Tag: American Revolution

“Making America Great Again”–Part 6

First of all….that is a pathetic slogan!  America has always been great it just had to get its sh*t together in the early days….especially during the Revolution.

I continue my posting of the historic series written by Danny Sjursen…..today is Part 6……

Below is the sixth installment of the “American History for Truthdiggers” series, a pull-no-punches appraisal of our shared, if flawed, past. The author of the series, Danny Sjursen, an active-duty major in the U.S. Army, served military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and taught the nation’s checkered, often inspiring past when he was an assistant professor of history at West Point. His wartime experiences, his scholarship, his skill as a writer and his patriotism illuminate these Truthdig posts.

Part 6 of “American History for Truthdiggers.” 

“The war [of independence] was not just about home rule, but about who would rule at home.” —Historian Carl Becker

“The History of our Revolution will be one continued lie from one end to the other.” —John Adams (1790)

Just how radical was the American Revolution? Historians have debated that question for the better part of a century. A true consensus still escapes us. Nonetheless, the debate itself is instructive and tells us something of the nature of this experience.

No doubt, the American version of revolution lacks many of the standard symbols of radical revolution as we’ve come to perceive them, with neither the guillotines of France (1789-1794) nor the gulags and purges of Russia (1917-1923). Still, there was an 18th-century radicalism, all its own, to the American experience.

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/american-history-for-truthdiggers-whose-revolution-1775-1783/

This article completes Sjursen’s survey of the American War of Independence.

Now we start to build the great country that will be born out of the Revolution.

These are the ticks that caused the war…..

On April 19, 1775, the first battles of the American Revolution were fought in Lexington and Concord between soldiers of the British Empire and American rebels. How did the British Empire, the most powerful, wealthy, and politically sophisticated polity in the world at the time, manage to alienate its most prosperous North American colonies? Here are 10 reasons:

https://www.realclearhistory.com/articles/2018/04/18/top_10_things_that_tipped_off_revolutionary_war_295.html

The war was won and now we needed to get to work on building a government for this fledgling country……onto the United States of America.

“Making America Great Again”–Part 5

I continue my posting the series on the History of the US written by a military historian……Below is the fifth installment of the “American History for Truthdiggers” series, a pull-no-punches appraisal of our shared, if flawed, past. The author of the series, Danny Sjursen, an active-duty major in the U.S. Army, served military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and taught the nation’s checkered, often inspiring past when he was an assistant professor of history at West Point. His wartime experiences, his scholarship, his skill as a writer and his patriotism illuminate these Truthdig posts.

Part 5 of “American History for Truthdiggers.”

“The war [of independence] was not just about home rule, but about who would rule at home.”
—Historian Carl Becker

What sort of revolution was it? Radical or conservative? Military or social? Earnestly democratic or hypocritical farce?

Perhaps a bit of them all. What it most certainly was not was what is presented in the comfortable, patriotic, grade-school yarn to which we’ve all grown accustomed. Yet, neither was it something out of a fable of white privilege that can be dismissed outright.

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/american-history-for-truthdiggers-independence-and-civil-war-1775-1783/

I did a bunch of research on the colonies during the early years especially 1770-1799….this Series Part is about some of those years and is an interesting read…hope you guys agree…..

Let history ring loud.

“Making America Great Again”–Part Four

I continue my series of highlighting the historical series written by Danny Sjursen…..

Below is the fourth installment of the “American History for Truthdiggers” series, a pull-no-punches appraisal of our shared, if flawed, past. The author of the series, Danny Sjursen, an active-duty major in the U.S. Army, served military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and taught the nation’s checkered, often inspiring past when he was an assistant professor of history at West Point. His wartime experiences, his scholarship, his skill as a writer and his patriotism illuminate these Truthdig posts.

Part 4 of “American History for Truthdiggers.”

“Who shall write the history of the American Revolution?” John Adams once asked. “Who can write it? Who will ever be able to write it?”

“Nobody,” Thomas Jefferson replied. “The life and soul of history must forever remain unknown.”

* * *

Compare the tarring-and-feathering scene at the top of this article with the 1770 painting “The Death of General Wolfe” (immediately below this paragraph), which was featured in installment three of this Truthdig series. Painted by colonist Benjamin West, it shows North American colonists among those devotedly and tenderly attending the mortally wounded British general, who lies in a Christ-like pose. How did (at least some) North American colonists evolve from a proud celebration of empire into the riotous, rebellious mob portrayed in the illustration above? It’s an important question, actually, and it deals with an issue hardly mentioned in standard textbooks. Even rebellious “patriots” saw themselves as Englishmen right up until July 4, 1776. Others remained loyal British subjects through the entire Revolutionary War.

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/american-history-for-truthdiggers-were-the-colonists-patriots-or-insurgents/

An excellent look at American history some of it has been withheld from many of our history textbooks for one reason or another…..

Class Dismissed!

Forgotten Heroes Of The Revolution

Yes my friends it is that time again……a history lesson like it or not……

Believe it or not there were several foreigners that fought with the Americans in their war of independence.

Most people can name one……Marquis de Lafayette….but who are the others?

On October 11, 1779, Polish cavalry officer and American Brigadier General, Casimir Pulaski, died of wounds incurred during the Battle of Savannah (Georgia) during the American Revolutionary War. Pulaski, known as “The Father of American Cavalry,” had fought in Poland against the Russians, and was forced to flee his own country, taking his military skills to America where he became a hero of the American Revolution. Pulaski was not the only major Polish officer to fight for America’s Independence, and of course other foreign born people also served in America during the Revolutionary War. Here we list 5 of the most notable of those foreign freedom fighters fearlessly fighting foes of freedom. (Hey, a little alliteration never hurts!) Who would you add to this list?

https://www.historyandheadlines.com/october-11-1779-5-foreign-heroes-fought-american-freedom/

Poland and France gave the war some fantastic soldiers that help this country gain its independence.

Sad that so many foreigners came to help in our time of need and we ignore them in our history almost as bad as our dismissing of Thomas Paine.

And the history of our nation is being re-written by reactionary a/holes…..we must stop this and give credit where credit is due…..and win our freedom back.

Who The Hell Is This John Andre?

I apologize for this post should have been posted yesterday and I had a brain fart and I missed the day.

But I bet that you have heard of Benedict Arnold, right?

Andre was the British officer that was handling Arnold for the betrayal.

Yesterday was the anniversary of the execution of Andre in 1780……..

On this date in 1780, the honorable British Major John Andre got what Benedict Arnold had coming to him.

Piqued that his (quite considerable) brilliance in the field did not earn honors he thought his due, General Benedict Arnold contrived to betray West Point to the British during the American Revolution — the plot that made his name a synonym for treachery.

As the scheme ripened, the turncoat asked Sir Henry Clinton for “a personal interview with an officer that you can confide in.”

Enter Clinton’s adjutant John Andre, head of British Special Intelligence.

The dashing officer, well-liked in society on either side of the permeable divide between Tories and Patriots on the continent, slipped into Haverstraw, N.Y. to make the arrangements. On his way back — when he already thought himself safely clear of American-held territory — he was nabbed with the incriminating documents.

http://www.executedtoday.com/2008/10/02/1780-major-john-andre-benedict-arnold-west-point/

There you have some more American history…..I enjoy give it and I hope you enjoy learn it.

Class Dismissed!

Closing Thought–07Aug18

History of the Day

On this day in 1782 General George Washington authorizes a medal for troops wounded in combat…….the Purple Heart.

All soldiers know that the Purple Heart is given to those who are wounded or killed while fighting in the nation’s wars. Most also know that those who are injured or die in terrorist attacks are eligible to receive the decoration, too. What most soldiers, and most Americans, do not realize, however, is that the Purple Heart is a unique military award. First, it is the oldest U.S. military decoration; General George Washington awarded the first purple-colored heart-shaped badges to soldiers who fought in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Second, until World War II, the Purple Heart was exclusively an Army decoration and, with rare exceptions, only soldiers received it; the Navy and Marine Corps lacked the authority to award it to sea service personnel. Finally, the Purple Heart is the only decoration awarded without regard to any person’s favor or approval; any soldier, sailor, airman or marine who sheds blood in defense of the nation is automatically awarded the Purple Heart. What follows is a history of this unique decoration and some of its soldier recipients

The Purple Heart is frequently described as the military’s oldest medal. Gen. George Washington created it in 1782 to recognize meritorious service — basically bravery in combat — but it soon fell into disuse. In 1932, to mark the bicentennial of Washington’s birth, Gen. Douglas MacArthur spearheaded an effort to revive the medal. It was designed to commemorate bravery, but also recognized soldiers with wounds.

https://armyhistory.org/the-purple-heart-the-story-of-americas-oldest-military-decoration-and-some-soldier-recipients/

To all service men and women and veterans that have been wounded in combat….Thank you for your service….I feel that saying is not enough to show our gratitude….please know that you are important to us here on IST…..Thank you and be well…..chuq

Thomas Hickey

It is the 4th of July so let us talk about some of our Revolutionary history.

I will patiently wait while you hit the Google button and learn who this man is and what he has to do with this country.

George Washington had holed up in New York City in the spring to fortify it against an expected British invasion — an invasion that did indeed arrive and eventually drove the Continental Army all the way to Philadelphia.* As Paine beheld, the wrong turn of events here could have been decisive. The Continental Army was badly outnumbered and afflicted by desertion. The Continental Congress itself had to abandon Philadelphia not long after boldly declaring independence on July 4.

Whatever one might say of the great-man historiographical mood, you’d have to think that knocking out the rebel army’s top general at this juncture would have been a coup for the British.

http://www.executedtoday.com/2013/06/28/1776-thomas-hickey-plotting-against-george-washington/

Your lesson for the day is complete…..

That Famous Midnight Ride

Yep I am a student of history and because of that interest I do have a tendency to force feed history to my readers.  I love me some history.

When I was in college I thought about a paper on Paul Revere and his famous ride……but instead I did a paper on the writing of the DoI and my theory on who actually wrote the document.

Then recently I read an article about Uncle Paul and his famous ride.

In the spring of 1860, Harvard professor and well-regarded romantic poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow began working on a poem about an otherwise obscure messenger ride by American patriot Paul Revere on the evening of April 18-19, 1775. Longfellow hoped to use the story of Paul Revere’s ride as a vehicle to warn the American Union that it was in danger of disintegrating (which it was). Even though there is good evidence that Longfellow knew the real story of Revere’s ride (from Paul Revere’s 1798 letter to Dr. Jeremy Belknap of the Massachusetts Historical Society, published in a magazine Longfellow had almost certainly read), Longfellow chose to simplify and re-arrange parts of the story in the interests of creating a better and more effective poem. In particular, Longfellow reversed the story of the famous signal lanterns hung in Christ Church tower to indicate that British troops had left Boston. According to Longfellow, Paul Revere was waiting “booted and spurred” in Charlestown across the river from Boston for the signal, whereas in fact Revere was still in Boston when the signals were shown. The signals were not “for” Paul Revere, but “from” Paul Revere to the Sons of Liberty in Charlestown, because Revere was apprehensive that he would be prevented from leaving Boston.

https://www.biography.com/news/paul-reveres-ride-facts

I did a little research for the paper that I wanted to write and tried to find some info that Paul might be a Brit spy…..he did not complete his ride for he was stopped by the British before he got too far….is it possible that he passed on info to them about Concorde and such?

What Brought About The American Revolution

I have always had a soft spot for the early years of this country, most notably the years between 1760-1812 and the American Revolution.

There is a wealth of subjects written about this time and just as many excuses for why the Revolution was fought…..some point to high taxes….others just did not appreciate the monarchy and its influence on the Colonies……I found 10 things that lead to the Revolution and ultimately the independence of this nation.

This article list 10 reasons for the revolution…..

On April 19, 1775, the first battles of the American Revolution were fought in Lexington and Concord between soldiers of the British Empire and American rebels. How did the British Empire, the most powerful, wealthy, and politically sophisticated polity in the world at the time, manage to alienate its most prosperous North American colonies? Here are 10 reasons:

https://www.realclearhistory.com/articles/2018/04/18/top_10_things_that_tipped_off_revolutionary_war_295.html

We Americans have always been an opinionated lot….so here is your chance to voice your opinion on the American Revolution.

The Treason Of Arnold

On this day, 21 September 1780…..Benedict Arnold gave up the plans to Wset point to Brit agent, John Andre…..

Most Americans know all about the treason of Benedict Arnold…one of those stories that we are taught in school from the very beginning….it is suppose to teach us a lesson about loyalty and patriotism.

Most Americans know that he, Arnold, betrayed his country but for what…..

This is where the old professor comes to the rescue with one of his now famous history lessons…..

Two years have elapsed since we left Washington at White Plains, where he encamped soon after the battle of Monmouth. During the two years little was done in the North but watch Clinton, who held the city of New York. A few minor operations, however, were not without significance. Sullivan’s raid into the Indian country we have noticed. Another exploit of this same general, occurring at an earlier date was less successful. The only part of the United States held by the British in the autumn of 1778, aside from Manhattan Island and a few western posts on the frontier, was Newport, with the island on which it stands. This was occupied by Sir Robert Pigott with a garrison of six thousand men, and Washington determined to make an effort for its recovery. He sent Sullivan with fifteen hundred picked men, who were to cooperate with a French fleet under Count d’Estaing, lately arrived in American waters. Sullivan’s army was increased to several thousand by New England volunteers, and success seemed to be in reach when a terrific storm crippled and scattered the fleet, and the project came to naught.

Source: Benedict Arnold

Pride and ego can drive men to do despicable things….and one of the most despicable is the betrayal of one’s country.