Sahara included these to give the book more PPTP, not to be historically accurate to the last words of dialogue. For example, there is no way anyone can know for sure what the sentry was thinking as he stood in front of the Custom House Just minutes before the chaotic start of the Boston Massacre. Sahara does not try to convey every event, Important incident, and factor that provided America with the Idea and courage for a revolution, but rather shows how each of the characters that are focused on responded to his or her time, and how they witnessed and experienced and impacted the enormous changes unfolding around them.
The book begins from the point of view of the sentry who is guarding a building, but soon witnesses the Boston Massacre. Lawyer John Adams runs to the scene of the killing, but is told to go back home. He discusses the events with his wife, and the day after is asked to defend Captain Thomas Preston, who Is accused of ordering the troops to fire. Thomas Gage, the commander In chief of British forces, meets with Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson and discusses removing the troops from Boston.
Benjamin Franklin also discusses the events with Dry. Johnson. John Adams and Josiah Quince successfully defend Captain Preston. Ben Franklin is voted to represent Massachusetts in Great Britain, but Lord Hillsboro refuses him to take the position. Franklin now becomes a symbol for the colonial cause. After the ship The Gasped Is burned, King George Ill orders that all colonial officials had to be appointed by the king. Massachusetts citizens are outraged, and Adams calls for the Colonies to unite.
Adams discusses with his wife that a revolution in the colonies now seems unavoidable and imminent. John and Sam Adams visit Thomas and Leash Hutchinson and try to convince them to stop trying to put non- British tea companies out of business, but the attempt is futile. Captain Hall of the ship the Dartmouth witnesses the Boston Tea Party. Upon Hutchinson removal, Thomas Cage Is given his troops along with the governorship of Massachusetts. British troops begin to take control in Boston, and Adams is chosen for the Continental Congress.
When the Congress begins its session, Sam Adams fears that conservatives will take control; the Congress also hears reports that the British have destroyed Boston. To Cam’s relief, the conservative proposals are defeated and the congress ends, but accomplishes little. Lord Chatham meets with Franklin and discusses with him possible solutions to avoid war; later both Chatham and Gage receives a letter that he must arrest the principal actors in the promotion of rebellion. Paul Revere meets with Warren who tells him he must reach Concord to bring the news that the British are coming.
Optician and his troops encounter resistance, and they are shot down. In a later battle the rebels faced the king’s soldiers and drove them away. Optician, Graves, and Gage meet to discuss the most recent events. John Adams speaks to the chamber and proposes to elect George Washington as commander of the Continental Army. Back in Boston, Gage discusses with Clinton the plan to attack the Charleston peninsula. Warren is shocked to find that the town of Charleston is burning, and the battle of Breeder’s Hill begins.
After the battle, Washington explain to General Ward that even though their men retreated they gave the British much more damage than they took themselves. In a combination of faith and optimism from the conservatives, the Olive Branch Petition was approved and sent to King George. Led by Admiral Graves, the town of Falmouth was burned to the ground by the British. The King rejects the Olive Branch petition. Word begins to spread that Norfolk has Just burned by the British and outrage spreads across the colonies.
Washington begins to plan for the next attack, when Henry Knox arrives with a new supply of artillery; he then lays out his plan to his army’s leaders, including Greene, Ward, and Knox, and the meeting is left with a rare optimism. At the next meeting of the Continental Congress Henry Lee gives his resolution. Adams, Jefferson, and Lee discuss the draft of the Declaration that Lee had written. It was only Maryland and New York that continued to vote against the Declaration. After Maryland finally decided to support the Declaration, twelve of the thirteen were in support.
In the official vote New York delegates abstained from voting until instructed otherwise by their assembly, and the vote was unanimous. Celebration was shared among the colonies. Having a thesis statement may seem unusual for a historical fiction book, since students generally associate thesis statements with essays and term papers. But every writer has a purpose in writing what they write, and Jeff Sahara states his thesis in the “To the Reader” section before the novel begins. The thesis is, “The Revolution itself was about not Just the power of armies, but the power of a people to decide their own future. Shard’s other purpose was to show the reader that, because of the actions of King George Ill and the British, the Revolution in the colonies was unavoidable. To support his thesis, he shows from several characters perspectives (most notably John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Thomas Gage) how the events from the beginning of the Boston Massacre perfectly set everything in motion for the American Revolution. Even as early in the book as chapter 1 1, John Adams discusses with his fife how ever since the Boston Massacre the Revolution is inevitable. Unless there is some radical change, unless some miracle brings these politicians to their senses, there will be a revolution. Sam has been talking about that for years. I thought he was a little insane. But he was only premature. And he was right. It’s inevitable. There is no negotiation, no compromise, no reasoning. There are no rules. ‘ ” (Sahara 113) The evidence that the author addresses does support the conclusion, for, like many people predicted, The Declaration of Independence was signed and the Revolution began.
Shard’s treatment of the subject is very convincing and effective, people, he does not include information that a certain character would not know at the time, and makes no references to people or events that have not yet occurred. The author was biased in his point of view, but his bias reflected the point of view of the character. For example in writing as Thomas Gage on page 253, he is excited to hear the news that the principle actors in the Revolution are to be arrested; but as Paul Revere on page 257, he is horrified at the news. ” 0 God be with you, Paul. You must warn them.
Once the British reach Lexington’ 0 Doctor, I assure you. I’ll awaken every man in every farm as I pass. By the time I get to Lexington, all of Massachusetts will know what is happening. ‘ ” (Sahara 259) Sahara does not provide the reader with a bibliography in which sources can be examined, but due to the general acceptance of the novel by critics and historians, there seems to be little chance of any blatantly false facts or ideas. Due to the novels impressive dialogue, carefully constructed characters, and historical accuracy I would say the book does make a contribution to the field of American History.
