I Survived the American Revolution, 1776

“Nate hated living here with Storch. But Eliza had it far worse. Nate was Storch’s nephew. Eliza was [enslaved by] Storch.”

Tarshis frequently inserts reminders of the novel’s historical context. In 1776, while many Americans (white and Black) were fighting for liberty, the underlying reality was that Revolutionary War would not bring “freedom and justice for all.” The presence of enslaved characters such as Eliza and Theo serve as pointed reminders that although the Revolutionary War would play an important role in gaining freedom for certain groups, the country had (and still has) a long way to go.

“Nate closed his eyes and pretended he was on one of those ships, heading out to the open sea. […] He could practically feel his father’s strong hand resting on his shoulder.”

To cope with the turmoil in his life, Nate often finds himself imagining his time back at sea with his father, who has since died. Nate was happiest on a ship with his father and his dear friend, Paul. These daydreams become a motif and appear most frequently whenever Nate is faced with danger, stress, or sadness.

“Eliza’s worst nightmare was that Storch would sell Theo, just like he’d sold her husband, Gregory, a few months before Nate arrived.”

The threat of Theo, Eliza’s three-year-old son, being sold raises the stakes for the characters in the book. Theo and Eliza are like family to Nate, much more so than his own uncle, and he feels a duty to protect them. This quote establishes what could happen to Theo if Storch gets angry at him, foreshadowing the inciting incident that will lead Nate to leave Storch’s home and strike out on his own.

“Most of the men were proud that America was part of England, the most powerful country on Earth. But they hated paying so many taxes—the extra money England made the colonists pay when they bought things like tea and paper.”

This quote acts as exposition, establishing the context of the American Revolutionary War and the reasons it was fought. For young readers who might not have learned about the Revolutionary War, the narrative emphasizes the critical details explaining the underlying tensions between America and England, and this information becomes especially important as the story builds toward the Battle of Brooklyn.

“Tears sprang to Nate’s eyes- tears of relief. That slap meant that Storch believed him. That Theo was safe, at least for now. But Nate was not.”

In this scene, Nate demonstrates The Love and Loyalty of Found Family by taking the blame for young Theo’s innocent mistake and claims to be the one who hit Storch over the head. This moment also proves to be the inciting incident of the book even as Storch’s actions reveal his deeply abusive nature. The threat of extreme violence causes Nate to run into the forest, where he will choose not to Storch’s house and will instead set off on his own.

“Jonathan got himself a job on a ship, as a cabin boy. He’d sailed away. And he never looked back.”

When Nate is trying to decide whether to return to Storch’s house, he recalls the stories of the pirate, Slash O’Shea (formerly known as Jonathan). When Nate remembers that Slash O’Shea started out on the seas at the young age of 10, he finds the courage to stow away on a ship himself and seek a new life away from his uncle.

“Nate could practically feel Papa’s hand on his back, pushing him along. He saw Theo in his mind, with his bright and hopeful eyes.”

Another source of Nate’s courage is the thought of his loved ones. Several times throughout the book, he thinks of his father, Eliza, Theo, or Paul when he needs the courage to continue. He also uses this tactic as a gauge of whether he is making the right decision; if he feels that his loved ones would encourage him on a certain path, then he knows that he is doing the right thing.

“There were only a few dockworkers milling around and no big merchant ships. That was a little strange; last time there were too many ships to count.”

Nate has visited New York before, and he is struck by the stark difference between the city as it was then and as it is now. This contrast provides important contextual information that conveys The Impact of War on Individuals and Communities. As Nate can see from the drastically altered city, the war has negatively impacted the jobs, energy, and safety of the citizens in New York City.

“British soldiers were famous for their brass-buttoned red coats […] American soldiers had no uniforms. Most of them wore cheap three-cornered hats and frontier shirts that tied at the collar.”

The various soldiers’ uniforms are described in detail in order to delineate the different appearances of the soldiers on both sides of the war and facilitate future descriptions of the battle scenes. The vastly differing uniforms also demonstrate the class and power differences between the British and the Americans. The British, who had the strongest military at the time, hold a great advantage over the Americans in terms of weapons, money, and number of troops.

“He’d escaped from Storch. And he’d landed smack in the middle of the war.”

In the second chapter, Nate briefly overhears Storch and his friend, another Loyalist named Marston, discussing a huge battle that will soon be taking place. At the time, Nate does not bother to pay much attention, since he believes that his life will remain unaffected by the war. However, once he is thrust onto the front lines, Nate is forced to learn more about the war, and he soon comes to care deeply about how the outcome will affect Americans.

“The greatest British warship of them all were called men-of-war—floating cities that could hold a thousand men and almost a hundred big cannons.”

The overwhelming power of the British soldiers is depicted in this quote, which emphasizes the daunting odds that the American fighters faced in the Revolutionary War. Despite their distinct lack of training or sophisticated weapons, the Americans found a way to resist and eventually overcome the largest and most powerful military at the time because they believed in the potential of their new nation.

“It was one of those fiery accidents that left Slash without his right hand.”

The potential dangers of musket rifles and cannonballs are discussed throughout I Survived The American Revolution. The incident with Slash O’Shea occurred when Slash was only 14 years old. Paul will later discuss the hand injury he acquired when learning how to load a musket. Children who fought in the war were in danger of being injured by the enemy and by their own weapons as they learned to utilize them.

“A mop of bright red curls spilled out from under a crumpled green triangle hat.”

This quote illuminates two important things in the book: a re-introduction to Paul Dobbins, Nate’s friend from Papa’s ship, and the introduction of Paul’s green hat, which makes key appearances throughout the text. In this particular scene, Paul’s trademark red curls also indicate that he is a familiar face, not a dangerous person like Nate feared. The hat is important as well, as it symbolizes the scrappy, determined nature of the American soldiers.

“Storch was a lying, evil rat! He’d made Nate believe that his only friend in the world had forgotten about him!”

This is a pivotal moment in the book, as Nate discovers that he has an ally in New York after all. The discovery that Paul did try to contact Nate but was stopped by Storch only confirms that Nate made the right decision when he left his uncle’s house. Additionally, learning that Paul is now an American soldier gives Nate a more personal reason to stay in New York and fight.

“Nate thought about what Papa would say as they would stand together on the deck of his ship, looking out over the ocean. ‘You never know what’s ahead.’”

When he reunites with Paul in New York, Nate is stunned to be asked to join the American soldiers. However, because of his seagoing origins, Nate has learned to accept change and new paths to life. While he is unsure of how safe he will be, his father’s words help him to find the courage to accept Paul’s offer and join the American cause.

“Nate missed Eliza and Theo. But he soon felt at home in the camp. The eighty men of the Connecticut 5th welcomed him.”

One of the themes in I Survived the American Revolution is the importance of found family. Nate’s first found family is Paul, who vows to protect Nate after Papa perishes at sea. Later, he encounters Eliza and Theo, who are much kinder to him than his own uncle. Finally, the men in the Connecticut 5th all become his family as well, making it even more difficult for Nate to lose his friends to the violence of the battle that finally reaches the shores of Brooklyn.

“Those drum songs weren’t for fun. In a noisy battle, the officers couldn’t just shout out their orders; their voices would be drowned out by the explosions.”

One of the motifs in the book is the haunting sound of the battle drums. Nate grows to associate this sound with danger, but in this quote, the author unpacks the logistics behind the drums. When battle grows too loud for the soldiers to hear their orders, the drumming communicates vital messages to keep the attacks organized.

“But there was something even more dangerous than Hessians, and it was lurking right in the camp.”

The author illuminates the tragedies of war, not all of which involve battle. The Revolutionary War was historically characterized by several more pervasive dangers, including the highly contagious smallpox virus. The harsh conditions that soldiers had to endure are viscerally depicted in Tarshis’s book, and the reality of this disease is made all the more real and personal with the death of Nate’s friend, James.

“But this wild land was important in the war. If the British took Brooklyn, they would put their cannons on Brooklyn Heights. From there, they could blast New York City to bits.”

To fully understand the Battle of Brooklyn, it is necessary to have a firm grasp of the geographical context of the area, and Tarshis ensures that this information is aptly depicted in the novel. Both Brooklyn and Manhattan were very different in 1776, with much more of the land being uninhibited. On Page 81, Tarshis includes an illustration that details where the British would have set their cannons, which would then be shot across the East River to Manhattan. This information provides vital context on the logistics and goals of the battle.

“Samuel’s musket was lying on the ground. He’d spent hours teaching Nate how to use it. And now Nate knew what Samuel would expect him to do.”

Nate is only 11 years old when he finds himself training with the American soldiers. However, despite his young age, the soldiers teach him how to properly load and fire a musket, in case of an emergency. Once Samuel is shot and killed, Nate knows that he will have to use the musket to protect himself. Nate must hold onto the training he received and find the courage to trust himself and use the musket and take on a direct role in the battle.

“There was searing heat. Blinding light. And then…darkness.”

Chapter 15 of I Survived the American Revolution brings the narrative full circle, expanding upon the same moment of danger begins the story. Now, because Tarshis has provided the full context of the scene, the knowledge of who is chasing after Nate (the Hessians) intensifies the danger and tension of the moment.

“It was wrong to steal from a dead man. But this dead man had tried to kill him.”

The characters in the book face several moral dilemmas during the war, and Nate’s decision to don the uniform of a dead Hessian is no exception. While Nate would never something from a dead man under normal circumstances, he is left with little choice at this point in the battle. Ultimately, he must ensure his own survival, even if doing so requires him to wander into morally ambiguous territory.

“Their clothes were tattered. Their faces were caked with dirt. But there was no mistaking the man in the hideous green hat.”

Paul’s signature green hat is the sign that Nate has been looking for ever since returning to camp. Miraculously, Paul and the remaining men from the Connecticut 5th return, and although the soldiers are not unscathed, most of the Americans survive thanks to a storm delay. In this moment, the appearance of the green hat symbolizes the perseverance and endurance of the American soldiers despite the overwhelming battle they have faced.