7.1 The Early Years of the War

1. 7.1 The Early Years of the War I can… A. Identify and explain the character and significance of the military struggle in the North B. Explain the impact of the war on women, African-Americans and American Indians

2. Patriots, Loyalists & Neutral Americans were divided between 3 groups: • Patriots 40-45% • Loyalists 20-30% • Neutral

3. Americans Divided • The conflict divided Americans along social, religious and ethnic lines • New England & Virginia had many Patriots • Loyalists were many in cities, New York State, and the South • People with something to lose: Judges, councilors, clergy or members of the Church of England were largely Loyalists • People with something to gain were largely Patriots: Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Baptists, in debt • Most Quakers were pacifists: people opposed to all war

4. African Americans • Sothern states refused to allow them to enlist • Feared if armed, they would lead slave revolts • 5,000 served in the Continental Army from the North • Many slaves, promised freedom, ran away to fight with the British

5. Native Americans • Largest Indian war in American history • All nations east of the Mississippi caught up in the fighting • Many joined the British, fearing colonists would continue to take more land • Others, living in colonial areas of settlement, sided with the Americans

6. George Washington & The Continental Army • Militia: untrained and undisciplined • Washington’s goal: Keep the Revolution alive! • Avoid crushing defeats, win any battles • Enlistments for 1 year • Army remained small • Lack of supplies: blankets, food, guns, ammunition

7. Women • Women went to army camps • Cooked, did laundry, nursed sick and wounded, fought • Managed farms and businesses

8. British Views • Americans were disorganized, inexperienced rebels who would be easily defeated • Many British officers refused to fight the Americans • Many British people not enthusiastic about the war, lead to problems recruiting soldiers • British soldiers signed up for life, also limiting enlistments

9. Hessians Hessians were hired to fill the lack of British recruits

10. War in the Middle States • After the British were forced out of Boston in March of 1776, Washington moved the army to New York City • British wanted to occupy coastal cities so their navy could land troops and supplies there • From the coast, they could launch their military campaigns

11. July 1776 • British General Howe arrived in New York with a large army and 9,000 Hessians • Americans defeated at Battle of Long Island • Washington forced to retreat, crossed into Pennsylvania • Thomas Paine’s series of pamphlets, The American Crisis, urged Americans to keep fighting! • Before crossing the Delaware into Trenton, N.J. “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”

12. Battle of Trenton & Princeton, N.J. • December 25, 1776, Washington and his troops cross the Delaware and surprise sleeping Hessians and take Trenton and 900 Hessians & supplies • 8 days later they take Princeton

13. Britain’s Northern Strategy • Seize the Hudson River Valley and cut off New England, the main source of rebellion, from the other states • 3 armies would meet at Albany, New York: General Burgoyne from Canada • Lt. colonel St. Leger down from the Mohawk Valley • General Howe would follow the Hudson from NYC • Burgoyne left Canada in June 1777 with and army of British, Hessians, and Iroquois & capture Fort Ticonderoga

14. Burgoyne • Faced rebels in the countryside • Militia cut down trees to slow progress, burned crops, drove off cattle: Basically destroyed anything of use to the British • Burgoyne is left without help from Howe when he decides to take Philadelphia • Burgoyne defeats Washington at Brandywine • Howe takes Philly • Washington defeated at Germantown by Howe • Summer 1777, St. Leger caught up in fighting at Fort Stanwix, which included a force of Mohawk led by Joseph Brandt, promised to protect Iroquois land • August 1777, General Benedict Arnold tricked the British into thinking he had a large army and the British retreat

15. The Battle of Saratoga • September 19, 1777 • Turning point of the war!!! • General Gates leads the Americans to victory at Saratoga and Benedict Arnold on nearby Freeman’s Farm • Arnold is injured, Gates gets all of the credit, which Arnold resents!

16. Significance of Saratoga • It prevented the British from cutting off New England • The Patiots proved they had a chance of winning, bringing desperately needed foreign aid to the cause! • Benjamin Franklin had been negotiating for more aid from France! • The French openly recognize America’s independence! They had secretly aided the Americans since independence was declared! • Revolution turns into a world war! Spain and Russia both aid in the cause!