• of Trenton: A complete if minor victory, important for the morale of Washington and his troops, this battle was fought on December 26, 1776.
• Battle of Princeton: Fought on January 3, 1777, this was also a small battle but a decisive victory for the colonists, and also a great boost to morale.

The year 1776 is the quintessential year for the American Republic.  That year, the United States was born out of revolutionary spirit with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In the book 1776, author David McCullough brings to life many of the characters associated with this tumultuous time in American history.

The main character in the book is George Washington. Washington in a sense has become a "marble man" in history, as he is often placed on a pedestal of which no fault is found. McCullough takes an unusual view in that he paints Washington as somewhat of a flawed man. He points out that the General was inexperienced and, as a result, made mistakes that led to the needless deaths of many Continental soldiers. In the end however, Washington proved victorious and staked his claim as the most important of the Founding Fathers.

General William Howe was Washington's counterpart in the British army. McCullough focuses on the passive nature of Howe and makes the point that, with a more direct confrontational tone, perhaps the war would have ended in favor of the British monarchy. Howe's leadership qualities are seen as soft, which was major factor in allowing the Continentals to group and regroup.

Nathanael Greene is seen as representing all that is favorable about the Colonial spirit of revolution: youth, hard work, and self-motivation. Greene rose up to become a favorite of General Washington despite his most humble beginnings in Rhode Island.

Joseph Reed served as a personal secretary to George Washington. In 1776, Reed changed over time and eventually second guessed some of Washington's decisions and strategic ideals. 

General Charles Lee is another individual who challenged the leadership abilities of Washington. Lee went as far as to say he could have done a better job leading the Continental Army and that Washington was ineffective as a leader. 

Henry Knox was a friend to Washington and a loyal follower of the General. Knox successfully captured British artillery at Fort Ticonderoga and would remain a supporter of George Washington throughout the Revolutionary War.

King George III was the leader of the British Empire. The king refused to negotiate peace and sent English troops to subdue the rebellion, which led to a bloody conclusion to the conflict.

General Henry Clinton was a British general who became jealous of General Howe. Once his feeling become common knowledge among the British, Clinton was replaced with General Cornwallis, the man who would eventually surrender his sword to George Washington at Yorktown.

In the book 1776, author David McCullough gives us a fresh and rich account of the start of the American Revolution in 1776 and the war's progress.

One way in which his account is fresh concerns the fact that he strives to show the perspectives of both the British and the colonialists. His book opens in England with the issue being discussed among King George III of England and Parliament. The general perspective was that liberation of the colonies would ruin England's current empire and that peace could easily be gained.

He particularly sets out to debunk any myths concerning King George III. For example, he depicts him as a very sensible man, a man who preferred "puttering about his farms at Windsor dressed in farmer's clothes" and being faithful to his wife to flaunting mistresses. He also relays, contrary to myth that King George III was an "unattractive, dim-witted man," King George was actually "tall and rather handsome, with clear blue eyes and a generally cheerful expression" (p. 5). He also debunks the myth that the king was illiterate and mad, explaining that he was quite literate and that the madness did not come about until later in life and was probably the inherited illness today known as porphyria.

After depicting the British stance and characters, he then sets out to describe America's key players, such as General Washington, Henry Knox, and William Howe. Particularly noteworthy are the very young ages of those in command of the revolution, ranging in ages from 32 to 43, George Washington being the eldest at 43.
Events in the book include the "miracle of Dorchester," in which the revolutionaries surrounded British troops in Boston; the Battle of Long Island, in which Washington was miserably defeated; Washington's retreat into New Jersey, after which Washington came face to face with the British on opposing sides of the Delaware River and marched his men across the river in a blizzard, successfully surrounding the British troops; and the battle near Princeton, as well as many other Revolutionary War events.