The American Revolution

The American Revolution

Both the British and the Americans expected the war for independence to be short. • At first glance, the British had an overwhelming advantage in the war. • They had the strongest navy in the world • an experienced, well-trained army • and the wealth of a worldwide empire. • Britain had a much larger population than the United States. The Opposing Sides

The colonists suffered serious disadvantages. • They lacked a regular army and a strong navy. • American soldiers also lacked military experience. • Weapons and ammunition were in short supply. • Many Patriots belonged to militia groups, but they were volunteer soldiers who fought for short periods of time before returning home. • Not all Americans supported the struggle for independence. Some people were neutral and others remained loyal to Britain Colonist Disadvantages

Those who remained loyal to Britain and opposed the war for independence were called Loyalists or Tories. • 1 in 5 Americans was a Loyalist The Loyalists

Loyalists supported Britain for different reasons: • They were members of the Church of England, headed by the British king • Some depended on Britain for their jobs • Many feared the disorder that would come from challenging the established government • Others could not understand what all the commotion was about The Loyalists

Some African Americans also sided with the Loyalists. • The British appealed to enslaved Africans to join them. • The British announced that enslaved people who fought on the British side would be freed, and many men answered this call. African Americans in the War

The Americans were fighting on their own ground and fought with great determination to protect it. • The British had to wage war in a faraway land and were forced to ship soldiers and supplies thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean. • The makeup of the British army in America helped the Patriots. The British relied on MERCENARIES to fight. • To gain support for the war effort, Patriots compared their own troops, who were fighting for freedom, to the mercenaries, who were fighting for $$$$$$$$$$$$ • The Patriots had a much greater stake in winning the war than the hired soldiers did. This gave the Americans an edge in battle. Patriot Advantages

The Americans greatest advantage was probably their leader, George Washington. Few could match him for courage, honesty, and determination. Patriot Advantages

The Continental Congress depended on states to recruit soldiers. • Enlisted soldiers signed up for one year of army service. Eventually, the Continental Congress offered enlistments for three years or the length of the war. Raising an Army

Women also fought with the Patriot soldiers. • Margaret Corbin of Pennsylvania accompanied her husband when he joined the Continental Army. After he died, she took his place. • Molly Pitcher earned the nickname “Moll of the Pitcher” because she carried water pitchers to the soldiers. • Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a boy and enlisted in the army. Women in the War

Most of the early battles involved few troops. • During the summer of 1776, Britain sent 32,000 troops across the Atlantic to New York. GENERAL WILLIAM HOWE hoped that the sheer size of the army would convince the Patriots to give up. Fighting in New York

Outnumbered and outmaneuvered, the Continental Army suffered a serous defeat at the hands of the British forces. • Although the American showed bravery, they ran short of supplies for the army. • After the defeat, Washington retreated to Manhattan, pursued by the British. Battle of Long Island

In the winter 1776-1777, the Patriots were at a near collapse. • The size of the Continental Army dwindled. • Some soldiers completed their terms of service and went home. • Others ran away. A Low Point

Washington pleaded with the Continental Congress for more troops. • He asked the Congress to enlist free African Americans. • Early in the war, the Southern states had persuaded the Congress to not allow African Americans in the army. Many white people in the South felt uncomfortable about giving guns to African American soldiers and allowing them to serve as soldiers. • As the need for soldiers grew, some states ignored the ban and enlisted African Americans. Patriot Gains

The British army settled in New York for the winter of 1776. Armies usually called a halt to their ward during the winter, and the British did not expect to fight. • Stationed across the Delaware River from the British camp, Washington saw a chance to catch the British off guard. • On Christmas night, Washington took 2,400 troops across the icy river and surprised the enemy in TRENTON the next day. • Washington then marched his men to Princeton, where they drove away the British. American Victories in New Jersey

The British worked out a battle plan for 1777. • They wanted to take Albany, NY and gain control of the Hudson River. • The plan involved a three-pronged attack: • General John Burgoyne would lead nearly 8,000 troops from Canada. • Colonel Barry St. Leger would move east from Lake Ontario. • General Howe would move north from New York City. • The three forces would meet in Albany and destroy the Patriots. A British Plan for Victory

Howe wanted to take Philadelphia, the American capital. • After victories at Brandywine and Paoli, Howe captured the city.

Problems delayed the British takeover of Albany. • In August, American soldiers halted St. Leger’s advance at Fort Stanwix, NY. • General Burgoyne’s army was not making progress either. His army moved slowly through the dense forests. Americans blocked the British path by chopping down trees. • Needing supplies, Burgoyne sent 800 troops to capture an American supply base. The troops’ brightly colored uniforms made them easily spotted. • A local militia group, the GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS, attacked and defeated them. • Burgoyne now lost part of his army and was in desperate need of supplies, so he retreated to the town of Saratoga in New York. Patriots Slow the British

Burgoyne faced serious trouble. He expected British troops from the west and south to join him, but they had not yet arrived. • Burgoyne had no help and found himself surrounded by an army about three times as large as his own. • Burgoyne made a last desperate attack on October 7, but the Americans held firm. • On October 17, 1777, Burgoyne surrendered. • The British plan to separate the New England and Middle Colonies had FAILED. The Battle of Saratoga

The victory at Saratoga boosted American spirits. • The European nations, especially France, realized that the United States might actually win the war against Britain. • America wanted to seek support from Britain’s greatest rivals. • In 1777, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN was sent to Paris to try to get French support. • The French gave the Americans money secretly, but they had not yet committed to an alliance Gaining Allies

News of the American victory at Saratoga caused a shift in French policy. • The French then announced support for the United States openly. • In February 1778, the French and the Americans worked out a trade agreement and an alliance. • France declared war on Britain and sent money, equipment, and troops to aid the American Patriots. France

Other European nations also helped the American cause, mostly because they hated the British. • Spain declared war on Britain in 1779. • The Spanish governor of Louisiana BERNARDO DE GALVEZ raised an army. • Galvez’s soldiers forced British troops from Baton Rouge and Natchez and captured British forts at Mobile and Pensacola. • Galvez’s campaign diverted British troops from other fronts. Spain

Remember that British general Howe set up camp at Philadelphia in the winter. • Washington set up camp about 20 miles away at Valley Forge. • It was a terrible winter. Barely any food, clothing, and shelter. • Washington’s greatest challenge at Valley Forge was keeping the Continental Army together. Winter at Valley Forge

Under these conditions, many men DESERTED at Valley Forge. Some officers resigned. The army seemed to be falling apart. • Somehow, the Continental Army survived and gradually improved. • In April 1778, Washington told his troops of the Patriots’ alliance with France and spirits rose. Winter at Valley Forge

One notable French soldier was MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE. He had great enthusiasm for the ideas of the Declaration of Independence. • FREDRICH VON STUBEN, a former army officer from Germany, also came to help Washington. • JUAN DE MIRALLES arrived in Philadelphia in 1778 as a representative of Spain. Help from Overseas

Getting money to finance the war was a major problem. • The Continental Army had no power to raise money through taxes. • Although the Congress received some money from the states and from foreign countries, much more was needed. • To pay for the war, the Congress and the states printed hundreds of millions of dollars worth of paper money. • These bills quickly lost their value because the amount of bills in circulation grew faster than the gold and silver backing. This lead to INFLATION. No Money, Mo’ Problems

The way changed the lives of all Americans, even those who stayed at home. • Women took over the duties that had once been the responsibility of their husbands. Life on the Home Front

The ideals of liberty and freedom that inspired the American Revolution caused some women to question their place in society. • Some women argued that women’s minds are as good as men’s, and women should get equal schooling. Changing Attitudes

Some loyalists spied on the Patriots. • Many, however, fled the colonies. They hurriedly left for England or Florida. • Loyalists who remained in the US faced difficult times. Their neighbors often shunned them. Some became victims of a mob of violence. Some were arrested as traitors. Some were executed, but this number was very few. Treatment of Loyalists

The war inspired some white Americans to question slavery. • Slavery was “utterly inconsistent with the principles of Christianity and humanity.” • African Americans made the same argument. • To African Americans fighting the war, the Revolution seemed to bring nearer the day when slavery would be abolished. • The issue of slavery would remain unsettled for many years. Hopes for Equality

Much of the fighting in the west involved Native Americans. • Although some helped the Patriots, most sided with the British because they presented less of a threat than the Americans. • One notable victory was at Vincennes. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK led a Patriot force at the British town of Vincennes in present-day Indiana. Victory here strengthened the Patriot position in the West. War in the West

As fighting continued on the western frontier, other battles raged at sea. Great Britain used its powerful navy to patrol American waterways and set up a BLOCKADE. • The British navy outnumbered the Patriot navy; however, PRIVATEERS began to capture more British ships. • JOHN PAUL JONES, a naval officer, began raiding British ports. JPJ became a naval hero after defeating several British naval ships. Glory at Sea

In 1778, the British realized that bringing the American colonies back into the empire would not be easy. • The British concentrated their efforts in the South, where there were many Loyalists. • They hoped to use British sea power and the support of the Loyalists to win decisive victories in the Southern states. • Initially, this strategy worked. Struggles in the South

In late 1778, GENERAL HENRY CLINTON took Savannah, Georgia and Charles Town, South Carolina. This marked the worst American defeat of the war. • GENERAL CHARLES CORNWALLIS became commander of the British forces in the South. He captured Camden, SC, but soon found he could not control the area he had conquered. British Victories

The British received less help than they had expected from Loyalists in Southern states. • Instead, as British troops moved through the countryside, small forces of Patriots attacked them. • These bands of soldiers appeared suddenly, struck their blows, and then disappeared. This was called GUERRILLA WARFARE. Guerrilla Warfare

A Patriot victory at KINGS MOUNTAIN renewed support for independence from Southerners. They wanted to see an end to the war that was destroying their homes and farms. • In October 1780, NATHANAEL GREENE became the commander of the Continental forces in the South. • Greene forced Cornwallis to abandon the Carolina campaign after British defeat at Cowpens and great losses at Guilford Courthouse Patriot Victories

Cornwallis decided to march north to Virginia in April 1781. His troops carried out raids throughout the state. • General Washington sent Lafayette and General Anthony Wayne south to fight Cornwallis. Meanwhile, Cornwallis set up camp at Yorktown, which was located on the Virginia coast. • The battle for control of the south was entering its final phase. British Retreat

The Revolutionary War was at a critical point. Both armies needed victory to win the war. • Washington decided to advance on the British waiting at Yorktown. • Washington wanted to the British to think he was attacking elsewhere, so he kept his plan secret. • Three troops—Lafayette’s troops, Washington’s, and another French troop—would meet at Yorktown. Victory at Yorktown

Washington’s plan to confuse the British of the point of attack worked perfectly. • 14,000 American and French troops had trapped Cornwallis’s 7,500 British troops at Yorktown. • Cornwallis couldn’t escape by sea and the rest of the British army was in New York, unable to help Cornwallis. The Siege of Yorktown

On October 9, the Americans and French began a tremendous bombardment. • The situation was hopeless for Cornwallis, and he surrendered on October 19. Cornwallis’s Defeat

The fighting did not really end with Yorktown. Other clashes took place, but American victory at Yorktown proved to the British that the war was too costly. • The two sides sent delegates to Paris to work out a treaty. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, JOHN ADAMS, AND JOHN JAY represented the United States. • The American Congress RATIFIED the final TREATY OF PARIS on September 3, 1783. • By that time, Britain had also made peace with France and Spain Independence

Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent nation. • The territory that the new nation claimed extended from the Atlantic Ocean west to the Mississippi River and from Canada in the north to Spanish Florida in the South. • The British promised to withdraw their troops from American territory. • Americans had the right to fish in the waters off the coast of Canada. The Treaty of Paris

The Americans had several advantages in the war. They fought on their own land, while the British had to bring troops and supplies from thousands of miles away. • The British had trouble controlling the countryside. The Patriots knew the land better and were able to AMBUSH the British. • Help from other nations contributed to American victory. • The American Revolution depended on the determination and spirit of all Patriots. Why the Americans Won

The ideas of the Revolution influenced revolutions all around the world: • The ideas in the Declaration of Independence influenced the French Revolution in 1789. • In 1804, the island of Saint Domingue (present-day Haiti) declared independence from France. Influence of the American Revolution

The American Revolution