the american revolution: 1776-1783 the battles part ii
TRANSCRIPT
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: 1776-1783
The Battles Part II
Struggles in the South
In early years, colonists won many battles in south Crushed Loyalist militia at
Battle of Moore’s Creek (Wilmington)
Saved Charles Town too But Brits realized
underestimated Americans Changed their strategy
Hard-hitting offensive Concentrated their efforts in
south More loyalist support Major cities were port cities
Use British navy to assist
Strategy works!
British Victories
Late 1778- British Gen. in Command Henry Clinton sends 3,500 redcoats to take Savannah, GA Brits take city, & most of state
1780- Clinton himself heads south Attacks Charles Town, SC
Surrender in May Take 1,000’s of prisoners! WORST DEFEAT of war
Clinton heads back to NY Leaves Gen. Lord Cornwallis in
command of war in south Continentals send Gates’ army to
take him on 1780- Met at Camden, SC
Easily defeats Gen. Gates who flees
Major General Lord Charles Cornwallis
Guerrilla Warfare
New style of warfare overtakes countryside Colonial militia appeared
suddenly, struck, then disappeared
Called… Guerrilla Warfare, hit-&-run
technique Catches Brits off-guard
Leader of these Patriot guerillas, Francis Marion Operated out of the swamps
of SC Known as the “Swamp Fox” Quick & extremely smart Basis of main character in The
Patriot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SBPnw5riLM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBehIdLdanE
Patriot Victories in the Carolinas
After Cornwallis’ victory over Gates @ Camden, SC Move north through NC
Sept. 1780- @ King’s Mountain Brit officer & 1,000 Loyalists try to defend
it Patriots attack
Force British retreat of Mt. Victory brings new support for Colonials
Oct. 1780- Gen. Gates is replaced by Nathaniel Greene Splits Continental army of South in 2
Jan 1781- Colonials under Gen. Daniel Morgan defeat Brits @ Battle of Cowpens, SC
Reunite March 1781- to take on Cornwallis at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse Present-day Greensboro, NC Colonials forced to retreat, but… Losses so severe for Brits, Cornwallis
leaves the Carolinas
British Retreat
April 1781- Cornwallis marches north to VA Raids throughout the state
Nearly captures VA Governor Thomas Jefferson!
Jefferson flees on horseback just ahead of Redcoats
Washington sends Lafayette south to take on Cornwallis Cornwallis sets up camp @
Yorktown Awaiting orders from Clinton
in NY War in south about to
come to bloody end!
Change in Plans Washington knew of the fighting in the
south Knew Cornwallis was bottled up at
Yorktown, VA G-Dub had previously sent Lafayette’s
troops to keep them from north August 1781- 2nd French fleet heads to
the Chesapeake instead of NYC Washington hatches NEW Patriot plan…
Keep Clinton thinking they would attack NYC, but secretly move south instead
This would keep Clinton in the north Can’t help Cornwallis from disaster
approaching Rochambeau and Washington secretly
march 200 miles in 15 days to meet up w/ Lafayette north of Yorktown
Meet up w/ 2 French fleets Basically…
3 armies north 2 French fleets off east coast Continental Army of the south (left intact
when Cornwallis gave up on Carolinas) All surrounding Cornwallis’ army @
Yorktown, VA
The Siege of Yorktown
Washington wondered if complicated plan would work Hoped he had fooled Clinton Hoped French fleet would reach
Yorktown in time 5 September 1781
G-Dub receives news that fleet is nearly there Plan worked perfectly, and Brits still
bored waiting in NYC!!! 14,000 Patriot and French troops
had the 7,500 Brit and Hessian troops of Cornwallis trapped!!!
French fleets kept Cornwallis from escaping by sea
Continentals of South kept from retreating south
Meanwhile, Clinton sits and waits bored in NYC waiting for the attack that would never come
Are these guys ever gonna
attack… I am soooo bored!!!
Cornwallis’ Defeat
9 October 1781- American and French forces
begin massive bombardment So extreme, bodies lay
everywhere of Cornwallis’ army Supplies run low for Brits and so
many soldiers dead or wounded Cornwallis realizes the
hopelessness of the situation 19 October 1781-
Cornwallis surrenders Patriots had won the Battle of
Yorktown Brits marched b/t rows of French
and Patriot forces handing over their weapons
Cornwallis surrenders his sword to Washington!
Independence
Fighting didn’t end @ Yorktown Brits still held Savannah, Charles Town, &
NYC Few more fights but…
Victory @ Yorktown convinces crown war too costly to con’t
2 sides send delegates to Paris to work out treaty Ben Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay for
USA 3 September 1783- Treaty of Paris
signed ending the war Also peace treaties b/t French and
Spanish too Terms for Brits
Great Britain would recognize USA as independent nation
Land claim from Atlantic to Mississippi R. and Canada to Spanish Florida
Brits withdraw all troops from territory Fishing rights off coast of Canada
Terms for USA USA would allow Brit merchants to collect
debts from colonists Loyalist land would be returned
Why the Americans Won
How did they manage to win? How defeat strongest military in
world? Patriots had several advantages…
Fought on own land French and Spanish aid
Soldiers, navy, generals, $$$ Blocked Brit navy Brits could control cities, but not
countryside Patriots knew terrain, and could hide
easily Brave, impulsive generals Most important…
It was the people’s cause Had personal interest in outcome Determination and spirit that could
never be beaten
The Influence of the American Revolution on the World
1776- colonists began a revolution Making clear principles of
freedom and rights of people Ideas lead influence to French
people to question their own lives Ideas shouted by French rebels
during French Revolution in 1789 Caribbean Islands push for
independence as well But from France!?!
When France overthrown by natives and slaves in Caribbean, Haiti in particular…
European control in the New World began to quickly disappear