Chapter 2 Lesson 3 and 4

The War for Independence

The Opposing Sides

British in New York Harbor. 32,000 men British troops called

“redcoats” Disciplined, well trained

and well equipped Continental Army was

inexperienced and poorly equipped. 230,000 men, 20,000 at a time

Continental Congress issued paper money. “Continentals” not backed by gold, or silver.

Robert Morris, wealthy Pennsylvanian merchant and banker pledged large amounts of money for the war effort.

Opposing Sides

Convinced Congress to create a Bank of North America to finance the military.

Militia’s used guerrilla warfare that was difficult to defeat.

British are not united at home.

Many British merchants and members of Congress opposed the war.

British had to win quick and cheap.

US didn’t have to beat the British they just had to survive till British went broke.

French, Dutch, and Spainsh were all eager to exploit Britain’s problems.

Patriots could find allies.

Opposing Sides

British had to convince the American’s they were hopeless.

British also had to make it safe to surrender.

British General Howe had a 2 part strategy:

1) Large number of troops to capture New York City. This would separate New England from the South and demonstrate to Americans that they could not win.

2) Diplomatic: he invited delegates from the Continental Congress to a peace conference. Anyone who surrendered and served their loyalty to the King would be pardoned. Howe had no power to negotiate.

Battles in the North

British capture New York City and use it as their head quarters.

Washington sent Capt. Nathan Hale to spy on the British. He was caught by the British and hanged. Hale stated “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Crossing the Delaware

Washington tried a winter attack

This was not common considering the weather and scarce supplies.

Dec. 25, 1776 Washington led 24,000 men across the Delaware River and attacked a camp at Trenton.

Washington forces scattered 3 British regiments near Princeton.

Philadelphia Falls

House defeated Washington at the Battle of Brandywine Creek and captured Philadelphia.

Failed to destroy the Continental Congress and the Continental Army.

Continental Army was set up at Valley Forge for the winter. Marquis de Lafayette joined Washington at Valley Forge.

Helped train and boost morale.

Weather and food shortages killed 2,000 men.

The Battle of Saratoga

June 1777 General Burgoyne and about 9,500 troops marched from Quebec to New York.

900 troops head to St. Lawrence river

1,000 Iroquis also joined to head toward Albany

The Battle of Saratoga

Burgoyne seized Fort Ticonderoga.

The Congress fired that regions commander and replaced him with General Horatio Gates.

British troops and Iroquois forces driven back by Benedict Arnold: who was at this time an American General.

Burgoyne retreats to Saratoga

October 17, 1777 Burgoyne surrenders to Gates.

5,000 plus British taken as POW

Ben Franklin goes to France in September to ask for troops.

The French now convinced Colonists could win.

The War in the West

1778 Patriot General George Rogers Clark took 175 troops down the Ohio River and captured several troops.

By Feb. 1779 British surrendered

VA and North Carolina British defeated

Militias set fire to hundreds of Cherokee towns

The War at Sea

Fought at sea as well as land.

American warship attacked British merchant ships.

Millions of dollars of cargo had been seized harming Britain’s trade and economy.

American naval officer John Paul Jones: attacked the British warship Serapis but Jones nearly got sunk. Jones did not surrender. Jones replied, “ I have not yet begun to fight.” The British surrendered.

Battles in the South

British defeat at Saratoga, General Howe resigned.

Washington orders soldiers at Valley Forge to intercept the British.

Clinton began a campaign in the South against the Americans.

The Struggles in the Carolina’s

Dec 1778 3,500 British troops captured Savannah.

Capture South Carolina

May 12, 1780 American surrendered

About 5,500 Americans taken POWs.

Greatest American defeat in the war.

Charles Cornwallis is in command in the South of the British troops.

Continental Congress send General Horatio Gates to defend South Carolina. His attempt to destroy the British failed.

Battle of Yorktown

1781 Cornwallis marched into VA where he joined forces with a traitor, Benedict Arnold.

British begin to conquer VA.

Cornwallis retreats to Yorktown to protect his men and supplies.

Washington’s men march on New York city with 6,000 French men. Washington cancels attack after news the French navy is coming to attack after news the French navy is coming to help.

They head to Yorktown instead.

Cut off supplies to Cornwallis and prevented him escaping by sea.

Battle of Yorktown

Sept 28, 1781 Yorktown was surrounded by American’s and French forces.

October 14 Alexander Hamilton led an attack the captured key British defense.

3 days later Cornwallis wants to negotiate

Oct 19 British surrender.

Treaty of Paris

John Adams, Ben Franklin, John Jay conducted most of the negotiations for the US.

Sept. 3 1783, 3 treaties were signed Britain and US, Britain and France and Spain.

Final agreements “Treay of Paris:” Britain recognized the United States of America as an independent nation, with the Mississippi River as its western border.

Florida goes back to Spain. France recieves colonies in

Africa and the Caribbean. Nov. 24, 1783 the final

troops leave New York City.

New Political Ideas

The states est. a republic

Elected officials Even with the

contradictions (race, gender, class) republican ideas begun to change American society

New State Constitutions

Adam’s Democracy: society where the majority rules. Feared that in a pure democracy minority groups would not have their rights protected.

Government needs “checks and balances”

Separation of Powers Legislatures needs 2

house: Senate and an Assembly

Voting Rights Expand

Equality Men have the right to

vote Many states allowed

all white men who paid taxes to vote.

Some states you had to own property

Veterans got land grants

Thomas Jefferson wrote the VA Statue for Religious Freedom, enacted in 1786. Declared that VA no longer had an official church and that the state could not collect taxes for the churches.

Freedom of Religion

Women at War

Contributed on both the home front and the battle field.

Ran family farms Traveled cooking, washing,

and nursing. Spies and couriers Some fought Could now easily get divorced

and gained access to education. More women learn to read.

African Americans

1,000’s gained their freedom

Many planters freed enslaved people who agreed to fight the British

Washington let African Americans join the Continental Army

African Americans

North wants to end slavery

Some African Americans sued to get Freedom

Low level jobs Many African

Americans moved North to find jobs.

South relied on enslaved labor to sustain agricultural labor.

South showed no interest in ending slavery.

VA took steps to end slavery. 1782 State passed a law

encouraging manumission, voluntary freeing of enslaved people, especially those who fought.

Native Americans

Did not help most Iroquois Confederacy

weakened Not recognized fro

contributions

The Loyalist Flee

Loyalist found themselves shunned by friends, neighbors, and state governments seized their property.

100,000 left the United States.

Moved to British North America (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec)

John Trumball and Charles Wilson Peale contributed to American Identity.

Trumball known for depiction of important events.

Peale was a soldier known for his portraits of Washington and other.

American Painters

Changes in Education

Public education is critical

States funded universities

Elementary schools instituted an American centered style of teaching

Noah Webster believed Americans needed to develop their own educational system. American English.