THE CROSSING: HOW GEORGE WASHINGTON SAVED THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION by Jim Murphy

Bibliography

Murphy, Jim.  2010.  The Crossing: How George Washington Saved the American Revolution.  New York: Scholastic Press.  ISBN: 978-0-439-69186-4

Plot Summary

The Crossing tells the story of America’s military struggles in the early stages of the American Revolution.  This book illustrates how questionable America’s chances initially were of defeating the British by centering the story around details of General George Washington’s leadership of an inexperienced and apprehensive Continental army. 

Critical Analysis

Much of history that is taught at the elementary and junior high levels tends to focus on victories and positive outcomes.  Ask any 7^th grade student what they know about the American Revolution and the majority of answers include something to the effect of “No taxation without representation” or “We beat the Redcoats!”  They all know why it began, how it ended, and are beginning to learn the massive implications of the creation of the United States on global history.    Jim Murphy’s social history about Washington’s early military struggles fought in and around New York clearly demonstrates just how fragile the idea of success was in the beginning of the Revolution.  His portrayal of Washington is honest and nuanced; he does not shy away from showing General Washington’s vulnerabilities.  But Murphy also clearly shows that he compensated for these shortcomings with perseverance and cautiousness.  Readers familiar with the struggles Washington will later face at Valley Forge can see how these early battles impacted his leadership.  Murphy’s description of the retreat to Brooklyn early in the story is intriguing and keeps the reader’s attention without sounding fictionalized.  By understanding the Continental Army’s weaknesses in the beginning, students can better understand the scope and significance of America’s eventual victory.

Murphy’s resources are thorough and soundly documented.  The book is organized chronologically and includes historical background information which helps the reader understand the context of these battles.  His inclusion of paintings from the period places the young reader right into the world of the 18^th century and distinguishes it from the present.  Quotations from soldiers, military leaders, and politicians of the time provide authenticity to Murphy’s account.  All illustrations are either primary sources (most commonly paintings from the time period) or recreated maps (which greatly help with understanding troop movements and scale of the geographic areas).  He also includes a timeline of the Revolutionary War as a whole and a list of websites to encourage further examination of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania battle sites in the back matter.  And his two-page evaluation of Leutze’s 1851 painting Washington Crossing the Delaware ties all the elements of his story together.  The Crossing is an excellent addition to any teacher’s or school’s library and is a must-read for any young fan of military history.

Awards and Review Excerpts

• School Library Journal: “A first purchase, even if your American Revolution shelves are packed.”
• Booklist: “Murphy offers a refreshingly frank, vivid, well-researched account of a pivotal time in American history.”
• Kirkus: “Murphy brings the winter of 1776 to life with powerful prose and captivating illustrations.”

Connections

• Have students read portions that describe the problems Washington and the Continental Army faced militarily before a lesson on the Battle of Valley Forge.  Have students compare and contrast Washington’s experiences and leadership style in the two battles.
• Have students read descriptions of the retreat from Brooklyn and the Battle of Long Island.  Compare the maps of these areas with present day maps and photos of Brooklyn and Long Island.
• As a class, read excerpts of choice battles in the book, paying special attention to the maps, as part of a unit on the American Revolution.  Have students create a board game centered around the Revolution.  The board should reflect some geographic component of the war (could be one battle area or the entire East Coast) and the playing pieces should represent key figures from both sides. 

Personal Reflections

Being a history major in college, I loved learning about American history.  But I always dreaded the point in many of my classes that inevitably came when we had to study military history in some form or another.   It always seemed incredibly boring.  So the fact that at no time in my reading of this book was I ever bored is a testament to Murphy’s book!  His writing style is engaging and personal while still showing the technical importance of military details.  I am eager to read more of his books.