John Hancock for his bravado in signing the declaration so big that the king would be able read it without his glasses. George Washington is, of course, the face of our nation. He did a lot of great in leading the country and keeping our spirits up throughout the war. Though I give him the most credit for giving our country something it truly needed, something after the war. He taught us to move on. After years of service in the military, and being president for 8 years he could have kept running, he could have held office until his death, but he didn 't. He stepped down and taught the nation to move on. He would allow the nation to accept change and allow for the government system to truly work. His stepping down would pave the way for every president to do so, to not allow a tyrant to hold the position and corrupt the nation. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas
If you live in the United States, you probably are aware of the American Revolution. Most educated adults in America can name at least on hero of pre-Revolutionary America such as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere and Thomas Jefferson . But to what extent did these few men, credited with our freedom, actually participate in events that lead up to the revolution? How many countless men remained unnamed and unnoticed despite the work they put into the Revolution? These men have often been overlooked in textbooks, despite the fact most of the freedoms we have now are derived from their brave actions. But why did these men get the wheels of a revolution turning? What was the reason they had for their actions, the very ones that led America and Great Britain to begin a fight not only for freedom, but for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
In summary this critique of the film based on qualities of a leader has given me even more perspective on what makes a leader. In the film Fonda did not lead by being the leader of the group. Instead he lead the others by using their own personalities to further his cause. He did not give orders like I typically think of a leader does. Leadership can be much more than being at the front and in fact a person can lead from a position of equal standing as Fonda did being just one of the twelve jurors.
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. With the great description of the characters and events we feel as if we are there and in doing this the author creates understanding, the reader by knowing all sides and characters’ personalities the feels they know why the Revolution happened the way it did.
The costly French and Indian War created a divide between British Parliament and the colonists that was temporarily appeased when William Pitt returned recruitment control to the colonists and reimbursed farmers and tradesmen for their goods and services that had been forcefully taken. However, this peace was short lived when British Parliament tried to acquire complete control of the colonies and regain financial stability by passing the Stamp Act of 1765, the Townshend Duties, the Tea Act of 1773, and the Intolerable Acts of 1774. The acts greatly inconvenienced the colonists and led to the Boston Massacre of 1770, the Boston “tea party,” colonial unity, and the first shot at Lexington that sparked the American Revolution.
The American Revolution (1763-1783) was a pivotal period in the history of the United States. During this tempestuous era, the thirteen English North American mainland colonies were able, against seemingly overwhelming odds, to secure their independence from Great Britain, to design a revolutionary philosophy, and to create a government and society that implemented the revolutionary ideals of freedom, liberty, and equality. The root cause of the American Revolution was taxation without representation. The British Parliament was exploiting its colonies to pay for the war debt accrued from the French and Indian War. The Americans felt the British had too much control over them with all the taxes they imposed, so they went to war. Money was certainly one of the major causes of the American Revolution. The Americans won when Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown when surrounded by American and French troops. A peace treaty wasn't signed until two years later, when Great Britain formally recognized independence.
Nearly four centuries ago, our forefathers poured the foundation for what is now America. We have fought many wars, lost many battles, failed, and prospered. America has been built into the strongest and freest nation in the world by some of the most determined and independent people in history. However, determination and independence are not the most unique qualities of an American, though they are two strong ones. An American is a leader, someone who does not follow in someone else’s footprints but makes their own. Leadership has been a standing characteristic in America since the first Europeans stepped foot on its soil. It took leadership among the colonists-our ancestors-to form successful colonies that eventually became the basis of our country. It took leadership, along with courage, to declare independence from Great Britain over three hundred years ago. It took an immense amount of leadership to overcome the divide created by the Civil War. Events like these have pushed America’s leadership to its greatest limits, but with each tough trial, Americans have been able to rise above and come out stronger.