The American Revolution

• American army is not trained and almost all are sick

• British army is well trained, well equipped and supported by the Royal Navy

• How did the Americans win this war?

American Weaknesses• Untrained army and

small navy• No more than 20,000

troops • Little supply of guns and

gunpowder• Little supply of food• Uniforms were scarce

American Strengths• Patriotism of the soldiers

who were willing to give up their lives for independence

• French gave aide to the Americans

• 90% of the gunpowder came from the French

• George Washington was a great leader

British Strengths

• British forces outnumbered the Continental Army

• 30,000 mercenaries • Were able to recruit

many loyalists

British Strengths (cont.)• were well trained• well supplied• lots of food, uniforms,

weapons and ammunition

British Weaknesses

• Distance between Britain and America

• British citizens did not support the war

• Poor leadership

African Americans and the War

• Declaration of Independence said all men are created equal

• Are they?• Many African American men joined the

Patriots because they thought if they won they would be free

• But early in the war they were banned from joining the Continental army

African Americans and the War (cont.)

• Washington didn’t want the army to be a haven for runaway slaves

• The British, however, promised freedom to all slaves who fought for them

• This made Washington change his mind• By 1779, 15% of the soldiers in the

Continental army were African Americans

African Americans and the War (cont.)

• Whites also began to question their beliefs

• How could they accept slavery if all men were created equal

• By the end of the war, Vermont, Conn., Mass., New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania had all taken steps to end slavery

Defeat in New York• Aug. 27, 1776• American and British armies met in

Brooklyn, New York• Two days of fighting• British casualties – 377• American casualties – 1407• Washington retreated• First of many defeats for the Americans

Fading Hopes• British chased Americans out of New

York, through New Jersey, and across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania

• Little food and soldiers weak from hunger

• Winter was on its way• Muddy roads and icy streams• Many soldiers enlistments were up and

headed home

A Pep Talk

• By The end of 1776, the British thought the war was almost over

• British General Howe offered to pardon Patriots who agreed to “remain in peaceful obedience” to the king

• Many agreed to this offer

A Pep Talk• To counter this

Washington gave his men a pep talk and read an excerpt from Thomas Paines “The Crisis”

• He then planned to attack the Hessian troops who were camped at Trenton

Victory at Trenton• Dec. 25, 1776• Washington and his men

crossed the Delaware River

• They were going to attack the Hessian troops at Trenton

• When they arrived they found the Hessians sleeping off their holiday celebration

Victory at Trenton (cont.)

• Caught completely off guard the mercenaries surrendered

• Washington took 868 prisoners and did not lose any men

• A week later the Americans captured another 300 British troops at Princeton

• These defeats gave new hope to the Patriots

The Tide Begins to Turn• At beginning of war,

both sides tried to use the same strategy

• Win the war in one big battle

• Washington revised his strategy

• He would avoid large battles

• Try to tire out the British

A new British Strategy• General Burgoyne’s plan• Divide rebels by taking control of New

York • Plan was to cut off supplies from New

England• Without supplies the Continental army

would collapse

Problems with this strategy

• Looked good on the map but in reality was not

• British army had to build bridges, chop down trees and build roads

• Traveled with 600 wagons, 30 of them filled with Burgoyne’s personal belongings

Washington’s plan• Refused to fight another big battle• He played hide-and-seek with General

Howe• He would attack here and there and

then disappear into the countryside

Turning Point• Burgoyne finally reached his

destination, Saratoga Springs• Saratoga Springs was filled with militia• Burgoyne ordered an attack anyway• He was beat back several times• Finally he surrendered• Americans now believed they could win• After this victory France joined as an

American ally

Winter at Valley Forge• Pennsylvania, late 1777• Washington still roaming the

countryside with his men• Many of them are shirtless and

shoeless• Merchants had raised the price of

uniforms and blankets to make a profit• Many farmers would only sell food to

British because they paid them in gold

• Washington put Baron Friedrich von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayette in charge of training the troops

• The troops were now better trained• When spring arrived Washington

learned that the British were going to abandon Philadelphia

• It was time for Washington to put his army to the test

•

The Battle of Monmouth• Sir Henry Clinton had replaced

Burgoyne• He ordered his army to New York City• Now it was Washington’s turn to chase

an army across New Jersey