The timing of deciding to listen to this book is I suppose interesting, with the inauguration finally happening today. This notable year is often mentioned and used to convey the idea of rebellion and patriotism. So I thought a refresher beyond college history class was in order. A quick search reminded me of Trump’s 1776 Commission, whose report was just released as a reaction to The 1619 project.

1776 covers a time period from the middle of 1775, near the beginning of The Revolutionary War, with the Siege of Boston by the British, until Washington’s vital early victories at the end of 1776, which changed the sentiment about the possible outcome for both sides. Here are a few things that stood out for me in the book.

It’s mind-boggling to realize how luck and chance, the weather, or even just a few inspiring well-timed words from a sometimes not so confident leader, swayed some of the decisive moments that culminated in the independence of this country.

Hearing about the lives of people that existed only a few hundred years ago, I was reminded how utterly horrible life could be back then. Many people died from disease, there was no such thing as anesthesia or pain killers, hard labor was the norm, people were enslaved, and life expectancy was much lower than today.

Some of the things those revolutionary soldiers had to endure must have felt like torture. Try marching for miles in the winter during a freezing storm at night with no shoes and then having to cross an ice-covered river in boats with horses and heavy canons. Then muster the energy to fight for your life and your country!? Talk about heroes. Many of us have it so easy, and we forget the sacrifices of those that made our way of life possible. Knowing your history and our history is important.

If you haven’t read or listened to any of The 1619 Project you might check it out. There is no lack of controversy about its historical accuracy and whether or not it should at all be used in schools. If you are a critical thinker I suspect you can handle the content, do your own research, and decide for yourself.

As I’ve written before, I believe learning about the lives of others will only help to grow your understanding and compassion, especially towards those you hate, fear, or reject. When your bias is for a reason you can’t justify or you’ve adopted it without fully investigating why you hold that belief so dear, there’s room for growth.

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