The American Revolutionary War

1775-1783

The First Continental CongressThe First Continental Congress

• Met in 1774 in Philadelphia- challenge the British.• Delegates are Sam Adams, John Adams, Richard

Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, & George Washington.• They drafted a statement of grievances and asked

for a repeal of the 13 acts passed since 1763.• They called for people to arm themselves and form

militias. The Minutemen were ready.• British general Thomas Gage had several thousand

men around Boston and orders to take weapons and arrest leaders. He learned weapons were being stored in Concord.

The Fighting Begins: Lexington and The Fighting Begins: Lexington and ConcordConcord

• Paul Revere & William Dawes ride to Lexington to warn Sam Adams & John Hancock “the regulars are out.”

• The first fight was at Lexington. Eight minutemen were killed. The British moved to Concord. The weapons were moved. Met Minutemen at the Old North Bridge in April 1775.

• By the time the British returned to Boston, 174 were wounded and 73 were dead.

• The shot heard ’round the world had been fired at Lexington. And the War for Independence had begun.

Fighting continuesFighting continues

• Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen (with the Green Mountain Boys) work together to take over Fort Ticonderoga.

• Committees of Correspondence call for volunteers.• June 1775- William Prescott is the Commander at Bunker

Hill & Breed’s Hill. The British want to drive them from the strategic location.

• The colonists are low on ammunition. Prescott orders “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.”

• The colonists had to withdraw. British suffered heavy losses in the victory.

• Colonists now had to make a decision- loyalist or patriot.

Loyalist vs. Patriot

• Loyalist: American colonist who was loyal to the British government.

Patriot: American colonist whobelieved the colonies should be independent

from the British.

The Second Continental CongressThe Second Continental Congress

• May 10, 1775, Second Continental Congress meets. John Hancock – president. Jefferson, Franklin, Lee, Henry, & Adams are delegates.

• They begin to govern the colonies. 1. Establish a post office, Ben Franklin postmaster2. Create a committee to correspond with foreign

nations3. Establish the Continental Army with George

Washington as commander

• Send the Olive Branch Petition to King George asking for reconsideration- one last chance at peace. He refused to look at it.

It's just common senseIt's just common sense• Colonists learn that British troops in Canada plan

to attack. They decide to attack first. They capture Montreal but not Quebec.

• Washington goes to Boston and finds the troops undisciplined and untrained.

• By March 1776 he deems them ready to fight. They surround Boston and drive out the British.

• Some colonists are still “sitting on the fence” (neutral).

• Thomas Paine writes his famous pamphlet Common Sense in 1776. He calls for complete independence and says it is simply common sense to break from the “royal brute.” He inspires thousands of Americans to become Patriots.

To be or not to be… IndependentTo be or not to be… Independent

• Should the colonists declare independence? Main topic of conversation. Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposes independence.

• Thomas Jefferson is chosen to write a draft. He is inspired by ideas of natural rights from English philosopher John Locke.

• Locke says people are born with natural rights like life, liberty & property. He says people formed governments to protect these rights. People have the right to overthrow the government if it fails.

The Declaration of IndependenceThe Declaration of Independence

• The Declaration of Independence is approved on ***July 4, 1776.***

• There are four major sections to the Declaration: 1. Explain why they are breaking away2. Discuss rights they should have3. Detail their complaints against Britain4. Proclaim existence of a new nation

• The Declaration lists grievances against Britain:1. Cutting off trade with other nations2. Imposing taxes without the colonists’ consent

• The struggle for independence, the American Revolution, had now truly begun.

An Uneven Fight

• After declaring independence in 1776, war was inevitable.

• Both sides believed the war would be quickly over.• Britain had an overwhelming advantage:

1) Strongest navy in the world2) Experienced, well-trained army3) The wealth of a worldwide empire4) Larger population (8 million vs. 2.5 million)

• The colonists had serious disadvantages: 1) Lacked a regular army and a navy2) Lacked experience, weapons, & ammunition3) Not all Americans supported the war

Loyalists

• Colonists who remained loyal to Britain were called Loyalists or “Tories”.

• The British also had disadvantages:1) They had to ship supplies and soldiers from a long

distance.2) They were unfamiliar with the land.3) British and Hessian (German mercenaries) soldiers

fought for money, no passion in their beliefs.4) They were an occupying force, invaders of land

belonging to other people.

• Many African-Americans fought for the British- told they would be free.

An Uphill Battle

• The Patriots did have some advantages:1) Fought on their own land with determination2) Fought for their own freedom & land 3) They had a great leader- George Washington

• The Congress had little power. They could not collect taxes to pay for the war.

• Many women (Molly Pitcher, Deborah Sampson, Margaret Corbin) helped with the war.

The Early Years• Summer of 1776, Britain sent 32,000 troops under the

command of General William Howe.• The Continental Army suffered a serious defeat on Long

Island, New York.• Nathan Hale, a young soldier, agreed to spy for America.

He was discovered and hanged. • Winter of 1776-1777 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania- low

point for the Continental Army. Many troops deserted or died.

• Washington pled for more troops. Asked for African Americans to be allowed to fight.

• Southern states said no, they feared revolts and refused to give guns to slaves. Some northern states did anyway.

First Victory

• A Hessian (German mercenaries fighting for the British) army settled in New Jersey for the winter.

• Normally no fighting occurred during the winter months.

• Washington saw an opportunity to catch the British off guard.

• On Christmas night 1776, 2,400 troops crossed the icy Delaware River.

• At the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army surprised the Hessians and captured 900.

The Plan to Take Albany

• British were worried. New plan for victory. Control Hudson River and split New England & Middle Colonies.

• A three-pronged attack to take Albany:1) General Burgoyne south from Canada2) St. Leger east from Lake Ontario3) Howe north from Philadelphia

• Howe captured Philadelphia, decided to spend the winter there.

• Benedict Arnold forced St. Leger to retreat.• Burgoyne was slowed by his 30 wagons and frequent

parties.• Burgoyne ended up in Saratoga surrounded by an army

three times larger than his. He surrendered.

The War Continues

• The victory at Saratoga was the turning point of the war. It boosted spirits and convinced many the Americans could win.

• Ben Franklin was in Paris trying to gain support. Saratoga caused France to declare war on Britain.

• Spain soon followed and also declared war.• Washington was in Valley Forge, PA during the winter of

1777-1778. They suffered terribly. It was hard to keep the army together.

• Thomas Paine wrote The American Crisis. He said, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

• When Washington received word of France’s support, it raised the spirits of the troops.

Help from Other Nations

• French nobleman, Marquis de Lafayette, used his own money to come to America. He was inspired by the Declaration of Independence and American ideas of freedom.

• Lafayette became one of Washington’s most trusted aides.

• Friederich von Steuben came from Germany. He drilled the troops and taught them how to march.

• Von Steuben turned the Continental Army into an effective fighting force.

• Bernardo de Gálvez, the governor of Spanish Louisiana, gathered troops and helped to open up supply lines for the Continental Army.

Other Important Americans!

•Wentworth Cheswell: an African-American that rode to warn Portsmouth New Hampshire of the arrival of British warships. Also served in the Continental Army and fought at the Battle of Saratoga.

•Mercy Otis Warren: an American woman that wrote books of poetry and plays supporting the independence movement, was a friend of Abigail Adams and also believed women should have the right to vote.

•James Armistead: American slave that spied for the Americans by pretending to be a British spy (double-agent). Provided the Americans with very valuable information about the British, helped the victory at Yorktown.

•Bernardo de Galvez: Spanish naval commander that sent weapons to George Washington, also battled and defeated the British at New Orleans and in Florida.

•Haym Salomon: Polish-born Jewish American that helped the Continental Army by providing money and other financial help.

Ideas of Freedom• Getting money for the war was difficult. Congress printed

millions of dollars in paper money which quickly lost their value.

• This led to inflation. There was no gold or silver to back up the paper dollars.

• Some women began to think that women should have equal access to education.

• Abigail Adams fought for women’s rights and equality and the right to vote for women.

• The quest for liberty and freedom caused some Americans to question slavery.

• Many African Americans fought in the Revolutionary War. But the question of slavery would remain unsettled.

An American Navy?• Britain used its superior navy to keep American ships

and their allies from ports. This naval blockade kept supplies and reinforcements from the army.

• To break the blockade, Congress ordered thirteen ships to be built. Only two ever sailed to sea.

• In order to compete, American privateers were enlisted. They captured more British ships than the entire American navy.

• John Paul Jones sailed the Bonhomme Richard, raiding British ports. He met the Serapis, a large British ship.

• After fighting for three hours, the British commander asks if he wants to give up. John Paul Jones says, “I have not yet begun to fight.” He became a naval hero.

The War Moves South

• By 1778, the British realized how hard the war was going to be. They decided on a hard hitting offensive in the South.

• They hoped loyalist support in the South would be of help. They did not get the help they expected.

• General Charles Cornwallis was in charge of British forces in the South.

• The guerilla warfare used in the south caught the British off guard.

• Attacks from Americans led by Francis Marion and Nathaneal Greene cost Cornwallis time and supplies.

• After a victory at Kings Mountain, many Southerners decided they wanted the war to be over and supported the Patriots.

The Final Phase

• Cornwallis, desperate for new supplies and soldiers, decided to move his troops to Yorktown, Virginia in April 1781.

• George Washington learns of Cornwallis’s plan and secretly decides to attack the British at Yorktown.

• At Washington’s request, a large French fleet of warships sails up to the Chesapeake Bay.

• American and French troops marched 200 miles in 15 days.• Cornwallis was trapped by Washington, Rochambeau, Lafayette,

and de Grasse’s French Fleet (couldn’t receive new supplies).• The 7,500 British troops were surrounded by 14,000 American &

French soldiers.• With his supplies very low, Cornwallis surrendered to Washington

in October 1781. • The Battle of Yorktown became the last major battle of the

American Revolution.

The Treaty of Paris of 1783

• John Adams, Ben Franklin & John Jay went to Paris to work out the terms of the treaty.

1) Britain recognized America as an independent nation2) American claimed land from the Atlantic Ocean to the

Mississippi River and from Canada to Spanish Florida3) Britain promised to withdraw all troops from America4) Britain gave America the right to fish in waters off of

Canada

• The Treaty of Paris of 1783 officially ended the Revolutionary War.

• America agreed British merchants could collect debts owed from Americans, and Loyalists would be given back their property.

Influences of the American Revolution

• How did America defeat the world’s strongest power?

1) Fought on their own land2) Received help from other nations3) The determination and spirit of the Patriots

• In 1776, the American colonists began a revolution, making clear the principles of freedom and rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence.

• The American Revolution would later inspire the French Revolution as well as Haiti’s fight for independence from France.