THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: 1776-1783

The Battles Part II

Struggles in the South

In early years, colonists won many battles in south Crushed Loyalist militia at

Battle of Moore’s Creek (Wilmington)

Saved Charles Town too But Brits realized

underestimated Americans Changed their strategy

Hard-hitting offensive Concentrated their efforts in

south More loyalist support Major cities were port cities

Use British navy to assist

Strategy works!

British Victories

Late 1778- British Gen. in Command Henry Clinton sends 3,500 redcoats to take Savannah, GA Brits take city, & most of state

1780- Clinton himself heads south Attacks Charles Town, SC

Surrender in May Take 1,000’s of prisoners! WORST DEFEAT of war

Clinton heads back to NY Leaves Gen. Lord Cornwallis in

command of war in south Continentals send Gates’ army to

take him on 1780- Met at Camden, SC

Easily defeats Gen. Gates who flees

Major General Lord Charles Cornwallis

Guerrilla Warfare

New style of warfare overtakes countryside Colonial militia appeared

suddenly, struck, then disappeared

Called… Guerrilla Warfare, hit-&-run

technique Catches Brits off-guard

Leader of these Patriot guerillas, Francis Marion Operated out of the swamps

of SC Known as the “Swamp Fox” Quick & extremely smart Basis of main character in The

Patriot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SBPnw5riLM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBehIdLdanE

Patriot Victories in the Carolinas

After Cornwallis’ victory over Gates @ Camden, SC Move north through NC

Sept. 1780- @ King’s Mountain Brit officer & 1,000 Loyalists try to defend

it Patriots attack

Force British retreat of Mt. Victory brings new support for Colonials

Oct. 1780- Gen. Gates is replaced by Nathaniel Greene Splits Continental army of South in 2

Jan 1781- Colonials under Gen. Daniel Morgan defeat Brits @ Battle of Cowpens, SC

Reunite March 1781- to take on Cornwallis at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse Present-day Greensboro, NC Colonials forced to retreat, but… Losses so severe for Brits, Cornwallis

leaves the Carolinas

British Retreat

April 1781- Cornwallis marches north to VA Raids throughout the state

Nearly captures VA Governor Thomas Jefferson!

Jefferson flees on horseback just ahead of Redcoats

Washington sends Lafayette south to take on Cornwallis Cornwallis sets up camp @

Yorktown Awaiting orders from Clinton

in NY War in south about to

come to bloody end!

Change in Plans Washington knew of the fighting in the

south Knew Cornwallis was bottled up at

Yorktown, VA G-Dub had previously sent Lafayette’s

troops to keep them from north August 1781- 2nd French fleet heads to

the Chesapeake instead of NYC Washington hatches NEW Patriot plan…

Keep Clinton thinking they would attack NYC, but secretly move south instead

This would keep Clinton in the north Can’t help Cornwallis from disaster

approaching Rochambeau and Washington secretly

march 200 miles in 15 days to meet up w/ Lafayette north of Yorktown

Meet up w/ 2 French fleets Basically…

3 armies north 2 French fleets off east coast Continental Army of the south (left intact

when Cornwallis gave up on Carolinas) All surrounding Cornwallis’ army @

Yorktown, VA

The Siege of Yorktown

Washington wondered if complicated plan would work Hoped he had fooled Clinton Hoped French fleet would reach

Yorktown in time 5 September 1781

G-Dub receives news that fleet is nearly there Plan worked perfectly, and Brits still

bored waiting in NYC!!! 14,000 Patriot and French troops

had the 7,500 Brit and Hessian troops of Cornwallis trapped!!!

French fleets kept Cornwallis from escaping by sea

Continentals of South kept from retreating south

Meanwhile, Clinton sits and waits bored in NYC waiting for the attack that would never come

Are these guys ever gonna

attack… I am soooo bored!!!

Cornwallis’ Defeat

9 October 1781- American and French forces

begin massive bombardment So extreme, bodies lay

everywhere of Cornwallis’ army Supplies run low for Brits and so

many soldiers dead or wounded Cornwallis realizes the

hopelessness of the situation 19 October 1781-

Cornwallis surrenders Patriots had won the Battle of

Yorktown Brits marched b/t rows of French

and Patriot forces handing over their weapons

Cornwallis surrenders his sword to Washington!

Independence

Fighting didn’t end @ Yorktown Brits still held Savannah, Charles Town, &

NYC Few more fights but…

Victory @ Yorktown convinces crown war too costly to con’t

2 sides send delegates to Paris to work out treaty Ben Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay for

USA 3 September 1783- Treaty of Paris

signed ending the war Also peace treaties b/t French and

Spanish too Terms for Brits

Great Britain would recognize USA as independent nation

Land claim from Atlantic to Mississippi R. and Canada to Spanish Florida

Brits withdraw all troops from territory Fishing rights off coast of Canada

Terms for USA USA would allow Brit merchants to collect

debts from colonists Loyalist land would be returned

Why the Americans Won

How did they manage to win? How defeat strongest military in

world? Patriots had several advantages…

Fought on own land French and Spanish aid

Soldiers, navy, generals, $$$ Blocked Brit navy Brits could control cities, but not

countryside Patriots knew terrain, and could hide

easily Brave, impulsive generals Most important…

It was the people’s cause Had personal interest in outcome Determination and spirit that could

never be beaten

The Influence of the American Revolution on the World

1776- colonists began a revolution Making clear principles of

freedom and rights of people Ideas lead influence to French

people to question their own lives Ideas shouted by French rebels

during French Revolution in 1789 Caribbean Islands push for

independence as well But from France!?!

When France overthrown by natives and slaves in Caribbean, Haiti in particular…

European control in the New World began to quickly disappear