The American Revolution

1. The American Revolution 1775-1783

2. An Uneven Fight • After declaring independence in 1776, war was inevitable. • Both sides believed the war would be quickly over. • Britain had an overwhelming advantage: • Strongest navy in the world • Experienced, well-trained army • The wealth of a worldwide empire • Larger population (8 million vs. 2.5 million) • The colonists had serious disadvantages: • Lacked a regular army and a navy • Lacked experience, weapons, & ammunition • Not all Americans supported the war

3. Loyalists • Colonists who remained loyal to Britain were called Loyalists or “Tories”. • The British also had disadvantages: • They had to ship supplies and soldiers from a long distance. • They were unfamiliar with the land. • British and Hessian (German mercenaries) soldiers fought for money, no passion in their beliefs. • They were an occupying force, invaders of land belonging to other people. • Many African-Americans fought for the British- told they would be free.

4. An Uphill Battle • The Patriots did have some advantages: • Fought on their own land with determination • Fought for their own freedom & land • They had a great leader- George Washington • The Congress had little power. They could not collect taxes to pay for the war. • Many women (Molly Pitcher, Deborah Sampson, Margaret Corbin) helped with the war.

5. The Early Years • Summer of 1776, Britain sent 32,000 troops under the command of General William Howe. • The Continental Army suffered a serious defeat on Long Island, New York. • Nathan Hale, a young soldier, agreed to spy for America. He was discovered and hanged. • Winter of 1776-1777 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania- low point for the Continental Army. Many troops deserted. • Washington pled for more troops. Asked for African Americans to be allowed to fight. • Southern states said no, they feared revolts and refused to give guns to slaves. Some northern states did anyway.

6. First Victory • A Hessian (German mercenaries fighting for the British) army settled in New Jersey for the winter. • Normally no fighting occurred during the winter months. • Washington saw an opportunity to catch the British off guard. • On Christmas night 1776, 2,400 troops crossed the icy Delaware River. • At the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army surprised the Hessians and captured 900.

7. The Plan to Take Albany • British were worried. New plan for victory. Control Hudson River and split New England & Middle Colonies. • A three-pronged attack to take Albany: • General Burgoyne south from Canada • St. Leger east from Lake Ontario • Howe north from Philadelphia • Howe captured Philadelphia, decided to spend the winter there. • Benedict Arnold forced St. Leger to retreat. • Burgoyne was slowed by his 30 wagons and frequent parties. • Burgoyne ended up in Saratoga surrounded by an army three times larger than his. He surrendered.

8. The War Continues • The victory at Saratoga was the turning point of the war. It boosted spirits and convinced many the Americans could win. • Ben Franklin was in Paris trying to gain support. Saratoga caused France to declare war on Britain. • Spain soon followed and also declared war. • Washington was in Valley Forge, PA during the winter of 1777-1778. They suffered terribly. It was hard to keep the army together. • Thomas Paine wrote The American Crisis. He said, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” • When Washington received word of France’s support, it raised the spirits of the troops.

9. Help from Other Nations • French nobleman, Marquis de Lafayette, used his own money to come to America. He was inspired by the Declaration of Independence and American ideas of freedom. • Lafayette became one of Washington’s most trusted aides. • Friederich von Steuben came from Germany. He drilled the troops and taught them how to march. • Von Steuben turned the Continental Army into an effective fighting force. • Bernardo de Gálvez, the governor of Spanish Louisiana, gathered troops and helped to open up supply lines for the Continental Army.

10. Other Important Americans! • Wentworth Cheswell: an African-American that rode to warn Portsmouth New Hampshire of the arrival of British warships. Also served in the Continental Army and fought at the Battle of Saratoga. • Mercy Otis Warren: an American woman that wrote books of poetry and plays supporting the independence movement, was a friend of Abigail Adams and also believed women should have the right to vote. • James Armistead: American slave that spied for the Americans by pretending to be a British spy (double-agent). Provided the Americans with very valuable information about the British, helped the victory at Yorktown. • Bernardo de Galvez: Spanish naval commander that sent weapons to George Washington, also battled and defeated the British at New Orleans and in Florida. • Haym Salomon: Polish-born Jewish American that helped the Continental Army by providing money and other financial help.

11. Ideas of Freedom • Getting money for the war was difficult. Congress printed millions of dollars in paper money which quickly lost their value. • This led to inflation. There was no gold or silver to back up the paper dollars. • Some women began to think that women should have equal access to education. • Abigail Adams fought for women’s rights and equality. • The quest for liberty and freedom caused some Americans to question slavery. • Many African Americans fought in the Revolutionary War. But the question of slavery would remain unsettled.

12. An American Navy? • Britain used its superior navy to keep American ships and their allies from ports. This naval blockade kept supplies and reinforcements from the army. • To break the blockade, Congress ordered thirteen ships to be built. Only two ever sailed to sea. • In order to compete, American privateers were enlisted. They captured more British ships than the entire American navy. • John Paul Jones sailed the Bonhomme Richard, raiding British ports. He met the Serapis, a large British ship. • After fighting for three hours, the British commander asks if he wants to give up. John Paul Jones says, “I have not yet begun to fight.” He became a naval hero.

13. The War Moves South • By 1778, the British realized how hard the war was going to be. They decided on a hard hitting offensive in the South. • They hoped loyalist support in the South would be of help. They did not get the help they expected. • General Charles Cornwallis was in charge of British forces in the South. • The guerilla warfare used in the south caught the British off guard. • Attacks from Americans led by Francis Marion and Nathaneal Greene cost Cornwallis time and supplies. • After a victory at Kings Mountain, many Southerners decided they wanted the war to be over and supported the Patriots.

14. The Final Phase • Cornwallis, desperate for new supplies and soldiers, decided to move his troops to Yorktown, Virginia in April 1781. • George Washington learns of Cornwallis’s plan and secretly decides to attack the British at Yorktown. • At Washington’s request, a large French fleet of warships sails up to the Chesapeake Bay. • American and French troops marched 200 miles in 15 days. • Cornwallis was trapped by Washington, Rochambeau, Lafayette, and de Grasse’s French Fleet (couldn’t receive new supplies). • The 7,500 British troops were surrounded by 14,000 American & French soldiers. • With his supplies very low, Cornwallis surrendered to Washington in October 1781. • The Battle of Yorktown became the last major battle of the American Revolution.

15. The Treaty of Paris of 1783 • John Adams, Ben Franklin & John Jay went to Paris to work out the terms of the treaty. • Britain recognized America as an independent nation • American claimed land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and from Canada to Spanish Florida • Britain promised to withdraw all troops from America • Britain gave America the right to fish in waters off of Canada • The Treaty of Paris of 1783 officially ended the Revolutionary War. • America agreed British merchants could collect debts owed from Americans, and Loyalists would be given back their property.

16. Influences of the American Revolution • How did America defeat the world’s strongest power? • Fought on their own land • Received help from other nations • The determination and spirit of the Patriots • In 1776, the American colonists began a revolution, making clear the principles of freedom and rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence. • The American Revolution would later inspire the French Revolution as well as Haiti’s fight for independence from France.