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Fighting the American Revolution

Fighting the American Revolution . Introduction. The Revolution was a war of the American people against the British A civil war between American supporters of independence and Americans who were opposed to breaking with the mother country. Loyalists.

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Fighting the American Revolution

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  1. Fighting the American Revolution

  2. Introduction • The Revolution was a war of the American people against the British • A civil war between American supporters of independence and Americans who were opposed to breaking with the mother country

  3. Loyalists • About 20% of all whites opposed the Revolution • Loyalists • Allegiance to the crown • Aka “Tories” • Hated by patriots (revolutionaries) • Largest % of loyalists were in NY and NJ • Recent British immigrants and French Canadians tended to be loyalists

  4. Loyalists • Thousands of southern slaves escaped to the royal army • African-Americans in the North were more likely to support the Revolution • Indian tribes were divided and many wanted to sit out the conflict • Majority sided with the British

  5. England’s Advantages/Disadvantages • Advantages of the British • Outnumbered the Americans 11 million to 2.5 million • Largest navy • One of the best professional armies • Disadvantages of the British • Difficulty in recruiting soldiers (employed 21,000 loyalists and 30,000 Hessians) • Supplying armies 3,000 miles across the ocean • Financial strain • English domestic support for the War waned

  6. America’s Advantages/Disadvantages • Advantages of the Americans • Americans mobilized their smaller population behind the war more effectively • After 1778 they had French and Spanish assistance • Mostly veteran European officers • Americans did not have to conquer redcoats • Rebels just had to keep resisting until the British public tired of the struggle • Disadvantages of the Americans • 1/3 of population were slaves or opposed to the Revolution • State militias did well in guerrilla raids but lacked training for battles- and usually had to fight in the traditional British style • Few experienced officers • Raw recruits

  7. George Washington • George Washington was the logical choice as commander of the American army • VA tobacco planter • Member of the House of Burgesses • Representative at the Continental Congress • Former military leader of the colonists • Learned from his mistakes in the Ohio Valley • Learned to lead by example and how to preserve his army (retreat)

  8. Fighting the Revolution • Three phases of the war: North, Middle, South • First Phase • British tried to take New England- were unsuccessful at Lexington & Concord • Sullivan’s Island in SC- reason the British focus on the North • After defeats in Boston and inability to capture Boston, the British decided to move the Middle Atlantic States (NY & NJ) to stop the rebellion by isolating New England • Would use NY as a base to conquer New England • Wanted to take Saratoga

  9. Phase Two- NY & NJ • By the end of the year, ¼ of Washington’s troops had been killed or captured- they retreated across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania • Fewer than 8,000 men remained and many were very sick • Needed a victory to improve morale and get foreign aid • With the British closing in on Philadelphia, Washington decided to risk everything before the morale of his army collapsed completely

  10. Trenton & Princeton • Christmas Night, 1776 • Despite a storm, Washington and his 2,400 men crossed the Delaware River to launch a surprise attack on Trenton, NJ • By 8:00 Washington and his men had marched 9 miles in the snow to Trenton • In the surprise attack, the Americans killed 30 and took 918 captive, only 4 Americans died • After this attack, the Americans won again in Princeton • Attacked 1,200 British on Jan. 3, 1777 • Killed or took captive 1/3rd with only 40 American deaths • These victories boosted morale and helped Washington regroup • Drove a wedge between NJ’s 5,000 loyalists and British army • NJ localism never recovered and the British evacuated the state

  11. Marquis de Lafayette & French • 20 years old, from France- joined Washington’s staff • His presence indicated that the French king, Louis XVI might recognize American independence and declare war on Britain • Louis wanted proof that the Americans could win a major battle • Louis didn’t have to wait long- summer 1777, the British planned a two-pronged assault intended to crush American resistance in NY and isolate New England • Battle of Saratoga

  12. Battle of Saratoga • British General: Burgoyne • His plan was to lead an army down from Canada to Albany where he would meet British General Howe from NYC • The two generals would join forces and cut off New England • British had 4,000 Red Coats, 3,000 Hessians, and 1,000 Indians • American General: Horatio Gates • Gathered militiamen and soldiers from all over NY and New England- about 17,000 • Americans surrounded Burgoyne, and continued attacking • British surrendered October 17, 1777

  13. Impact of Saratoga • TURNING POINT: French were still angry from the French & Indian War, so once they saw America could win after Saratoga, the French agreed to help America • France agreed to give Americans support- Treaty of Alliance 1778 • Recognized American independence- February 1778 • Agreed not to make peace with Britain unless England recognized American independence • Spain and Dutch Republic declared war on England as allies of France • British changed their war strategy- stayed close to the coast where they could easily get reinforcements • Led to British turning their attention to the South • http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-saratoga/videos#battle-of-saratoga-turns-the-tide-of-the-american-revolution

  14. Winter of 1777- Valley Forge • Severe shortage of food, clothing and shelter • Slowly regained its strength, but lacked training • Continental Army received a boost in Feb. 1778 • German solider Friedrich von Steuben arrived at Valley Forge • Talent for motivating men • Steuben almost single-handedly turned the army into a fighting force • Demonstrated their training on June 28, 1778 at the Battle of Monmouth in NJ • British would never again win easily and ended the contest for the North

  15. War in the West • Although the number of people involved in the frontier battles was small, the skirmishes were deadly • British, Americans, and Indians realized that the victor of the West would control the area west of the Appalachian Mountains • The battles began in the South • Cherokees attacked from VA to GA • By 1777, the frontiersmen had crushed the Cherokees • forced the Cherokees to cede much of their land in the Carolinas and TN

  16. War in the West • Expeditions led by George Rogers Clark, John Bowman, and Daniel Brodhead inflicted heavy losses on hostile Ohio Indian tribes • Ohio Indian tribes would continue to fight until 1780’s • Joseph Brant led the Iroquois on deadly raids against the western NY and PA settlers until he was stopped at a battle near Elmira, NY • By war’s end, the Iroquois population had dropped by a 1/3 • Not greatly influencing the outcome of the war • These battles played a major role in the development of the future American nation

  17. Victory in the South- Phase 3 1778-1781 • After 1778, the British shifted their attention to the South • Britain thought that there were more Loyalists in the South. • Southern resources were more valuable/worth preserving. • Plan was to seize key southern ports with the help of the loyalists, and move back toward the North taking one region after another • 1st victory at Savannah • 1780 • British took Charles Town, SC • General Charles Cornwallis led British • Nathaniel Greene led Americans • The British win a number of small victories, but could not overcome the countryside • Fighters in the countryside used guerilla warfare, were committed to winning

  18. Victory in the South- Phase 3 1778-1781 • Cornwallis led English forces into the Carolina backcountry • British victories • Camden and Guilford Courthouse • Camden is the worst defeat of the war for the Patriots • American victories • Kings Mountain and Cowpens • British suffered heavy casualties in the Carolina backcountry though • Cornwallis decided to head back to VA

  19. Yorktown- October 19, 1781 • Leading up to the battle • Washington left NY to surround Cornwallis at Yorktown, VA • Kept the plan secret so the British wouldn’t know Washington was on the move • Washington would surround the British on the west, and the French would arrive off the coast to keep the British from leaving on their boats, and from receiving aid/reinforcements

  20. Yorktown • Cornwallis retreated from Carolinas to New York and waited for help from Clinton and British navy in Yorktown. • French fleet blocked York River and harbor so British navy could not reach and help Cornwallis. • Washington shelled British army for 3 weeks. • 17,000 Americans/French against 6,000 British • Washington and French leaders surrounded the British troops • Last desperate attempt to stop Americans – sent African Americans with small pox over to infect American and French • Surrounded, Cornwallis surrenders Oct. 17, 1781

  21. Carlos is the Best • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EiSymRrKI4 • Story of US

  22. Treaty of Paris 1783 • John Adams, John Jay, Benjamin Franklin represented America • Began in June 1782 and Signed in Sept. 1783 • British recognized American independence • British promised to remove all troops from American soil • Mississippi River became the western boundary of the new nation • New Orleans and the outlet of the river to the Gulf of Mexico as well as East and West Florida went to Spain

  23. Treaty of Paris 1783 • Notably absent from the Treaty was any reference to Native Americans • Native Americans refused to acknowledge American sovereignty over their territories • The Confederation (America) agreed to compensate loyalists for their property losses and repay British creditors • Several states later refused to comply • In retaliation, the British did not evacuate forts they sill held in the Northwest

  24. Problems Facing the New Nation • American victory had been costly • At least 5% of free males between 16 and 45 died in the war • Many loyalists and former slaves fled to Canada, Britain, and the West Indies • America lost its number one trading partner • The War did not address 2 important issues: • 1. What kind of society America was to become • 2. What sort of govt. the new nation would possess

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