Credit To Washington And Jefferson example essay topic

I have never been a strong student in history but the few things that teachers have drilled into my head throughout my years of education I remember. One of those topics happens to be the American revolution and how it was started. I have always thought that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were the two strong men behind this war. That they were the two men that we should thank for the freedom of our country.

I guess since history is so detailed and so many people have contributed to where we are today that teachers tend to leave out some people who may not be as famous, but who are just as important. This book made me realize that the "little" men had a lot to do with the revolution. Holton does give credit to Washington and Jefferson, but he helps show how the Shawnees, Cherokee and other natives, farmers, along with slaves and colonial governors made Virginia the place it became in 1776. After reading this I believe that the Indians were the main group pushing for independence. The Cherokees and Shawnees came together to trade and help push for independence because it was their land they were defending. Virginia's leaders at the time were desperate men who thought the only way to keep their status of upper class was to declare their independence from Great Britain.

All the groups involved worked for a common goal of freedom. The African Americans were trying to be freed from slavery, the natives were fighting for their land and unity based on a common color. The common folk wanted a greater voice of opinion in public matters and the Virginian Leaders wanted to enforce boycotts. As Holton states on page 213, "Activists of all stripes found that an effective strategy for building political unity was to urge their followers to embrace broader identities". Despite every groups difference, in color, religion and beliefs, they all had common strategies and believed if they stood together with the same goal in mind they stood a better chance of achieving their dream.

In the beginning of the book Holton talks about how the natives do not want to give up their land, and that the British do not want to spend a lot of money to fight the natives for the land. While at the same time the Virginians were angry at the imperial trade policy because it effected their tobacco plantations and owning slaves. Each group showed how they are angry about not having the freedom to do what they want. Then the slaves and farmers seem to frighten the Virginians into declaring their independence because there seemed to be no other way. All of this seemed to go unnoticed in many history classes, because the farmers and slaves never seem to get credit for pushing the Virginians into declaring Independence.

Holton seems to bring reality into play. Did everyone really think that Washington and Jefferson were so heroic? After reading this book I realized that they too were scared, confused and divided as was everyone else in the colonies. Washington and Jefferson did have to face many challenges from the slaves, natives and farmers, so they do deserve credit for the Independence, but also do the slaves, farmers and natives who pushed to be free. This war would have never turned out the same if everyone living in Virginia was not aiming towards the same goal of being free. Everyone did not exactly what they set out to get, but they did get the freedom from Great Britain.