The American Revolution 1775-1783

1. The American Revolution 1775-1783 Chapter 5

2. Second Continental Congress • met in Philadelphia three weeks after Lexington and Concord • every colony represented except Georgia • all agreed to support the war, but argued over purpose • one side argued for independence (John & Sam Adams, Richard Henry Lee)

3. Second Continental Congress (cont.) • Others argued for modest reforms and reconciliation with GB (J. Dickson of Pennsylvania) • most searched for a middle ground between both ends

4. Olive Branch Petition”(7/5/1775) and the “Declaration of the causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms” (7/6/1775) • At first, most Americans believed they were fighting not for independence but for a redress of grievances within the British Empire. • During the first year of fighting, they began to change their minds • costs of the war grew to be to high to justify original aims

5. Olive Branch Petition (cont.) • British recruited African Slaves, Indians and foreign mercenaries known as “Hessians” • British rejection of Olive Branch Petition & the “Prohibitory Act” • closed all colonies to overseas trade • made no concession to American demands • naval blockade

6. Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” • Became a best seller • Addressed many of the arguments used in support of staying connected or under the authority of Great Britain. • Created discussion throughout the colonies

7. Decision of Independence • 1776 Actions of Continental Congress • i. declared American ports open to the ships of all nations except GB • ii. entered into negotiations with foreign powers • iii. rec. to the colonies that they create new government. independent of the British • iv. appointed a committee to draft a Declaration of Independence

8. Thomas Jefferson • i. 33 year-old delegate from Virginia • ii. wrote most of the Declaration of Independence • iii. assistance from B. Franklin and J. Adams • iv. much of it came directly from popular propaganda of the time

9. Three Parts of the Declaration of Independence • i. Part 1: J. Locke: governments formed to protect the rights of life, liberty and property.... TJ changed last part to “pursuit of happiness” • ii. Part 2: listed alleged crimes of the king (aka grievances) • iii. Part 3: Conclusion: due to all of the previous points made; the colonists are now the United States of America and are free and independent of Britain.

10. Effects of the Declaration of Independence • i. Concept of “all men are created equal” was borrowed from George Mason and helped inspire later movements of liberation within the US • ii. French Revolution • iii. led to increased foreign aid that would prove vital • iv. inspired Patriots to reject the idea of a peace that stopped short of winning independence • v. created deep divisions within American society • vi. colonies begin to call themselves states

11. Articles of Confederation • Adopted by CC in 1777, but not finally ratified until 1781 • did little more than confirm the weak state system already in place • CC power over individual states limited • did not make it clear that CC was to be a real government • New Nation had to fight a war for survival with a weak and uncertain government

12. The War: Preparation Challenges • raising and organizing armies • providing them with supplies and equipment • paying for it

13. George Washington • Nominated to command 1775 • Had to deal with short rations • Underpaid soldiers • mutinies • attempted coup at Valley Forge • received help from Marquis de Lafayette (French) and Baron von Steuben (Prussia)

14. Phases of Warfare: New England 1775-1776 • Bunker Hill • British leave Boston • Quebec (Canadians denied alliance)

15. Phases of Warfare: Mid-Atlantic Region 1776-1778 • British best chance to win • 32,000 British vs. 19,000 Americans • Original Strategy was to pinch in from north and south... Howe abandoned that and decided to attack Philadelphia directly (interesting theories about why Howe did this) • Northern Regiment lead by Burgoyne gets surrounded and surrenders at Saratoga • Victory in North lead to alliance with French

16. Phases of Warfare: The South • After French commitment, GB imposed new limits to its level of commitment in the war • British faced problems • underestimated patriot sentiment in the south • loyalists refused to help because they feared patriot response • patriots could blend with population • new kind of combat • British were able to win battles in major cities, but were troubled in countryside • Cornwallis stages several successful battles, but has his forces depleted. He is ordered to wait for new supplies in Yorktown. • Ambushed in Yorktown, forced to surrender Oct. 17, 1781 • BUT British still held onto major cities: Savannah, Charleston, Wilmington and New York...

17. Peace of Paris • Cornwallis’s defeat at Yorktown shifted popular opinion in England against the war... • Treaty of Paris Sept. 3, 1783 • granted clear-cut recognition of its independence

18. Social Impact of the American Revolution

19. Loyalists • 1/5 (maybe 1/3) of white population • some office holders • some merchants (most merchants sided with Revolution) • non-city inhabitants • 100,000 fled country: England & Canada • wealthy landowners leaving = change in social dynamic

20. Religions • A. Anglicans • financed by England • by end of war, many perishes had no clergy • B. Quakers • pacifists, thus criticized • limited political prestige • C. Catholics • strengthened due to support for Patriots • French alliance brings chaplains with troops • Vatican provided the US with it’s own catholic hierarchy • D. Church and State • most states moved quickly in the direction of religious freedom • “Statute of Religious Freedom” Thomas Jefferson

21. Native Americans • “To most Indians, the revolution threatened to replace a ruling group in which they had developed at least some measure of trust (the British) with one they considered generally hostile to them (the Patriots).” Brinkley p. 170

22. Revolutionary Era Women A. Departure of men to fight left women in charge of farms and businesses • some success • some dislocation • B. Rebellion • C. On the Front Line • many women driven from homes • served as auxiliary, cooks, laundry, nurses, morale = VALUABLE • gender roles transcended • war called to question the traditional roles of women

23. Slavery • A. During Revolution • British army wished to liberate slaves to disrupt Patriot cause • emancipated and led thousands of slaves out of the country • exposure to liberty • whites in S.C. and Georgia were hesitant to join in fear of slave rebellion • Georgia, slaves were half of population • SC, slaves were a majority • B. During Legislation • New England and Penn. abolished it • Virginia passed a law encouraging manumission (freeing of slaves) • But slavery survives • assumptions about the natural inferiority of Africans • enormous economic investments of white southerners

24. Daniel Shays • Early Financial Woes • consumer indebtedness • postwar depression • inadequate money supply • biggest failure of Continental Congress • Soldiers • Government owed backpay to soldiers • power of taxation limited • Fed. only received 1/6 of the money requisitioned from the states • Government defaulted on obligations

25. Shay’s Rebellion • Absence of Central Government • domestic debt fell on states hands and thus state taxes • state creditors, i.e. bondholders this was good policy • poor farmers, burdened by debt, considered taxes unfair and tyrannical • many lost property and went to jail Daniel Shays and Job Shatuck, leaders of the Mass. Rebellion, aka Shay’s Rebellion Daniel Shay’s and his army of farmers protesting the unfair taxation, sitting in front of a court house in Mass. Before heading to the federal arsenal, with 1,200 men, later defeated by Washington and his force of 15,000

26. Shay’s Rebellion • Soldiers plight • no paycheck from war to pay off debts • no currency to assist them in the matter • Rebellion • Daniel Shays, former army captain • summer of 1787 set out to Boston to confront • wealthy merchants took out loan to finance counter army • Shays army scattered in hillside amidst a snowstorm

27. Shay’s Rebellion • Effects • military disaster (not successful) • Shays was first sentenced to death, but later pardoned and given tax relief • Demonstrated need for strong, central government