13. Organizing a War

The American Revolution (HIST 116) In this lecture, Professor Freeman discusses four difficulties that the Continental Congress faced in organizing the colonial war effort: regionalism, localism, the supply shortage that the Continental Army faced in providing for its troops, and the Continental Congress’s inexperience in organizing an army. The lecture concludes with a discussion of a Connecticut newspaper from July 1776. 00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction: Organizing a War 02:54 - Chapter 2. Regionalism in Leadership and Military Makeup: The Promotion of George Washington 21:50 - Chapter 3. Localism and Supply Shortages: Issues in Fighting for a National Cause and in Fighting with Proper Equipment 29:31 - Chapter 4. Continental Congress’s Inexperience in Organizing an Army 42:31 - Chapter 5. Snapshot of Early Communication in the States: The Connecticut Courant Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: