The American Revolution

The Early Years

The Declaration of Independence

• Divided into 4 major sections:– Part 1 = Preamble (introduction)

states that people who wish to form a new country should explain their reasons for doing so• Describes English political rights of life,

liberty, and the pursuit of happiness• John Locke’s Social Contract Theory –

If these rights aren’t protected, then “it is the Right of the People to abolish it and institute a new Government.”

• Parts 2 & 3 list grievances held against the King and Parliament– Cutting off trade with all parts of the

world– Taxing without consent

Part 4 declared themselves a new nation

Americans Divided

• About 20-30 percent of Americans are Loyalists

• About 40-45 percent are Patriots• The rest remain neutral• Many Patriots are located in New

England and Virginia• Many Loyalists are in New York and

the South

The Loyalists / Tories• Remained loyal to Britain and opposed the war• 20-30% of the population• Some changed sides depending on which army

was closer• More loyalists live in the Southern Colonies• Were loyal because:

– Religious reasons (members of British Anglican Church)

– They’d lose their job– Didn’t understand why independence was needed– Feared things would turn chaotic– Friends and families divided

Native Americans and African Americans• Some Native Americans fight for British• Afraid that if Americans win, they would

take Native American land• Other Native Americans fight with

Americans• British offer freedom to enslaved African

Americans that fight for the British• Because of this, many African Americans

enlist with the British• In response, most states accept African

American soldiers

The Opposing Sides

• Both sides expected a short war– The British planned to crush the

rebellion by force– Patriots felt the British would give up

after losing a battle or two

British Advantages• Strongest navy in the world• Experienced, well trained

army• Wealth of a world-wide

empire• Larger population

Patriots’ Disadvantages

• Lacked a regular army or strong navy

• Lacked military experience

• Short on weapons and ammunition

• Soldiers were part of volunteer militia

• Not all American’s supported Independence

Patriot Advantages

• British relied on mercenaries (hired soldiers) to fight– Hessians (Germans) were

motivated by $$$ rather than a cause

• George Washington as general

• Fought on own ground and with a great determination to protect it Hessian soldier

Raising an Army• Congress had difficulty raising an army and $$$• Each State recruited soldiers for the Continental

Army• Soldiers signed up for one year of service (though

Washington appealed to them to serve longer)• Women served in the army in a few cases

Washington’s Strategy

• George Washington – Patriot Commander

• Washington’s early strategy– Keep his army in the field–Win small battles– Avoid major battles until the army is

larger

Fighting in New York

• British send 32,000 troops to New York

• British Commander – General William Howe

• Patriots had around 20,000 troops

• Battle of Long Island (August 1776)

• British defeat Americans who ran short of supplies (shoes, socks, jackets, etc.)

A Low Point

• Winter 1776-1777, the Patriot Cause near collapse

• Size of Continental Army dwindled• Some completed their service, some

ran away• Washington pleaded with Continental

Congress for more troops

American Victories in New Jersey

• British settled in New York for the winter (usually do not fight during winter)

• Washington attacked Christmas Night 1776 and caught British off guard

• Crossed the Delaware River and Americans defeat British at Trenton and Princeton

British Strategy for Victory• British plan to take Albany (Hudson River Valley) to control

Hudson River

• 3 British armies plan to meet in Albany– General John Burgoyne plans to lead British troops south

from Canada– Lieutenant Colonel Barry St. Leger to lead British troops

from the West– General Howe plans to lead British troops North from

New York City

• Howe captures Philadelphia first, causing Congress to flee, after winning battle at Brandywine

• Washington attacked at Germantown, but was forced to withdraw

Patriots Slow the British• British plans to take Albany are

delayed:– (1)William Howe sends word that he

is going to go to Philadelphia instead of Albany -

– (2)Benedict Arnold’s troops defeat St. Leger’s men at Fort Stanwix

Fort Stanwix

Gentleman Johnny Gets a lesson in Strategy

• General John Burgoyne captures Fort Ticonderoga from Americans

• Sends troops and Native Americans to capture supplies at Bennington, VT– Defeated by local militia called Green

Mountain Boys– (3)Desperate for supplies, Burgoyne

heads toward Saratoga

Not the way they planned it…• Led by Horatio Gates, the Continental Army

surrounds Burgoyne on his way to Saratoga

• Series of battles break out between British, American troops, known as Battles of Saratoga

• Led by Benedict Arnold (who had been shot in the leg), American army forces British to retreat

• Burgoyne’s army is soon surrounded, Burgoyne surrenders 5,700 soldier

• Howe resigns and is replaced by General Henry Clinton

Saratoga: A Turning Point

• The Battles of Saratoga have two main results– Convinces European nations that

Americans might win the war– Benedict Arnold angry about lack of

recognition, betrays his army

• End of 6.1

• End of 6.1

The War Continues

Gaining Allies• Victory at Saratoga boosted

American spirits– Was a turning point in the war– Ben Franklin in Europe, trying to

get Britain’s rivals to help the Americans

• FRANCE– After Saratoga, announced

support for America– Agreed to an alliance with

America– Declared war on Britain– Sent $$$, equipment, and troops

Gaining Allies• Spain (hated Britain also)– Declared war on Britain in 1779– Fought British troops around Louisiana– Captured British forts in Gulf of Mexico– Forced Britain to fight in many different

places

Winter at Valley Forge• Winter 1777-78 British were comfortable in

Philadelphia• Washington and his troops were at Valley

Forge, 20 miles west of Philadelphia– Endured terrible suffering– Lacked decent food, clothing, shelter– Lacked blankets, shirts, many barefoot– Washington struggled to keep the army together

• Many deserted• Officers resigned

• Somehow they survived the winter, and new soldiers joined in the Spring

• Spirits rose with news of French Alliance

Help from Overseas• French – Marquis de

Lafayette– Trusted aide of Washington– Polish – Kosciusko

(engineer) and Pulaski (cavalry officer)

– German – Friedrich von Steuben – drilled troops at Valley Forge

– Spanish - de Miralles – helped raise $$$ for American cause

Marquis de Lafayette

Money Problems• Continental Congress had

problem raising $$$– Had no power to tax– Tried to print paper money,

but printed too much and created inflation

Life on the Home Front• War changed lives of all

Americans–Women took over men’s

responsibilities at home– Some questioned their role

in society–Women wanted equal

education– Abigail Adams pushed her

husband, John Adams, to include women’s rights into their laws

Treatment of Loyalists• Many Loyalists fought

with the British against the Patriots

• Some were spies or informants

• Many fled the colonies during the war

• If they stayed, they were treated harshly

Hopes for Equality

• The Declaration of Independence led some to question slavery

• Many religious Northerners wanted it to be outlawed

• end of 6.2

The War Moves West and South

War in the West• Important battles took place on the

western frontier

• Involved Native Americans, most of whom sided with the British– Many raids on American settlements

• Victory at Vincennes– George Rogers Clark – Virginian Lt.

Colonel– Captures several British outposts on

western frontier– Helped strengthen the American position

in the WestGeorge Rogers Clark

Glory at Sea• Britain used its powerful navy to blockade

American ports and prevented American allies from sending troops

• Continental Congress ordered building of 13 warships– Unsuccessful – only two made it to sea

• Others destroyed or captured by British

• Privateers – private merchant ships were more successful than American navy against British

• Congress authorized 2,000+ privateers to attack British ships

John Paul Jones“Father of the American Navy”

• American naval officer• Raided British ports• Defeated British

warship in 1779• Became the 1st

American naval hero

“I have not yet begun to fight.” John Paul Jones

Struggles in the South• 1778 British strategy was to

attack the South (Carolinas and Georgia) where they had many Loyalists– Captured Savannah, Charles

Town (worst defeat of the war)

– Defeated the Americans at Camden

• Americans used guerrilla warfare in the South– Francis Marion “The Swamp

Fox” used guerrilla warfare, harassing the British

Help from Spain• Bernardo de Galvez – Spanish

governor of Louisiana– Loaned $$$, supplies, and allowed

Americans to trade through New Orleans

• After Spain declared war on Britain, his armies took key British ports and helped secure America’s western and southern borders

Patriot Victories• Americans defeat British at King’s Mountain and

Cowpens, forcing British to retreat

• British won a tough battle at Guilford Courthouse, and suffered heavy losses

• British forced to abandon the Carolina campaign

British Retreat• British commander

General Cornwallis marches north to Virginia (almost capturing T. Jefferson)

• Washington sends Lafayette and General Anthony Wayne to attack Cornwallis at Yorktown

General Cornwallis

Anthony Wayne

• End of 6.3

The War is Won

Yorktown

• Both sides needed a victory to win the war• Washington wanted to attack British at

Yorktown– French navy helped greatly– French General Rochambeau arrived with

5,000 troops and joined Washington’s forces outside New York city

– Washington and Rochambeau secretly moved their troops to Yorktown to join Lafayette’s troops; marched 200 miles in 15 days

Siege of Yorktown

• Siege (surrounding a city and not allowing supplies to reach them), forces surrender

• In Yorktown, 14,000 American and French troops surrounded 7,500 British and Hessian troops

• French fleet kept British from escaping or getting supplies

• Americans and French begin bombarding Yorktown

• After two weeks of constant warfare, British surrender

Independence

• Fighting didn’t really end, as British still held Savannah, Charles Town, and New York

• Victory at Yorktown convinced British to end the war

• Sides met in Paris to work out a treaty• Americans: Franklin, John Adams, John Jay• Congress ratified treaty in April 1783, treaty

signed in September 1783• Britain also made peace with France and

Spain

Treaty of Paris• Great Britain recognized United

States as an independent nation

• Nation extended from Atlantic Ocean to Mississippi River and from Canada to Florida

• British withdraw troops from American territory

• Americans agreed that British merchants could collect debts owed them

• Congress agreed to advise states to return Loyalist property

Washington’s Farewell• With war over, Washington

resigns command and returns to Mount Vernon

• Planned to live quietly and with his family

• Had completed his duty as a citizen, and gave up power

Why the Americans Won

• Fought on own land• British couldn’t control frontier (easy

to ambush)• General George Washington• Help from French and Spanish• Determination and spirit of the

American people to be free

Influence of the Revolution• Influenced the French Revolution 10

years later• Ideals of the revolution spread all

over the world

• Next two slides are not covered in Glencoe chap 6

Issues After the War

• U.S. uses republicanism – rule by the people – to run government

• People must place good of country above own interests

• Women needed to teach children values that would help the republic

• More religious freedom is granted by the states

Issues After the War

• Several states outlaw slavery• Enslaved African American Elizabeth

Freeman sues for her freedom• Preacher Richard Allen starts the Free

African Society• Americans must decide how to shape

their national government