Chapter Six

1. Chapter Six The American Revolution 1775-1783

2. Chapter 6, Section 1 Fighting Begins in the North

3. Peace or War • On May 10, 1775, colonial delegates met for the Second Continental Congress, just weeks after the battles of Lexington and Concord. • They had hoped to avoid fighting with the British. • As they met fighting continued to spread.

4. A Peace Petition • Delegates sent a petition known as The Olive Branch Petition, to King George. • The petition declared loyalty to the king and asked him to repeal the Intolerable Acts. • King George was furious with the petition and believed the colonists were trying to start a war. • The king sent an additional 20,000 troops to the colonies to crush the revolt.

5. Ethan Allen • A Vermont Blacksmith. • Lead a band of Vermonters, known as the Green Mountain Boys, on a surprise attack against Fort Ticonderoga. • The Fort had cannons that he colonists could use.

6. Rebels Take Ticonderoga • The Green Mountain Boys, overpowered the guards and entered the fort. • Ethan Allen, rushed into the room where the British leader was sleeping and shouted “Come out, you old rat.” • The British commander yelled back, “under whose authority.” • Allen replied “ In the name of Jehovah and the Continental Congress.”

7. Setting up an Army • The Second Continental Congress set up a Continental Army. • George Washington was appointed commander. • His first task was to take charge of the forces around Boston.

8. Advantages and Disadvantages of the Opposing Sides • Patriots: • People who favored war against Britain. • Poorly organized • Few colonists were willing to enlist for long periods of time. • Wanted to fight close to home as local militia. • Many Patriots owned rifles and were good marksmen. • Determined to defend their homes and property.

9. Advantages and Disadvantages of the Opposing Sides • British and Loyalists: • Highly trained and experienced troops. • Most powerful navy in the world. • Many colonists supported them. • British soldiers were 3,000 miles from home. • Supplies took a long time to reach them from England.

10. Loyalists • American colonists who were loyal to England were known as Loyalists. • There were more Loyalists in the Middle and Southern Colonies than in the New England Colonies. • Patriots tarred and feathered anybody they found to be loyal to England. • Some Loyalists fled to England or Canada. • Others found shelter in cities controlled by the British.

11. The Battle of Bunker Hill

12. Battle of Bunker Hill • On June 16, 1775, Colonel William Prescott led 1,200 minutemen up Bunker Hill, which was across the river from Boston. • The Colonials wanted to fire on British Ships. • Prescott noticed the Breeds Hill, which was near Bunker Hill, was a better position.

13. Battle of Bunker Hill continued • British General Howe spotted the colonials and sent 2,400 redcoats across the harbor to attack the rebels. • The Americans held their fire and waited for the British to advance. When the Americans opened fire the British were forced to retreat twice. • The British’s third attempt, they were able to capture both Breeds Hill and Bunkers Hill . • 1,000 Redcoats and 400 Americans lost their lives. • The Battle of Bunker Hill- was the first major battle of the Revolutionary War and it proved the Americans could fight bravely and that the British could not be easily defeated.

14. The British Leave Boston • Washington arrived in Boston a few weeks after the Battle of Bunker Hill. • There were 16,000 men camped out in tents and Washington's goal was to turn them into soldiers. • Washington faced a major dilemma, soldiers from different colonies mistrusted one another.

15. The British Leave Boston continued • In January 1776, Washington received a bit of luck. The Cannons from Ticonderoga finally arrived. • Washington placed the cannons on Dorchester Heights, overlooking the Harbor. • Once Howe saw the cannons he knew he couldn’t not defend Boston. • In March 1776, Howe and troops along with 1,000 American loyalists, sailed to Canada.

16. The British Leave Boston • King George III, ordered a blockade of all colonial ports. • Blockade- shutting of a port to keep people or supplies from moving in or out. • King George also used Mercenaries, troops fir hire, from Germany.

17. Chapter 6, Section 2 The Colonies Declare Independence

18. Thomas Paine

19. Common Sense • Thomas Paine wrote several essays urging the colonies to declare independence. • The main purpose of his articles was to change colonial attitudes toward the Britain and the King. • He called his pamphlet “Common Sense”. • It appeared in newspapers in January 1776 and within 6 months more than 500,000 copies were sold.

20. Congress Votes for Independence • Common Sense inspired many colonists such as Richard Henry Lee of the Continental Congress. • He wrote to Washington , “I am now convinced of the necessity for separation.” • June 1776, Lee arose in Congress to introduce a resolution in favor of independence.

21. Making the Break • Delegates faced a difficult decision, if they fell into British hands, they would be hanged as traitors. • Traitor- a person who betrays his or her country. • Congress formed a committee to draw up a declaration of independence.

22. Making the Break • The Committee consists of John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. • Their task was to tell the world why they breaking away from Britain.

23. Signing the Document • Thomas Jefferson, the youngest delegate, wrote the Declaration of Independence. • On July 4, 1776, the delegates signed the Declaration of Independence. • John Hancock was the first to sign.

24. The Declaration of Independence • The Declaration consists of a preamble, or introduction, followed by three main parts. • Section one, stresses the idea of natural rights belonging to all people from birth. • According to the Declaration of Independence, people for governments to protect their natural rights and liberties. • Governments can exist only of they have “ the consent of the governed.” • If a government fails to protect citizens rights, it’s the peoples duty , to throw off such government.

25. British Wrongs • The Second part of the Declaration of Independence lists the wrong that led Americans to break away from Britain. • Some reasons for separating from Britain are: • limits on trade • Taxes imposed without the consent of the people. • Colonists petitioned the king to correct these injustices but the King rejected them.

26. Independence • Last section of the Declaration announced that the colonies are the United States of America. • Political ties with Britain were cut. • As a free and independent country, the United States has full power to “levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and all other acts free states have the right to do.

27. Chapter 6, section 3 Struggles in the Middle States

28. General Howe • British General • Led thousands of Redcoats into N.Y. • 34,000 troops and 10,000 sailors.

29. General Washington • General George Washington. • Leader of the Continental Army. • Washington has fewer than 20,000 men and no navy!

30. The British Take New York • In August, Howe and his men landed on Long Island. • In the Battle of Long Island 1,400 Americans were killed, wounded, or captured. • In November, Washington and his men crossed the Hudson River into New Jersey but were forced to retreat across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania by British forces.

31. Nathan Hale • Washington sent Nathan Hale behind British lines to gather information. • He was captured by the British and searched. • He had important information about British movements in the soles of his shoes.

32. Nathan Hale continued • Nathan hale did not receive a trial, instead Howe ordered that he be hanged. • As he approached the gallows Hale shouted “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country!”

33. Washington Turns Retreat Into Victory in New Jersey • After months of fighting the Continental Army was tired, dirty, and hungry. • However, Washing decided a surprise attack on Trenton. • Christmas night Washington and his men crossed the Delaware River. • The weather was so cold their faces froze as a result of the mist from the river.

34. Crossing the Delaware River

35. Battle of Trenton • December 26, Washington and his men surprised and defeated the Hessians. • As a result the Continental Army was able to capture Trenton. • British Commander General Charles Cornwallis tried to retake Trenton and capture Washington.

36. Battle of Trenton continued • On January 2, 1777 Cornwallis saw the lights of Washington’s camp. • Cornwallis tried to capture Washington and his men at night. • Washington tricked Cornwallis and kept the camp fires burning and snuck behind British forces and attacked them on their way to Princeton. • The Battles of Trenton and Princeton were turning points in the war and gave Americans new hope.

37. General John Burgoyne • British General • Presented Britain with a new plan for victory. • He believed cutting off New England from the other colonies, the war would soon be over.

38. Burgoyne's Plan • Three British armies would march on Albany, New York from three different locations and crush American Forces there. • If they could control the Hudson River, they could cut off the flow of soldiers and supplies to Washington’s Army. • His plan also called for Howe to march to Albany but the King wanted him to capture Philadelphia first.

39. Burgoyne’s Plan continued • Howe captured Philadelphia, and instead of marching towards Albany, he made camp in Philadelphia. • Meanwhile, Burgoyne and Barry St. Leger marched to Albany. St. Leger tried to take Fort Stanwix, where he was defeated by a strong American Army, led by Benedict Arnold.

40. Victory at Saratoga • Burgoyne was forced to march very slowly to Albany because he had many heavy baggage carts to drag through the woods. • To make his trip even slower Patriots came up with ways to slow Burgoyne down. • 1. Cut down trees. • 2. Dammed up streams to block his route.

41. Victory at Saratoga • With all the obstacles he faced, Burgoyne was still able to capture Fort Ticonderoga. • He sent his men Vermont in search for food and horses where they were attacked by the Patriots at the Battle of Bennington. • 1,000 British soldiers were captured or killed.

42. Victory at Saratoga continued • The Green Mountain Boys joined American forces and surrounded the British in Saratoga, New York. • Burgoyne couldn’t break free and as a result, surrendered his entire army to the Americans on October 17, 1777. • The Battle of Saratoga, was a major turning point in the war. • It ended the British threat in New England • Rose American spirits that they could win this war • * Above all, it convinced the French to join an Alliance, or work together, with the U.S.

43. Aid from Europe • In 1776, Congress sent Benjamin Franklin to Paris to persuade King Louis XVI, the French King, to give American weapons and other badly needed supplies. • Congress also wanted France to declare war on England. • France was still angry about the defeat in the French and Indian War. • King Louis did not want to join unless he was sure the colonists could win.

44. Aid from Europe Continued • The Battle of Saratoga convinced France that the U.S. could stand up to Britain. • February France became the first nation to sign a treaty with the U.S. • Later the Netherlands and Spain also provided loans to the United States.

45. Marquis de Lafayette • Young French noble • Brought Trained soldiers to help the Patriots. • Became one of Washington’s most trusted friends.

46. Friedrich Von Steuben • From the German state of Prussia. • He was a part of the Prussian army, which was considered the best in the world. • Trained Washington’s men.

47. Aid from Europe continued • Two Polish officers also joined the Americans. • Thaddeus Kosciusko, an engineer, built forts and other defenses. • Casimir Pulaski, trained Cavalry, troops on horseback.

48. Hardships at Valley Forge • The Victory at Saratoga and the promise of European aide boosted American morale. • Washington and his men still faced hard times, especially during the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge. • Soldiers lived in damp drafty huts, slept on the frozen. • Some soldiers had no shoes and suffered from frostbite and disease.

49. Hardships at Valley Forge continued • As word spread of the soldiers suffer at Valley Forge, Patriots from around the nation sent help. • Women collected food, medicine, warm clothes, and ammunition. • Martha Washington went to Valley Forge to help the sick and wounded. • The arrival of new supplies and the training from Baron Von Steuben helped the soldiers to push on.

50. Chapter 6, section 4 Fighting for Liberty on Many Fronts