The War Widens 6.3

1. The War Widens6.3

2. African Americans in the War • The British began to offer slaves their freedom if the served in the British army • Although most (thousands) served in support roles • Some also fought in the battles • The American side saw some African Americans from the very beginning • 9 at Lexington and Concord • When The British promised slaves their freedom Washington changed the American policy to allow African Americans to serve • Served in the army, navy and northern militias • Most southern states did not allow African Americans in their militias

3. Women in the War • Most women had to take up the slack back home • Some followed their husbands in their military camps • Mended clothes, cooked, helped with the wounded • At least one story of a woman being wounded in battle • Some women, like Molly Pitcher (Mary Ludwig Hays), helped in the battles by bringing supplies • All of these things gave women more confidence to the things typically relegated to men.

4. The War in the West • Most Native Americans were afraid if the Americans won their land would be taken. • The Americans tried paying the tribes off to NOT enter the War • During the war a small pox epidemic spread • Native Americans had less resistance to it • More deaths in the war were from small pox than from wounds • George Roger Clark took the battles to the frontier. • His victories allowed settlers to continue to settle in the Ohio River Valley • Before Spain officially announced war vs. Gr. Brit they helped with supplies and ammunition in the west. • Also gave some $$$$ aid