An indispensable resource for investigating America's War for Independence, this book provides a comprehensive yet concise narrative that combines the author's original perspectives with the latest scholarship on the subject. Without the War for Independence and its successful outcome for the patriots, the course of American development—our institutions, culture, politics, and economics—would have run in radically different directions. From any perspective, the War for Independence was one of the seminal events of national history. This book offers a clear, easy-to-read, and complete overview of the origins of the imperial crisis, the course of the war, and the ultimate success of the movement for independence. It also emphasizes the human cost of the struggle: the ferocity of the fighting that stemmed from the belief among participants on all sides that defeat was tantamount to cultural, political, and even physical extinction. The narrative encompasses the author's original insights and takes advantage of the newest scholarship on the American Revolution. The book includes primary documents and biographical sketches representative of the various participants in the revolutionary struggle—for example, private soldiers, senior officers, loyalists, women, blacks, and Indians—as well as famous speeches and important American and British official documents. The edited documents offer readers a sense of the actual voices of the revolutionary struggle and a deeper understanding of how primary documents serve historians' narration and interpretation of long-ago events. The result is a new synthesis that brings a deeper understanding of America's defining struggle to an informed public readership as well as college and high school students.

Nearly everyone in the U.S. has studied the Revolutionary War. Too often, however, historians of the Revolution focus on the activity of the army without noticing what was taking place inside the army. Making liberal use of diaries and correspondence by the soldiers and their families, Charles P. Neimeyer tells the stories of the men and women who fought for the young country's independence. Sometimes starting off as rag-tag groups of men shooting off their muskets at geese just for the thrill of the sound, the soldiers became more disciplined and focused. The army recruited a significant number of African American soldiers, who fought side by side with whites. Women also fought and served in the army, either masquerading as male soldiers or providing support for army operations in camp and on the march. Suffering through times of numbing cold and starvation where men boiled their shoes for food, the sheer perseverance of the soldiers in the ranks ultimately won the war for independence. Presenting stories from letters and diaries of the men and women of the time, this volume reveals the stories of fear, exhaustion, hard work, grief, and exhilaration of the people in the camps and on the march. Highlights include: ; Recruitment, which included just about any healthy man willing to serve, including immigrants and enemy POWs ; General Washington's attempts to create a model, respectable army ; Attempts at medical treatment, and the ravages of smallpox, which left men dying at makeshift hospitals ; African American soldiers in the War ; Women's contributions to war efforts, whether in disguise as soldiers, or in filling in for husbands killed in battle ; Daily life in the camp: the monotony, the lack of food and supplies, drinking, sleeping in huts and out in the open, games, letter writing and religious observations ; The failure to fairly pay the soldiers as they mustered out of service The book also includes a timeline that puts dates and events in better perspective; a comprehensive, topically arranged bibliography; and a thorough index.

First published in 1798, this Revolutionary War memoir is one of the few ever written by a senior Continental Army commander. It provides a unique glimpse into the administrative operations and inner workings of the army during the American Revolution. Major General William Heath offers rare insights on the war's major military personalities on both the American and British sides. Of particular interest are his wartime interactions with British generals John Burgoyne and William Phillips, as well as Continental Army generals such as George Washington and Charles Lee. Heath's memoir also gives readers a detailed look at the constant struggles faced by the army, including food, supply, personnel and funding shortages, and presents an almost daily chronicle of the tribulations and successes experienced by patriot forces during the war.

Experience the defining moments of the war that gave birth to America The American Revolution 100 brings to life the monumental moments, bloody battles, and influential leaders who gave birth to a great nation. In comprehensive fashion, decorated veteran and military expert Michael Lee Lanning ranks and analyzes the war's most significant events, showing how each affected the outcome. Relive the memorable battles, when a country of citizen-farmers prepared themselves to take on the mightiest army in the world. Learn about the remarkable figures and forces of the time, and decide for yourself: Who influenced the revolution more—John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, or John Paul Jones? Was the Battle of Yorktown more pivotal than the Battle of Trenton? Was The Declaration of Independence more important to the revolution than Thomas Paine's Common Sense? Read the stories of Henry Knox, Thomas Sumter, American militias, and December 26, 1776, and let your own debates begin... Praise for Michael Lee Lanning's history books: "Easily accessible...Recommended reference for the aficionado and the uninitiated alike." ForeWord magazine "Unusual and even witty insights also abound." Publishers Weekly

Relatively little attention has been paid to American military history between 1783 and 1812—arguably the most formative years of the United States. This encyclopedia fills the void in existing literature and provides greater understanding of how the nation evolved during this era. This encyclopedia offers a comprehensive examination of U.S. military history from the beginning of the republic in 1783 up to the eve of war with Great Britain in 1812. It enables a detailed study of the Early Republic, during which ideological and political divisions occurred over the fledgling U.S. military. The entries cover all the important battles, key individuals, weapons, Indian nations, and treaties, as well as numerous social, political, cultural, and economic developments during this period. The contents of the work will enable readers at the high school, college, university, and even graduate level to comprehend how political parties emerged, and how ideological differences over the organization, size, and use of the military developed. Larger global developments, including Anglo-American and Franco-American interactions, relations between Middle Eastern states and the United States, and relations and warfare between the U.S. government and various Indian nations are also detailed. The extensive and detailed bibliographies will be immensely helpful to learners at all levels.

While the American Revolution officially began in Lexington, Massachusetts, in April 1775, the seeds of rebellion had been sown for decades. This work provides first-hand accounts of the period that illustrate how historical events appeared to those who lived through them.

Chronicles the American Revolution, including the causes, strategies, and characters of the war, both famous and lesser-known.

"In You Choose format, explores the Revolutionary War from the perspectives of spies on both the British and American sides"--

The evolution of the United States from a late-18th century coalition of rebel British colonies to a 21st century global superpower was shaped by several forces. As the nation expanded its boundaries after the Treaty of Paris confirmed independence from Great Britain in 1783, it acquired a rich variety of resources – coal, fertile soils, forests, iron ore, oil, precious metals, space, and varied climates as well as extensive tracts of territory. Technological innovations, such as the cotton gin and steam power, enabled entrepreneurs to exploit those resources and create wealth. Federal and state legislators provided environments in which the economy could flourish, and military strategists kept the country safe from external attack. Diplomats negotiated commercial agreements with foreign governments and cultivated multinational alliances that strengthened freedoms. Through its focus on the people and places that shaped the country’s economic and political development and its detailed accounts of the processes that enabled the U.S. to expand across the continent Historical Dictionary of the United States contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has more than 400 cross-referenced entries on important personalities as well as aspects of the country’s politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the United States.

The first book to redress the myth of British incompetence during the American Revolution, revealing a unique account of the Empire’s most stunning loss In 1781 the British Empire suffered its most devastating defeat in a war that most believed Britain ought to have won. Common wisdom has held that incompetent military commanders and political leaders in London must have been to blame, their arrogant confidence and outdated tactics proving no match for the innovative and determined Americans. But this is far from the truth. Weaving together the personal stories of ten prominent men who directed the British dimension of the war, Andrew O’Shaughnessy dispels the myths, emerging with a very different and much richer account of the conflict – one driven by able and at times even brilliant leadership. In interlinked biographical chapters, O’Shaughnessy follows the course of the war from the perspectives of King George III, Prime Minister Lord North, military leaders including General Burgoyne, the Earl of Sandwich, and others whose stories shed new light upon our understanding of how the war unfolded. Victories were frequent, and in fact the British conquered every American city at some stage of the Revolutionary War, retaining key strongholds even during the peace negotiations. Taking a wider lens to events, O’Shaughnessy looks past the surrender at Yorktown to British victories against the French and Spanish, demonstrating that, ultimately, many of the men who lost America would go on to save the empire.