The American Revolution

Chapter 6

Sections 1-4

Choosing Sides

• Loyalists- colonists who remained loyal to King George III and England.

• Anglican Church, Personal Wealth

• Patriots- Colonists who supported independence.

• What do we have to lose?

Tale of the Tape

Strengths Strengths

Britain The Continentals

Every Possible Military Advantage Possible alliances with France and Spain

Superior Navy, Army, and Resources Fighting for a cause

Seemingly endless supply of men and $

Home field advantage

The confidence of being the best Guerilla War tacticsWeakness Weakness

Supplying from thousands of miles away

Every Possible Military Disadvantage

No knowledge of the area Little to no funding locally

No reason to fight. They do not care

Raising and Using an Army

• Britain was using hired mercenaries called Hessians. Named after the area of Germany they came from.

• The colonies refused to trust their continental congress so in a way they were fighting thirteen individual wars.

• The states were responsible for recruiting soldiers.• They originally signed up for one year of service.• Most of the trained soldiers were veterans of

previous wars and were beyond their best fighting days.

The Hard Times

• New York• British Have 44,000 troops and sailors.

Washington commands 20,000 poorly trained colonists.

• Nathan Hale gave his life to provide intelligence to he continental army.

• Battle of Long Island - Howe invades New York killing or wounding 1400 Continentals.

• Washington escapes. First to Manhattan then to NJ and PA.

Washington asks for HELP!!

• Washington is so undermanned that he asks the congress for help.

• He suggests that they enlist free African Americans to fight for the Continental Army

• Over 5000 African American troops fought in the revolutionary war.

• Including Lemuel Hayes and Peter Salem at the battle of Concord.

Desperation

TrentonTrenton The day after Christmas Washington attacks Trenton,

NJ he surprises 1400 Hessians (hired soldiers) when Washington leaves there are no Hessians.

PrincetonPrinceton Washington leaves his campfires burning. The British

attack an empty camp. Meanwhile the Continentals slip behind Cornwallis and attack Princeton, NJ

Americans latch on to these victories for hope and strength.

New British Strategy

• Cut off New England from the rest of the colonies by taking the Hudson River.

• Gen. John Burgoyne was to attack New York, but George III wants Philadelphia. Mistake.

• Burgoyne is successful at Brandywine and Germantown outside of Philadelphia, he takes Phil. And settles in for the winter. He is a fancy individual travelling with over 20 wagons worth of personal goods.

• Burgoyne sends 800 soldiers to capture supplies at a base in Vermont

• They are captured by Ethan Allen and the GMB

Battle of Saratoga

• Burgoyne is forced to leave Philidelphia and retreat to Saratoga.

• Howevver there are no reinforcements coming from General Howe.

• The road is blocked by Gen Horatio Gates of the Continental Army.

• Burgoyne is surrounded and On Oct. 17th, 1777 Burgoyne surrenders and Howe resigns in embarassment.

New Allies

• France• After our victory at Saratoga France

recognizes our independence and declares war on England. They also agree to supply us with money, food, soldiers, and munitions.

• Spain• They do not recognize us but they do supply

us with soldiers from the Louisiana territory under the leadership of Bernardo de Galvez

• His efforts allow us to capture British forts at Mobile, and Pensacola

Other Allies

• Thaddeus Kosciusko and Casmir Pulaski both served in the Continental Army. Both are Polish.

• Juan de Miralles he urges Spain, Cuba, and Mexico to send financial aid.

• To help pay for the war congress began printing American money.

• Leads to inflation decreased value of money.

Valley Forge

• Worst possible winter. Washington loses men to frostbite, starvation, and abandonment.

• HELP

• Friedrich Von Steuban- Prussian army drill instructor trains Washington's men.

War in the West

• Regardless of the conditions people continued to move west. • Forcing Natives to side with the British in order to keep their

land. Take the post at Kaskakia• Battle of Vincennes• George Rogers Clark leads his men to retake Vincennes.• He spreads his men out around the fort and has each man

hold two torches. • Tells the British that they are surrounded, and to surrender

immediately.• British take the for back , but Clark takes it

again.

John Paul Jones

PrivateersPrivateers privately owned merchant ships privately owned merchant ships fitted with weaponsfitted with weapons

Serapis versus Bonhomme RichardSerapis versus Bonhomme Richard Jones is attacking English ships by himself He and the Richard engage the Serapis and

he boards the ship and takes it for the Continentals.

Jones has defeated a part of the all-powerful British Navy.

War in the South

• Battle of Moore’s Creek – Loyalist cities were crushed throughout the south. Wilmington NC and Charles Town SC

• 1780 Benedict Arnold switches his allegiance from the continentals to the British.

• Washington is distraught. Arnold is his best General

• The War might be over…

Patriots Rally…

• 1780 Generals Daniel Morgan and Nathaniel Greene lead the Continentals to big victories At Cowpens, S.C.

• Cornwallis suffers great losses• The two Generals use guerilla warfare to

force General Corwallis north towards Virginia.

• He raids town and nearrly captures the governor Thomas Jefferson

Yorktown

Yorktown- General Charles Cornwallis sets up camp along the Chesapeake Bay. He believes this will be an easy place to re-supply.

He will wait for orders from General Clinton. Need to act fast the French has sent troops to aid the

continentals. He believes he is safe…

Victory

Washington has a plan…

• French Admiral Francois de Grasse has the English trapped in the Chesapeake.

• Washington wants to make Gen. Clinton think he is staying in NY.

• He marches 200 miles in 15 days

• Lays seige to Yorktown with 14,000 men.

The end…

He will send Comte de Rochambeau and the promised French Soldiers to the south of Yorktown.

Washington will advance on Yorktown, the French Navy will blockade Yorktown and the British will be trapped.

Cornwallis held out for three weeks but finally surrenders.

The war is unpopular in England and now they are losing face to the colonists. George III is ready to make a deal.

Treaty of Paris

• Britain recognizes the United States as an independent nation.

• Eastern border is the Atlantic, Western border is the Mississippi River, and the Southern border is Florida.

• States will pay Loyalists for damaged property.

• All British troops will leave. • Negotiated by Franklin, Adams, and Jay• Ratified or approved in 1783

Newburgh Conspiracy

• Congress was unable to pay the remaining soldiers so they threatened to attack congress.

• Washington talks them out of this, but the danger is evident.

• War lasted 1775 - 1783

Goodbye George

• December 1783 Washington leaves his command in New York City to return to Mount Vernon, VA

• He is retired, for now...

Did we just win?

• Did America win the war for independence?

• Did England quit our war for independence?

• Was it a draw?