British versus American society
One of the major themes in the account centers around how the British society functions in parallel with the American one. Between the two there are many differences and even though the American society was supposed to be similar to the British one, they could not be more different. The British society has at its core the old aristocracy, men born in powerful houses and raised to occupy certain positions in society. In America, everyone who wanted to rise to power could because the country did not belong to a few rich men born in the right families. An example of a man who could have never had a chance were he born in England was Nathanael Green who became one of George Washington’s must trusted men and who was born in a middle-class family, without any ties to the ruling class. This allowed talented men to have a better chance as succeeding and it made the country be more powerful and prepared when faced with the enemy.
Strategy
The author analyzes in great detail the process that stood at the core of the decision-making process when it came to formulating decisions that would influence the war. George Washington tried to what moves the British army will make and adapted his strategy according to it. But even the best strategy can be affected by a lack of proper communication or bad weather and as it became obvious, the British had more than one chance of defeating the Americans but they did not because the weather was against them or because the commanders failed to communicate with one another.
Life as a soldier
The author also analyzes the type of life soldiers have and the difficulties they have to go through. In fact, 1776 destroys the idealistic image many may have had about the life a soldier has and presents it in a realistic way. The author doesn’t hesitate to present the bad parts, the dire conditions the soldiers had to face or the fact that many died waiting for the battle to happen. Many chose to desert and many get ill because they are exposed to different illnesses and conditions. Despite this, those who remain until the end are sure that they are fighting for something noble, for the freedom of their country.
