Painters, Printers and Patriots of the American Revolution: An Illustrated and Biographical Account of the Leading Figures in the Struggle for Freedom and the Founding of an Independent Nation

This work provides a glimpse of life during one of the most critical periods in the history of North America, when the United Colonies of Great Britain made the transition to the United States of America in the last quarter of the 18th century. A brief sketch of the contributions of over 40 patriots—some well-known and others long forgotten—provides a snippet view of our nation’s history as it fought for independence under the Second Continental Congress (1775-81), maintained a tenuous union under the Articles of Confederation (1781-89), and established a strong federal government under the Constitution (since 1789).This book is not an exhaustive treatment of the patriots who fought for our independence, as the signers of the Declaration alone numbered 56 persons. Whereas George Washington is remembered as being “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen,” there are many other men and women whose contributions to the cause of freedom were of great importance and should not be forgotten. The printers, for example, who put their names on some of the versions of the Declaration of Independence, put their lives and livelihoods in danger, just as well as those who fought on the front lines of battle.The 176 illustrations in this book, such as the historical paintings of John Trumbull, “are much more than a pictorial record of historic events; they are the presentation of those events in a vivid form that has stamped the impression indelibly on the minds of millions in the succeeding generations, including those countless numbers who know the events of history in no other way than through monuments of art.” Read more