Historian **Derek W. Beck** shares highlights from his book, _The War Before Independence: 1775-1776_ (2016), which draws on previously unpublished documents, letters, and diaries to explore pivotal events of the violent years of 1775 and 1776. From the Boston Tea Party to Paul Revere's famous midnight ride, from the lesser-known William Dawes's journey to Lexington, to Benedict Arnold's taking of Fort Ticonderoga and the letters of Gen. Thomas Gage, from the Battle of Bunker Hill to the exciting conclusion of the Boston Campaign, the book transports readers to this tumultuous chapter in the American story. (Photo: [Flickr/Ken Lund](https://www.flickr.com/photos/kenlund/67839322 "Paul Revere statue"), image cropped)
Derek W. Beck has always had a passion for military history, which inspired him to start his career in the U.S. Air Force. He has served as an officer on Active Duty in science roles and in space operations. In 2005, he earned a Master of Science degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he also fell in love with Boston's revolutionary past. Beck is the author of the Igniting the American Revolution series, which includes \_Igniting the American Revolution: 1773-1775\_ (2015) and \_The War Before Independence: 1775-1776\_ (2016).