AP Chapter 7The American Revolution

Patriots- colonist who favored independence from England

The British were forced to fight over a large area of the colonies

Continental Army- led by Washington and more than 100,000 served

Militias- armed groups consisted of men from local communities

The War for Independence

Rates of desertion were very high in the militia’s when facing battle but were effective in guerilla warfare

Continental Army's long struggle is what won independence for the colonies

Congress offered bounties, wages and promises of free land for those who enlisted in the army

Throughout the war their were shortages of food, clothes and pay for the army and mutinies were common

Communities seized control of the local government

Women assumed the roles of the men while they were off at war

Women did travel with the armies and served as wives, cooks, nurses, launders and prostitutes

Stories of “Molly Pitcher” who took her dead husbands place at the cannon were common

Not everyone was for independence and many sat on the fence

1/5th to 1/3rd remained loyalists and were called Tories

Most Loyalist were either recent immigrants or strongly reliant on the crown

In NY the Loyalists were nearly a majority (Georgia also was loyal)

The Loyalists

Patriots passed state treason acts that made it illegal to write against the war

Tarring and feathering was common towards Loyalists

Benedict Arnold was a Patriot in the early stages of the war but switched sides in 1779 and became a spy for the British

Patriots uncovered his plot to betray the strategic post of West Point and he went to the British and became a general

Benedict Arnold

British relied on the Loyalist to suppress the Revolutionary War

More than 80,000 Loyalist fled America after the war and most settled in Canada

British offered Congress a chance to negotiate in 1776 and demanded the repeal of the D of I but were denied

Christmas 1776- Washington led 2,400 men across the Delaware and attacked the British as Trenton

The army was able to defeat the British in NYC which greatly increased the morale of the troops

Battle of Saratoga was a key victory for the colonist and the French & Spanish both recognized their independence

British won many of the battles but were unable to gain complete control

GB also occupied NYC and Philadelphia at times during the war

During the early years of the war loans from France and Spain supported the war effort

B. Franklin was sent to France as a diplomat to create an alliance with the French against the British

Treaty of Alliance between the U.S. and France would take effect if war occurred between France and GB

French Alliance

Fighting between France and England broke out in June of 1778

Spain sought to regain Florida and expand their influence in the Mississippi

Spring of 1778 the British attempt a peace negotiations with the Continental Congress but the colonist wanted withdrawal of British troops and independence

Both sides of the conflict solicited help from the Indians

The tribes that did engage in the fighting often supported the British

Indians did not like the Americans and feared their encroachment on their land

Role of Native Americans

The most important fighting occurred in the South

British tried to retake the land and give it back to the Loyalists

Battles over Camden and Charleston (SC) were important but losses

Thousands of slaves joined the British cause in hopes of freedom

War in the South

French and Americans surrounded (land & sea) Cornwallis at Yorktown and laid siege to the city

October 1781 Cornwallis surrendered and the war was over

Americans demoralized and outlasted the British until they finally gave up

Yorktown

1st written form of govt. for the U.S. with a national govt. and limited powers

Colonists gave the states lots of power to prevent the abuse of a central govt.

A of C- national assembly, president (1 year term), votes by simple majority and major decisions needed 9 votes

Articles of Confederation (1781)

Congress conducted foreign affairs, war, treaties and maintenance of armed forces

Created a postal system Govt. could not tax but divided the debt amongst the states

All 13 states had to agree to any amendments

Issue over western land dragged on the process until Maryland signed on

Congress financed the war through loans and created paper currency

Congress tried to raise taxes on the states to retire their currency but the states refused

States printed their own money which led to runaway inflation

Bank of North America led by Robert Morris was chartered by Congress

Financing the War

Confidence in the bank grew and eventually they were able to pay on the national debt ($30 million)

Peace talks began in 1782 and the Americans demanded independence and withdrawal of British troops

Franklin, Jay and Adams negotiated a peace in Nov. 1782 w/o the assistance from the French

France was furious but made a peace agreement with GB to avoid a US/GB alliance

Continental Army remained in effect until the peace agreement in 1783

Officers of the army petitioned Congress to have their pensions be converted to a bonus equal to 5 yrs. pay which Cong. rejected

With the urging of Washington Congress later agreed to the bonus’s

The Crisis of Demobilization

During the war thousands of people still migrated westward

The governing of the western territory became a major issue

Land Ordinance Act 1785- created the grid system that made public land available

Congress auctioned off land at no less than $1 an acre

Problems of the West

System of government for territories NW of Ohio

Established the criteria for the admission of future states

Banned slavery in this region States needed a Constitution and a certain population

NW Ordinance most significant law created under the A of C.

Northwest Ordinance 1787

One of the first issues was the setting up of appropriate govt.’s for the new states

Americans wanted to make sure people had a voice in their govt.

1776-1780- states adopted new Constitutions which where shaped by debates among radicals, conservatives, democrats and Whigs

Politics in the States

Pennsylvania (radical), Maryland (Conservative), NY (in the middle)

Virginia Declaration of Rights 1776- written by George Mason proclaimed that all men are created free and equal

8 state constitutions had some formal declaration or rights

Free speech, assembly and redress of grievances were also included

All were precedents for the Bill of Rights

Free white males were the only ones allowed to vote and many states required voters to own property

T. Jefferson reformed inheritance law and ended primogeniture

Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom- written by Jefferson est. religious freedom in Virginia

Many slaves fled the south while others were recaptured and forced back into slavery

There was a small movement towards emancipation for the slaves throughout the states

1804- every state in the North had either abolished or started the emancipation process for the slaves

Equality and freedom for all really meant white property owning males

The Americans won the war for independence by dragging the war on

Articles was the 1st form of govt. but really limited in power

Issue of Rev. War debt lingered throughout the post war years

Conclusion