Independence: The Struggle to Set America Free

by John Ferling

No event in American history was more pivotal-or more furiously contested-than Congress's decision to declare independence in July 1776. Even months after American blood had been shed at Lexington and Concord, many colonists remained loyal to Britain. John Adams, a leader of the revolutionary effort, said bringing the fractious colonies together was like getting "thirteen clocks to strike at once."



Other books have been written about the Declaration, but no author has traced the political journey from protest to Revolution with the narrative scope and flair of John Ferling. Independence takes readers from the cobblestones of Philadelphia into the halls of Parliament, where many sympathized with the Americans and furious debate erupted over how to deal with the rebellion. Independence is not only the story of how freedom was won, but how an empire was lost.



At this remarkable moment in history, high-stakes politics was intertwined with a profound debate about democracy, governance, and justice. John Ferling, drawing on a lifetime of scholarship, brings this passionate struggle to life as no other historian could. Independence will be hailed as the finest work yet from the author Michael Beschloss calls "a national resource."

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American Revolution, American History, Politics, Historical, American Revolutionary War

448 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2011

About the author

John E. Ferling is a professor emeritus of history at the University of West Georgia. A leading authority on American Revolutionary history, he is the author of several books, including "A Leap in the Dark: The Struggle to Create the American Republic", "Almost a Miracle: The American Victory in the War of Independence", and his most recent work, "The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon". He has appeared in television documentaries on PBS, the History Channel, C-SPAN Book TV, and the Learning Channel.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was nothing inevitable about it, American independence, that is. Ferling's book shows the events that from 1763 to July, 1776 pushed the American colonies to declare themselves an independent American republic. Perhaps it was much too much to expect the British government to have the foresight to give their colonists some autonomy and keep them in the British Empire. As most Americans should realize, when the war started with the shots fired at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, most of the colonists were fighting for their rights as Englishmen, not for independence.
Many Americans--a good-sized minority--wanted reconciliation with the King as late as 1776. There was Joseph Galloway of Pennsylvania who offered a "Plan of Union" by which a third house would be added to Parliament, an American Branch. Here was an idea of federalism way ahead of its time to be sure. The British were unable to conceive of treating the colonials (of course, at that time, the men) as the equals of Englishmen. There were Britons who spoke out on behalf of the Americans, men like Edmund Burke and Charles James Fox, but they had no influence upon the ministry of Lord North. Following the Boston Tea Party of 1773, King George III and North determined on a policy of punishing the Yankee upstarts.
Ferling concentrates on the period of fighting from April, 1775 to July, 1776. He describes the military actions--Lexington and Concord, the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, Bunker Hill, and the invasion of Canada--all of which finally made reconciliation impossible. We are also given short bios of the leading figures in the struggle for independence--Washington, Sam and John Adams, Ben Franklin, Tom Paine, Jefferson, and others. And we get bios of men who wanted to stay loyal to the Mother Country--Galloway, John Dickinson, and James Wilson. Such men feared that independence would only lead to class warfare and anarchy.
The climax occurs as Congress votes to declare independence and accepts Jefferson's Declaration ( after some editing). This story ends as a reinforced British Army is positioned to attack New York City and the newly-created republic faces a most terrible crisis. It would be a long hard struggle to achieve independence.

[Scott Firestone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent account of the years leading up to the Declaration of Independence. There were quite a few surprises--things I'd never learned or had forgotten in the years since I learned it in school.

Perhaps the most surprising was just how close we came to not declaring independence. I didn't realize how many people were willing to remain a colony and keep the peace--including Benjamin Franklin for many years. A few wiser decisions on the part of England, and things would have gone quite differently. But hubris and arrogance sealed their fates.

It's very readable, and I'll definitely be checking out Ferling's other books on the American Revolution.

[Rindis · Rating 4 out of 5]

As of February, 1775, Massachusetts was declared to be in a state of rebellion to the British government. Just under a year and a half later, the Thirteen Colonies jointly declared themselves independent.

This was an event that was by no means obvious or considered likely in February 1775, and John Ferling takes a deep dive into the political process that led to the Declaration of Independence in his book. It is fairly focused, keeping all the attention on the activities of the two Continental Congresses. That's still more than enough people to be impossible to get an entire cast of characters. But he does bring in all the prominent people on both sides of the argument, and mentions the fates of many of the signers at the end.

Naturally, one of the main themes is just how events propelled Congress from a solidly reconciliationist stand (that is, most everyone just wanted this over—on their terms) to being convinced that Great Britain would never give them what was desired, and that staying in the empire would be more harmful than enjoying its trade and protection (notably from other European powers).

The book moves well, and while it often felt like to me that there was no clear picture, that is the problem with trying to trace the separate thoughts of a good number of people. Subjects are tackled in a largely chronological framework, which is essential as Ferling is trying to show the shift in opinion. The main shortcoming I see is there's lots of attention on the extremes (those, like the Adamses who felt independence was essential from early on, or before the Revolution—and showing just where this conviction came from would have been nice, but presumably impossible—and those who steadfastly supported reconciliation), but not so much on those who truly changed their minds.

There is a good look at the apparent shift in public mood, and the political revolution that followed Congress' advice to the colonies to move away from the pre-war colonial charters. This did a lot to shift the political climate in the state legislatures, and prompted a change in instructions to the delegates to Congress to allow for independence. I could wish for a bit more on some of those politics, though Pennsylvania's internal struggles (the most bitter) are talked about.

Naturally, he spends some time time time on the Declaration itself, as well as the drafting of it, and the voting to adopt it. He spends a little less time on the first paragraph (which he dismisses as 'usually forgotten', but I remember from school) than I'd like, but of course talks about the sources for the main part of the second paragraph (which is what it largely remembered and referred to today), and gives a nice accounting of the various charges leveled at George III in it, without rehashing what is today generally a tedious list of general complaints, and talks about what they generally referred to.

I had actually picked this up a few years ago, but reading it right after Atkinson's The British Are Coming was a good pairing as each is focused on what the other largely avoids, across much the same time period.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Independence: The Struggle to Set America Free covers events from 1763 to 1776. John Ferling shows the debates in Congress and in Parliament. There were those in Parliament such as Edmund Burke that argued that there should be peace between the American Colonies and Great Britain, but their words fell on deaf ears. Lord North and King George III declared they would punish the colonies and use force. In Congress you had men who wanted to reconcile with Great Britain such as Joseph Galloway and John Dickinson. The goal of the Colonists was not to break away from Great Britain, but to get better treatment and more rights.

Ferling provides background information on the important players. Some of the military events are covered in this book such as Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill. Ferling excels at the set-up of independence and why the Colonists eventually decided that was the best route.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reader won a copy of this book from Good Reads First Reads.

Although there are many books written about the declaration and everyone knows the outcome, I have not read another book that traces the political journey like this one. This book is really about the forty month period between the Boston Tea Party and Congresses vote for independence. It is amazing to me the clarity with which these leaders were able to shape the nation.

Even after war was declared, many colonists still remained loyal to Britain. While this would be a natural conclusion that not all will agree, like in any debate, I didn't really consider all of the implications and just how unpopular these changes were with segments of the population. John Ferling does a remarkable job of balancing the politics with the human side of the debate.

Impeccably researched and written, this is a must read for anyone interested in the history of this period.

[Gary Land · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a very interesting book. Rather than concentrating on the military aspects of the struggle for independence, it focuses on intellectual developments. It was a struggle for Americans to free themselves from thinking that they were the king's subjects and it was only the stubborn unwillingness on the part of the British to try to understand the Americans that led to the move toward independence. Most Americans were reluctant revolutionaries. Until well into 1776 there were powerful voices pushing for accommodation with the British, but ultimately events made this impossible. Strongly recommended.

[Joel Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed. This book mostly focuses on the politics behind the struggle for independence. It takes you to Philadelphia during the endless meetings between the delegates, deciding what to do about the British crisis and ultimately through the decision to declare independence. Fascinating if you like politics or revolutionary history.

A few excerpts:


It seems certain that most Americans did not favor independence when what we now know as the War of Independence broke out in April 1775. Even after the war had raged for several months, many Americans—again, probably most—still did not want American independence. At the beginning of 1776 a majority of those who served in the Continental Congress preferred reconciliation with the mother country to American independence. Had the Continental Congress voted on independence in January or February 1776, no more than five of the thirteen colonies would likely have favored a final break with Great Britain.location 57

For more than a year the colonists fought, and died, not for American independence, but to be reunited with Great Britain on America’s terms.location 66

Philadelphia bustled with forty thousand inhabitants. It was the largest American city, more populous than Bristol, the second-largest city in England, and only slightly smaller than Dublin and Edinburgh, the leading urban centers after London in the British Empire.location 139

known today as Independence Hall.location 160

the State House was the city’s most imposing structure.location 161

Thirteen round tables, one for each colony’s delegation, were scattered about the room.location 187

In the first half of the eighteenth century, the Americans—mostly colonial businessmen engaged in transatlantic commerce—who wrote on the question of American independence said it was unlikely.location 369

In the glow of the Treaty of Paris of 1763, which recognized the Anglo-American triumph in the Seven Years’ War (sometimes called the French and Indian War), the colonists appeared to think of themselves as blessed to be British subjects.location 379

Many in London had believed that the French presence, and the threat it had posed, had kept the northern colonies, and especially New England, in line. The Yankees, it was often said, had known that they needed London’s protection if they were to be secure.location 406

That no longer was the case.location 408

Great Britain was swamped with debt brought on by years of war. The national debt had doubled during the previous seven years. The debt’s interest alone devoured approximately half of the government’s annual revenue.location 410

As historian Richard Archer put it, the mother country thought it “time to remind the colonists that they were colonists.”12location 431

On only his ninth day as a burgess, Henry delivered an electrifying speech,location 484

A “distinguishing characteristick of British Freedom,” the Resolves added, was that taxes might only be levied by “the People … themselves, or by Persons chosen by themselves to represent them.”location 497

Before the spring and summer ended, the Virginia Resolves had been adopted nearly word for word by almost every colonial assembly in America.location 501

Taxation was a manifestation of government’s power, and if that authority was wielded improperly or unconstitutionally, it could destroy all rights and liberty.location 506

There were also those, like Richard Henry Lee, who took note when a Johnny-come-lately such as Henry was catapultedlocation 513

overnight to a position of leadership when he denounced those policies.location 514

There is little evidence that many colonists were riled by these facts of imperial life before 1765. The Stamp Act changed that. The year 1765 was a “most remarkable Year,” thought thirty-year-old John Adams.location 533

the ministry, which, Franklin declared in private, was “besotted” with the desire to impose a direct and visible tax.location 614

The colonial riots and the damage to his stature led to Franklin’s transformation, though nearly two years passed before he was truly in step with popular opinion in America. Soon after hearing from his wife, Franklin openly denounced the Stamp Actlocation 635

On the stand for four long hours, Franklin sought to redeem himself at home while not burning his bridges in London. The result was testimony shot through with ambiguity and contradiction.location 647

Lest the colonists conclude that Parliament was conceding that its authority was limited, it simultaneously passed the Declaratory Act. This measure claimed Parliament’s power to legislate for America “in all cases whatsoever.”location 662

Little time passed before the ministry and Parliament discovered that Franklin had offered bad advice. Americans were opposed to taxes of any sort levied by Parliament.location 669

Parliament accompanied the Townshend Duties and the implementation of the trade laws with a decree that New York’s assembly was to be dissolved and not permitted to meet until the colony complied with the Quartering Act.location 680

there was more than that to his thinking. Having spent most of the past decade in England, Franklin desperately hoped for a settlement that would prevent an imperial clash, enabling him to live out his days in London.location 714

Between the time of Franklin’s voyage to England in 1757 and Deborah’s death near the end of 1774, the two were together for only a few months. They did not see each other at all during the last nine years of Deborah’s life. She was disconsolate when they were separated. Her husband, who drifted farther and farther apart from his wife until he appears to have lost interest in her altogether, was quite content with the arrangement.location 732

By 1768 rumors were swirling that he might be named an undersecretary in the newly created ministerial office of American secretary. The tattle would have caused only sweet sensations for this ambitious man. A subministerial post—the highest public office to which any American could aspire, and which hardly any attained—would be the capstone to Franklin’s glorious life. Consequently, the growing imperial strife was a great threat to all of his hopes. If a breach came, Franklin would have to choose between America and England, and he likely already knew that he would choose America.location 743

Franklin attempted a balancing act. He wished to do nothing that would jeopardize his standing in Pennsylvania or his possible selection to be a subminister.location 750

there could be “no middle doctrine.” Either “Parliament has a power to make all laws for us, or … it has a power to make no laws for us.”51 He had decided that Parliament had no constitutional authority whatsoever over the colonies, a position from which he never wavered.location 788

But more than anything, Washington on his own had come to see a menacing pattern in British actions. Like many other Americans, he had looked on the Stamp Act as an aberration. He thought it unconstitutional, but he believed the ministry had stumbled accidentally into the measure. The Townshend Duties convinced him that Parliament was bent on taxing the colonists.location 812

Long before it learned of the Boston Massacre, London was feeling the bite of the colonists’ trade embargo. British imports into America were sliced in half in 1769. The boycott in New York City, the second-busiest port in the colonies, shut out 80 percent of the goods normally imported into that colony.location 870

Though the colonists would not learn of the ministry’s action for another six weeks, three days before the Boston Massacre the cabinet voted to repeal the Townshend Duties, save for the tax on tea. Given the Americans’ thirst for the beverage, the tea tax was expected to raise twenty thousand pounds annually for the British treasury. Retaining that tax, Franklin reported, also afforded the government the means “for keeping up the claim of Parliamentary sovereignty.”location 874

Hutchinson had portrayed the popular leaders in Massachusetts as bent on fomenting rebellion, welcomed an unflinching British response to American provocations, and even asked for “an abridgment of what are called English liberties” within the Bay Colony. Given the passionate atmosphere in Boston and the antipathy that residents already felt toward Hutchinson, Franklin knew the letters would have an inflammatory effect.location 944

For all his brilliance as a scientist, essayist, businessman, and civic leader, Franklin the politician not infrequently made monumental mistakes. Dispatching the Hutchinson Letters was his most egregious blunder, both for his own personal fortunes and as a contributory factor to a landmark event in the American Revolution.location 954

Contrary to Franklin’s expectations, nothing was more important than the Hutchinson Letters—at least in Massachusetts—in confirming the colonists’ suspicions.location 961

the letters convinced many Bostonians that by reducing the levy on tea, the ministry had treacherously schemed to find a way to get the colonists accustomed to paying imperial taxes. Once they acquiesced, the Bostonians thought, Parliament would impose a panoply of taxes on America.location 967

As the existing tax on tea was lowered, many saw the Tea Act as a sleight of hand to draw the colonists into paying only a light duty. If the maneuver succeeded, the colonists in no time would become accustomed to paying this parliamentary tax; ensnared, they would be ripe for further taxation.location 1003

With block and tackle, the heavy chests of tea—each chest was lead-lined and weighed 80 to 90 pounds when empty and upwards of 450 pounds when filled—were hoisted on deck, where men, sweating despite the raw weather, wielded axes to smash them open. Other “Mohawks,” as these men called themselves, shoveled the loose tea into the swirling, sable waters of Boston Harbor. The work was difficult and time-consuming, requiring nearly three hours. Still, considering the amount of goods that had to be moved—90,000 pounds of tea in 340 unwieldy chests—the job was completed relatively rapidly,location 1030

Customs officials and the leaders of Britain’s armed forces in Boston had known early on that the vessels had been taken over by hostile elements—they could not help but know, as more than two thousand spectators gathered along the waterfront to watch the festivities—but none wished to act without civilian authorization.location 1035

Others charged that the lingering American problem could be traced to the “Timidity of … Tax-repealing” ministries that had capitulated in the face of the Stamp Act protests and largely surrendered again when most of the Townshend Duties were repealed. “Forbearance has long been ineffectual” was the mantra of many who demanded toughness.location 1068

It seemed inconceivable to most in the cabinet that colonists who had neither a national army nor a navy of any sort would dare risk war with a nation that could field a professional army and possessed the greatest navy in the world. Virtually every member of North’s ministry believed that Britain would prevail, and easily, should the Americans be foolish enough to resort to arms. Some were convinced that only one or two engagementslocation 1092

North did not believe that any colonies to the south of New England would assist their insurrectionary fellow colonists, and he was confident that there would be no war.location 1156

In the dark mood of retribution that gripped London, Franklin, once the most venerated colonist, fell from grace. Little compassion for Americans could be found in England in 1774,location 1211

On January 29, nine days after news of the Boston Tea Party reached London, Franklin was summoned to a meeting of the Privy Council for a scheduled hearing on Massachusetts’s request that Governor Hutchinson be recalled. The session was held in the Cockpit, an indoor amphitheater within the government complex known as Whitehall. The hall was packed with officials and spectators who came with a carnival thirst for revenge, taking every seat in the gallery that encircled the lower floor of the chamber. If Franklin arrived expecting to testify on Massachusetts’s solicitation, he was greatly mistaken. He was not permitted to speak. Instead, while many in the madly vindictive audience jeered and laughed, Franklin, now sixty-eight years old, was forced to stand for an hour and listen to reproaches against his character made in the most vitriolic manner by Britain’s solicitor general, Alexander Wedderburn.location 1219

From that day forward, retribution against Great Britain’s rulers would be a driving force behind the public policies that he pursued, much as it had been for his tormentors on that day in the Cockpit.location 1240

Over the next several days the resistance leaders in Boston discovered that the Tea Act had been defied in New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston. To their joy, Boston’s radicals learned too that no colony had condemned the violence in Massachusetts and that many newspapers throughout America ecstatically reported the destruction of the tea.location 1276

When attempts were made in Hull, Massachusetts, and Shrewsbury, Connecticut, to sell East India Company tea—presumably that which had been saved from the fatally damaged William in Provincetown—crowds gathered and destroyed the tea chests. When a tavern owner in Weston, Massachusetts, tried to sell the commodity, a mob tore down his inn, though not before its members had helped themselves to all the liquor on the premises.2location 1281

Samuel Adamslocation 1314

Adams may not have traveled much, but his reputation had spread throughout America. After Franklin, he may have been the best-known American by the time of the Intolerable Acts.location 1317

his father suffered financial ruin, a calamity brought on when a banking scheme of which he was a part failed in the early 1740s. The financial debacle occurred in part as a result of the opposition of Thomas Hutchinson, who disapproved of Adams Sr.’s bank, and because Parliament disallowed it.location 1323

Contemporaries reported that, even with the beneficence of his fathers-in-law, Adams and his family lived on the margins of poverty, so hard up that kindly neighbors often provided food and clothing.location 1333

Adams had been an implacable foe of Hutchinson and others who he believed had helped ruin his father, and the adversary too of a host of royal officials in Massachusetts who had worked tirelessly to seize and sell what remained of his father’s estate. It was in the course of his long battle to save the family’s property that Samuel learned much about politics, including how to use the press.location 1344

Jefferson, who described Samuel Adams as “truly the Man of the Revolution,” a master of intrigue, subversion, and propaganda, and the man most responsible for giving birth to the colonial rebellion. John Adams concurred, remarking that Samuel had done more than anyone to shape and guide America’s resistance to imperial policies.location 1355

Adams was among the first to understand the use of crowds. There can be little doubt that he was among those who mobilized the feral mobs that rampaged in Boston in 1765 protesting the Stamp Act and tearing down Hutchinson’s mansion.location 1363

But Adams’s greatest strength was his uncanny ability to converse easily with men from every social and economic class, and even with the rustics sent to the Massachusetts assembly by the interior farming communities.location 1368

Life in the British homeland seemed to him to be increasingly shaped by an irrepressible urge for ever more riches and by an insatiable lust for sumptuous indulgences. Such things were “Superfluities,” he said, and likened chasing after them to the “worshipping of graven images” worthy of “the whore of Babylon.” He believed that the inexhaustible covetousness that had seized the ruling class in the mother country was what lay behind their desperate plans for using coercion and force to “enslave the colonists” and render “the greater part of the people in Britain … slaves.”8location 1391

Samuel Adams was uncomfortable with modernity and sought to preserve an older New England world that lay far from Britain’s reach and was as yet untainted by the supposed decay in the homeland. He longed to preserve the old Puritan virtues, what he called “the ancestral Spirit of Liberty” and “the ancient principles” of a moral society.location 1398

But it was the Massachusetts Government Act that aroused the most concern and scorn, for in that legislation Parliament had arbitrarily altered the Bay Colony’s charter. Issued by the Crown at the time each province came into being, the charters were viewed by most colonists as sacrosanct written constitutions that structured the provincial governments and guaranteed the colonists the “rights of Englishmen.”location 1433

the principal impetus for the party’s campaign was Franklin’s hope of becoming the royal governor of Pennsylvania and Galloway’s longing to climb the political ladder, perhaps starting as a Crown-appointed magistrate and ending who-knew-where.location 1515

Probably many of the delegates were apprehensive that they might not measure up to the most talented congressmen from other colonies.location 1623

it was largely but not entirely true, as one congressman remarked, that this conclave brought together “Strangers” who were unacquainted “with Each others Language, Ideas, Views, Designs” and who were also “jealous … fearfull, timid, skittish” in the company of one another.location 1672

Congress decided that each colony would have one vote, a procedure that remained in effect through the next fifteen years.51 This critical choice would color the proceedings of Congress on every substantive issue. Throughout the American Revolution the members of Congress represented colonies or states, not people. Down to its final day, the members of the Continental Congress were never popularly elected. They were always chosen by the provincial assemblies, which almost everywhere were malapportioned.location 1745

Most members of this hard-line faction were bent on making London not only repeal the Tea Act and Coercive Acts but also retreat from the new colonial policies it had sought to impose since 1763. They did not come to Philadelphia seeking a compromise with the mother country.location 1789

The other, more moderate, faction consisted chiefly of delegates from the four mid-Atlantic colonies—Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware.location 1795

Almost to a man, the deputies from the mid-Atlantic colonies hoped for a restoration of the placid relationship between the colonies and mother country that had existed before 1763. Nevertheless, the moderates also felt that London’s recent colonial policies posed dangers to American rights and had to be resisted, and nearly every one of them came to Philadelphia prepared to support a trade embargo. But they favored a more tempered defiance than their counterparts,location 1803

If Congress responded with a mixture of firmness and moderation, most of these deputies confidently believed that Great Britain would back down short of war.location 1808

Maryland and the Carolinas, who now and then sided with one faction and from time to time with the other.location 1811

Adams arrived in Congress with a reputation as a violence-soaked incendiary, and, by dint of coming from Massachusetts,location 1823

Led by Samuel Adams, the delegation set out to palliate the fears of the other congressmen, adopting what John

[Cara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can sit through a long history book as well as anyone - I'm quite proud of myself for having made it through the entirety of Diarmaid MacCulloch's Christianity (1000 pages/48 hours on audiobook) this year - but this book is just really, really boring.

It's not the subject matter that's boring, it's the narrative. It reads like a text book, not a book the author really intends for you to read from cover to cover. It suffers from the author's attempt to fit in way too much - a mini-biography on every one of the members of the Continental Congress, many members of Parliament, etc. etc. If he had stuck with a few key players, even a dozen key players, it would have been more manageable. Then he would have been able to spend more time talking about what was actually happening. Not that John and Abigail Adams didn't have an interesting relationship, just that you can't fit everything into a book and still expect it to be readable.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

This was a great in-depth look at what was going on within the Continental Congress leading up to the Declaration of Independence. John Ferling has a knack for telling an engaging story while expertly tying in background information on dozens of important American forefathers. Not only does he delve into debates of the Continental Congress, but also gives the reader the leading perspectives from Parliament during the early years of the Revolutionary War. The amazing story of the American Revolution came alive in this book as I realized just how great the odds against the colonies were, and how bold and dedicated our forefathers were to making a country based on the liberty of the people.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Thanks Firstreads Giveaways! I am looking forward to reading about how our country gained it's Independence! Thank you!

What an informative read! I really enjoyed reading the little know facts intertwined with the basic knowledge of the independence of our country. I also enjoyed seeing my relatives name in the book. Yep, I am related to one of the lesser knowns who signed our great country into it's own. I enjoyed the little tibits of info I would have never guessed at. If you are looking for some history this book has it! A very enlightening read!

[Helen Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I had no idea how much I didn't know about the colonies declaring their Independence.

I have had this book in my kindle for years and finally cracked it open after listening to the musical Hamilton. Funny enough, he is not in this book at all! Still, I learned so much about all of it and it was truly fascinating. I'm certainly not finished exploring the Revolution and I look forward to reading more about this fascinating period.

The book itself is easy to read and while it can get dry at times there is enough personal info about the major players to keep things interesting.

[Drew Widney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring boring boring. The content is interesting but my goodness avoid this book. This is written as a text book. You will learn more from David Mcullough's John Adams and you will enjoy it more as well. This may earn high remarks for its scholarly research and insights, but very low scores for readability.

[David Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished Independence: The Struggle to Set America Free by John Ferling. A remarkable study on short period from 1763 to the Declaration of Independence in July 1776, which in 1773 was anything but inevitable.

The book by discusses the events which antecedents the emotional and finally to a political break up separating the colonies from the mother country, parliament and King. The Antecedents were the attempt to tax and control the colonies, through a variety of direct and indirect taxes and acts, including the Stamp and Teas Acts. and leading to the Coercive Acts of 1774(Intolerable Acts), which included (1) the Boston Port Bill, which closed Boston Harbor; (2) the Massachusetts Government Act, which replaced the elective local government with an appointive one and increased the powers of the military governor; (3) the Administration of Justice Act, which allowed British officials charged with capital offenses to be tried in another colony or in England; and (4) the Quartering Act, which permitted the requisition of unoccupied buildings to house British troops.

The players are well known but John Ferling dwells on the impacts both early and later of many familiar and less familiar individuals, including John and Samuel Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Hutchinson, Joseph Galloway, John Dickinson to name just a few.

A well written book which should be read by all interested in to the political acts and decisions which led to the formal separation of the colonies from England.

[Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can read a lot of founding fathers, revolutionary, struggle for independence-like history, have a Pretty good feel for the timeline of events that are bemoaned and celebrated in this history and yet not get the more intimate sense of the human, social struggle that took place in such a short period of time. This book reveals that there was no clear path to independence. That there was no clear line between revolutionaries and British loyalists, that there were many people, discussions and debates on both sides of the ocean that wrestled with the issues troubling the times.
This is an easy read and well read in its audiobook format. It covers little biographical vignettes of individuals through the story, often jumping forward and back in time with the added nuanced perspective contributed by the individual introduced. Some may not like the non linear timeline, but I enjoyed the repetition and retracing of steps that seemed to add to ones understanding and appreciation of a certain moment more than distract or bore.
Spoiler alert: Americans declared their independence, managed to eek out a win in the subsequent revolutionary war and then proceeded through another 250 years to our current state of imperfect union and continued struggle toward all men being created equal with certain unalienable rights …
A good read!

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book - not a barn burner, but so informative and from a unique perspective.

Mr Ferling writes about the politics of reconciliation and confrontation from both the American colonies and the British Parliament's point of view. How did Independence occur rather than some other accommodation? Until the Declaration published in July 1776, the sectors that favored concession, accommodation, or joint dependency were in the majority, but misteps primarily on the British side resulted in those possibilities withering away.

Ferling writes of the politics in all 13 colonies, even as the leadership of the independence movement was centered in and led from Massachusetts. He introduces the main characters from all parts of the conflict, from the British Prime Minister, the cabinet member appointed to oversee the American colonies to King George III himself. Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, Thomas Paine - all are set in the larger circle of the Continental Congress and its many factions.

Great focus that doesn't drift off into a chronology of the war itself.

[Stephen Carrier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't a book I could ever see myself reading again, and it also isn't one that kept me turning the pages unable to put it down, but I did learn a lot from it. It detailed the politics leading up to 1776 and just a couple of the battles. It was really neat to see all the discussions, debates, and arguments that led to the declaration of independence. I also thought it was interesting how many of the founders were so different, yet their differences all united to form the beginning of the United States as we know it. It showed that many personalities can come together to effect one big change, and that was the aspect I most appreciated about it.

This is an informative book that reads almost like a textbook. I would recommend it, but don't expect to be enthralled with it if you pick it up.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, the domino effect at it's finest. Even those that are knowledgeable on the American Revolution may appreciate the three decades of events that led to Independence. John Ferling does a superb job of telling how America's Independence from England came to be. He includes details about all the players - both Americans and Brits - that played key roles in this history. There is much discussion on how close we came or could have come to reconciliation with the Mother Country.

In my opinion, this is the best book I've read on America's Independence. It supplies scholarly information while also providing great prose. Mr. Ferling is a great story teller and even someone with a nominal history interest will enjoy this book.

93 out of 100.

[Tres Herndon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at the detailed ins and outs of America's road to declaring independence from Great Britain. Had quite a bit of info you don't typically find in books about the Revolution, including what was going on in the British camp. I would definitely recommend it to folks interested in this period, but fair warning, it does not include the war after July 1776 except in the form of a coda.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid and well-written history on the period leading up to the Declaration of Independence. The subtitle isn't lying. It was indeed a huge struggle to gain the consensus needed to break away from Great Britain. This book covers all of it in great detail, but despite its length, it never seemed to bog down, at least IMHO. Recommended.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

writing that they generally prefer so my experience with this book may not be the experience had by everyone else. However, I really enjoyed the style, pace, and content of this book. I bought it on July 4 because it was a kindle daily deal but I am certainly interested in reading more of the works written by John Ferling. This book is unique and clears up some misconceptions that people may have about Congress and the background of the American Independence. The book is not structured as a story but more as a journey. Here are some key points which may be helpful to you when deciding whether to buy this book.

Dr. Ferling starts with the premise that the study of history is best looked at when we return to the time itself. History has a way of appearing to be pre-scripted. However, lots of things could happen and change its course. To understand the revolution it is not enough to know that it is a pivotal moment in American History, but one must return and try to retrace the crisis that led to the birth of America. Turning back to discuss the drama of the history adds the elements of humanity such as fear, uncertainty, rebellion, and outrage. Dr. Ferling does not tell the history of a bold nation who unanimously forged together to oppose Britain. There were competing views about the future of the country. Lots of men came together with different ideas about direction America should take and it took a while before they were able to come together and break ties with England.

First, he retraces some familiar background by dealing with the issues and grievances that the Americans perceived were being foisted on them by the British. Along the way he does a very clever job. He slowly starts picking up characters and adding their history into the narrative. Some of the stories like those of John Adams, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington one may know. Other stories like that of John Dickinson, Joseph Galloway, Robert Morris, and Roger Sherman one may be less familiar with. He does a stand-up job telling the British side of the story as well and pulls out key aspects in the characters of these men. He spends a great deal of time talking about many of the great English statesmen who opposed the war on the colonies. The way he picks up characters along the way was very clever and they are brought into the story when they are needed to be seen.

While I did not think he was completely unbiased (which I believe no one can be) I thought his perspective on the Fathers was rounded. Let's face it: Most of our founding fathers were W.A.S.P's (White Anglo Saxon Protestants) more importantly, many of them had wealth. Some of the men involved with the independence movement may have been moved at least in part by the economic advantages. Richard Henry Lee for example, (known as Bob Booty behind his back) invested in the Ohio Valley and London did not want to increase Virginia landholding. However, Lee stayed conservative until he saw the success that Patrick Henry had with his more radical tone. Franklin was at first neutral as well. He lived in London before the revolution and wanted to make good money and influential connections there. It was a series of events that led Franklin towards becoming involved in American Independence. There were trade possibilities that no doubt interested many of these men. If America won the trade market would open wider and the wealthy would certainly benefit.

The downside to the book was the extensive vocabulary. Most of the words I understood but there were words that Dr. Ferling uses that I was not aware existed. Now, it was not so difficult for me because I am fairly well-read and am able to decipher the word in the context, plus, kindle has a dictionary feature to help with exact meanings. However, this may not be as accessible to one who may be struggling to read. I should be clear to say that his vocabulary was not a problem but it may present a problem to a reader. So make sure if you are buying a non-kindle version to keep a dictionary on hand to reference from time to time. Other than that I really did not feel there was anything to complain about. One reviewer suggested that the book was slow in spots and I will agree with that. However, it was not terribly slow and I actually found the book to be fun most of the time.

So my recommendation is that this book is a valuable work to add to one's collection on the Revolutionary War. When an author leaves me wanting to read more of his or her works than I think that says a lot about the writer. Dr. Ferling definitely knows what he is talking about. He not only tells us a good story but he goes a little deeper and traces the development of what I believe is one of history's most significant events. He writes passionately and a majority of time fast-paced. He clears up misconceptions about the 4th of July and gives the real date that the decision was made and the date that the Fathers originally wanted to celebrate. On a side note the kindle edition is good and there are no kinks in the book. All in all, I found this book to be lively, informative and entertaining. I have not been as excited about a book in a long time.

[J L R Webbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the prose is compelling and easy to read, there were too many historical inaccuracies for me as a historian specializing in American Revolutionary War history to recommend this book as a solid resource.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent narration and storytelling of the events leading to the Declaration of Independence. Great concise bios of the players and their circumstances. Will definitely read another by Ferling.

[Scott Flory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just this morning, I finished reading John Ferling's novel, "Independence: the struggle to set America free". In case you may be considering it as a potential Christmas gift for a friend who is a history buff, I would recommend it to you. Below is a quick synopsis of the story, as told by Ferling, who is a noted historian and author on the subject and who also is a Professor of American History at West Georgia University. I have read one other book by Ferling and find his writing style cogent and easy to follow. The book is about 370 pages, excluding notes, index, bibliography, etc. The print is rather fine, so it is probably the equivalent of about 420 pages of more typical text.

This book, in a nutshell, is about a roughly 40-month period during the latter part of the 18th Century, during which public sentiment and opinion over America's deteriorating relationship with her Mother country was transformed. It was during this period of time, that Great Britain's public policy initiatives and other actions towards America in regards to taxation, trade, and governing became stridently despotic.

This is, initially, the story about a politically and geographically divergent confederation of colonies that, beginning with the 1st Continental Congress in 1775, sought only to remain united with Great Britain on a "pre-Stamp Act" (1765) status-quo basis. Ferling identifies that the "struggle" was essential a paradoxical conflict within America itself, between the "reconciliationists" and the "pro-independence" factions. Likewise, similar disparate factions existed, albeit to a slightly lesser extent, within Great Britain, with regards to the diplomatic and political strategies toward America envisaged by Lord Dartmouth, Lord North, Parliament, and the Monarchy.

It was only post-spring of 1776, that the colonies fervently began to coalesce around the need for a "Declaration of Independence". This was primarily due to the delegates at the 2nd Continental Congress coming to full resolve that any efforts to end the conflict peacefully or amicably and return America to as it was prior to parliamentary taxation practices was futile. Additionally, that the need to declare independency would be the only viable way to entice France and other foreign powers to aid the American revolutionaries in a protracted war with the Mother country.

Ferling provides succinct biographical information regarding the major players of the time throughout the manuscript. Both John and Sam Adams, T. Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lighfoot Lee, and B. Franklin in particular on the side of the colonies. Likewise, Lord Dartmouth, the Howe brothers, George III, and Lord North on the opposite side of the Atlantic.

I thought the final chapters related to the maneuvering of the delegates towards a motion to declare independency, prior to the military campaign to defend New York, was the best part of the book. The uncertainty regarding the prospective completeness of the passage of the Declaration and likelihood of unanimity, as well as the importance bestowed upon the latter by the delegates was particularly reverent. It is within these final chapters that the luminaries of the time are eulogized for their leadership in guiding America upon its inexorably course to approve a Declaration of Independence.

Two thumbs up!

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of times, the history of the beginning of the American Revolution goes something like this: There were protests, then there were Lexington and Concord, and then America declared independence and dough the war.

Less noticed -- and perhaps less known -- is that Lexington and Concord happened in April 1775 and America declared its independence in July 1776. For more than a year, independence was not a stated goal of the war. In fact, there was far more agreement on the need for armed resistance to Great Britain's policies than the need for independence.

John Ferling's exceptional "Independence: The Struggle to Set America Free" chronicles the evolution of American thought from the first attempts by Parliament to tax the colonies until the Declaration of Independence. It also shows the repeated missteps of the British government in dealing with the American problem, despite the repeated warnings of opposition figures that the king and the Cabinet were taking steps and drawing lines in the sand in a way that was certain to backfire.

Meanwhile, we see how John Adams and other supporters of independence ruthlessly exploited the mistakes of Prime Minister Lord North and the king to drive a wedge between Americans and their rulers. But what shines through the most, and what was most surprising to me as someone who loves revolutionary history, is just how easy Lord North made out for them.

And Ferling is perhaps one of the best writers to tell the story. He sometimes seems more comfortable using revolution-era words than modern ones, and occasionally shows off either his large vocabulary or his ability to use a thesaurus, but his writing itself is sharp, lucid and interesting. He moves from the Congress to the Parliament to the battlefield easily, and makes what is essentially a political story lively and at times amusing. A great story told by a great writer grounded in his subject. What more could anyone want?

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having my master's degree in history, I have studied the struggle for independence fairly extensively and John Ferling has always stood out as an excellent historian, and writer, of this time period. I was excited to read this book by him and I wasn't disappointed. In John Ferlling's own words, "This is a book about the evolution of the idea of American Independence and about the events and decisions that ultimately led Congress, with the backing of most colonists, to set America free of the British Empire" (pg. ix). Ferling held true to this even down to his chapter structure. Each chapter is broken down by a major player (both American and British) in the revolution. Some people may not like this style as it does jump around a bit, but I believe it allows the reader a better view into the decisions and the evolution of the movement. John Ferling focuses specifically on the time period between the Boston Tea Party and Congress' vote for independence.

This book is steeped in research and therefore this read can get somewhat long at times. Even if it can get a little slow sometimes, it is worth the time to get through as the reader comes away with a much better understanding of the path to the declaration of independence. Ferling provides an appendix for the reader with the text of the declaration of indepdendence by Congress. Ferling also provides a select bibliography as well as a notes section and index for quick reference.

I would recommend this book for readers who are already quite familiar with this topic and would like a new perspective. I think it would be confusing for first time readers of the topic or people who are not truly interested in this time period. It's definitely a book I am glad I own and it is a great addition to any historian's library.

[Cheryl Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was a very young girl in school I was never interested in History; too many other things pulled me to other subjects. As a retired adult with lots of time to read I found myself thoroughly enjoying this book of America's history and the times leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The book read like a novel, not like a textbook. So much more was included in this story than I ever remember reading in school, such as England's side, King George III and NORTH, Head of Great Britain's Army, and how they treated the colonies. So much of how our country functions today is based on what the colonists believed at that time. Reading this story during the month of July gave me a real feeling of patriotism and how important it was that our forefathers and the first settlers held to their beliefs. Every American should read this book; I liken it to traveling overseas. When you return to the good old U.S.A. you realize what a great country we have. John Adams, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and George Washington's personalities were so vivid. Even the ones who did not believe in the independence of the country then were included, even though you grew to dislike them as the people living them probably did. Thomas Payne's COMMON SENSE was a good section. Interesting also how people could not relay information other than in person which sometimes took months to relay.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved this book, the Kindle edition! I almost wish I could re-read it, but have to get to other books. Ferling covers the events leading up to the monumental decision of the colonies declaring independence from the mother country, 1765 to 1776. Today we look back at the history without the passion of the men who lived through those years, who wrestled with each other over the decision of tearing away from what they held dear from their birth to the grave, their love for King and England. The biographies of the men who debated, legislated, and interacted with each other left me wondering how these same men would fit into society of today. Political intrigue, military defeats and competing egos made the quest for independence questionable at times. The larger than life characters of John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and other well known names played large parts in the chess moves leading to independence, but others played crucial parts as well: Thomas Paine, Dickinson, Galloway, Wilson. My favorite man behind the scenes is Samuel Adams, who did not speak much, but pushed events and debates toward the colonies' vote for independence. He was the man with the plan, a pivotal character in the story of our independence. This book is worthwhile re-reading again in the future.

[Courtney Umlauf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that this focused more on the politics of the Revolution than on the battles. It was interesting to learn about the time leading up to the Declaration of Independence and the motives behind the decisions that were made, including a little from the British and French point of view. Reading this ended up making me want to go read a bunch of other biographies. The narrative shows the reader the big picture, but then will zero in on one person in particular. You get a very brief biography of their life up to the point in history that's being discussed, then they're seamlessly integrated into the story as a whole. It brought to light several interesting individuals that I'd like to know more about. The writing was very straightforward, without a lot of flourish or comment by the author which worked fine for me. I didn't find it to be boring, just less of a grand painting of the American Revolution and a little more like a history text book. I enjoyed it, but I can understand if others might find it a little dry.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT TREATMENT OF HOW THE IMPROBABLE SEPARATION (AT LEAST IN THE 18TH CENTURY) OF GREAT BRITAIN AND ITS AMERICAN COLONIES TURNED OUT TO BE IN HINDSIGHT INEVITABLE. IT DOCUMENTS ACTIVIITES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC AND DEMONSTRATES HOW THE INTRANGIENCE OF THE KING AND PARLIAMENT LED TO THE ULTIMATE SUCCESS OF THE NASCENT MINORITY INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT IN AMERICA. IT VIVIDLY PORTRAYS ALL OF THE PLAYERS IN THE DRAMA, THOSE WHO ARE LARGELY FORGOTTEN TO HISTORY AS WELL AS THOSE WHO WE KNOW SO WELL AS THE LEADING FOUNDING FATHERS. IT IS A WORTHWILE READ FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN HOW WE BECAME THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written historical non-fiction tracing the American Independence movement up until the Declaration of Independence. Thoroughly enjoyable and focus on how life feels so uncertain in the midst of an event.

Details: It is still amazing to me how badly the British managed the American colonies. Most Americans (Massachusetts and Virginia aside) were ready to compromise, but the arrogance of PM North and HM King George III took away that option.

This focus on the political issues of the time and how uncertain everything felt at that time.

The Takeaway: Very good read for history buffs.