CH. 4-3 THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR BEGINS

1. CH. 4-3 THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR BEGINS AMERICAN HISTORY

2. THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION • After declaring independence the Congress and colonies took steps to form a country • State Constitutions adopted • Colonists needed to win the war • CONTINENTALS AND REDCOATS • British seemed to have an overwhelming advantage • Britain was a world power • Washington’s army only had about 19,000 soldiers

3. Colonies had no navy except for merchant ships with guns • Finding and keeping military equipment was hard • Colonists depended heavily on captured weapons and supplies • British army contained hired Germany soldiers • Germans had no loyalty toward a cause • Americans were fighting for homes and liberty

4. THE ROLE OF WOMEN • American women were active in protests and boycotts • A few women, such as Deborah Sampson, disguised themselves as men and joined the army • Mary Hayes (aka Molly Pitcher) brought water to the troops • Women served as couriers, scouts, and spies

5. THE ROLE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS • African Americans, both free and slave, fought on both sides of the revolution • Black Americans fought at Lexington and Concord • African Americans generally received the same pay, clothing, and rations as whites • Most African Americans were given menial duties, kept at low ranks, and were not encouraged to re-enlist

6. THE ROLE OF NATIVE AMERICANS • The Iroquois League has been allies of the British • The British expected their help • The French and Indian war had weakened the league • Only 4 of 6 nations helped the British • British--Mohawks, Senecas, Onandagas, Cayugas • Colonists—Oneidas, Tuscaroras

7. REVOLUTIONARY BATTLES IN THE NORTH • British react to the Declaration with a show of military strength • Their losses and retreat from Boston made them realize they were in a real war • THE BRITISH FIGHT BACK • General Howe returned as commander of all British forces with a huge force headed for New York

8. 300 ships and 30,000 soldiers arrived in NY in August 1776 • Most Revolutionary battles centered in NY, NJ, PA • General Howe and his brother Admiral Howe offered pardon to the rebels if they would give in and promise loyalty • Washington refused • Howe captured Long Island, took many prisoners, but did not follow up on the attack

9. Washington took advantage of heavy fog and moved his men to Manhattan Island • Americans won small victories to boost moral • In traditional European warfare you don’t fight in the winter • British set up winter quarters at Trenton and Princeton, NJ • Washington didn’t fight like the Europeans • On Christmas Eve 1776, Washington’s army crossed the icy Delaware river to Trenton

10. The Hessians (German soldiers) were asleep after celebrating Christmas • The Americans took them by surprise and captured weapons and ammunition • The British army was driven out of Princeton • January 1777, the Continental Army went into winter quarters • CAMPAIGNS IN NEW YORK • Spring 1777-British planned to cut off New England from the rest of the colonies

11. Generals Howe and Burgoyne planned to meet at Albany, NY but Howe decided to attack Philadelphia first • Philadelphia was the capital and had a large loyalist population • Howe and 15,000 men met Washington and his army of 11,000 in southern PA • Howe won the Battle of Brandywine Creek but Washington didn’t suffer any serious casualties

12. Howe easily captured Philadelphia and set up winter quarters • The Continental Congress fled the city • Washington’s exhausted army settled into winter quarters at Valley Forge, PA 1777-1778

13. A BRITISH SETBACK AT SARATOGA • Burgoyne was conducting a campaign in upstate NY • He was trying to control the Hudson River valley and the St. Lawrence River • He wanted to meet Howe at Albany • July 5, 1777—Fort Ticonderoga recaptured—a serious loss for the Americans • A new American general for NY was named—Horatio Gates • British forces met strong resistance along the Mohawk River

14. Bloodiest battle of the war occurred at Fort Stanwix – August 1777 • American forces under Benedict Arnold arrived to hold the fort • Burgoyne was very short of supplies • Howe’s delay meant no reinforcements from the south for Burgoyne • Burgoyne’s army was down to 5,000 men when they arrived at Saratoga, NY in October 1777 • 17,000 American troops surrounded the British

15. Burgoyne tried twice to break the American lines but could not • October 17, 1777—Burgoyne surrendered to Gen. Gates and the Americans • The Battle of Saratoga is considered the turning point of the war • The American victory encouraged France to support the American cause

16. WASHINGTON’S LEADERSHIP AT VALLEY FORGE • 1777-1778 at Valley Forge was the low point of the revolution • Bitter cold weather – 12,000 men were housed in makeshift huts and tents • Food was scarce – their uniforms were worn and ragged • Many men became ill and hundreds died • Washington kept his men in the field because he was admired and enforced discipline strictly • He always encouraged Congress to treat the men better

17. MONEY PROBLEMS • Paying for the war was very difficult • Congress didn’t have the power to collect taxes • Most currencies were based on “hard money”—gold or silver (which was scarce) • Paper money became almost worthless and prices soared (INFLATION)

18. Because continental money was worth very little, farmers would trade products for gold or silver coins with the British • Food shortages occurred at Valley Forge because some merchants would not sell their product to the Continental army • ENCOURAGING WORDS • 1776—Thomas Paine wrote “The American Crisis”

19. Washington rallied his troops by reading from Paine’s writing: • “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman”—Thomas Paine (December 19, 1776) • HELP ARRIVES FROM EUROPE • Several European officers joined the cause

20. Baron Friedrich von Steuben (Prussian Army) • He drilled Washington’s troops and by spring they were a well-trained fighting force • Marquis de Lafayette (20-year-old French noble)—more on him later • THE END