THE WAR WIDENS

Chapter 6 Section 3

During the American Revolution, African Americans fought on both sides.Free and Enslaved

Battle of Lexington: 9 Free Africans fought for the Americans

Great Britain offered freedom to enslaved people who joined the British Army.Served mostly as cooks or blacksmiths

African American in the War

Washington began the war refusing to accept African American soldiers into the Continental Army.

His view changed when the British Army began to offer freedom to enslaved people.

By the end of the war, over 7,000 African Americans had served in the Continental Army and over 2,000 in the navy.Most African American soldiers served in what

states?Southern states feared a slave revolt

Washington’s view of Africans

During the war, northern states began working on abolishing slavery.PA passed a law in 1780. It stated that

slaveholders could keep their slaves but they were unable to get/receive/buy anymore slaves.

This was an attempt to gradually end slavery.

Taking the steps to end slavery in the North

Many people took on different roles during the war.

War at Home

MEN• ENLISTED: usually

only for one year• Civilians faced

food shortages or military attacks

WOMEN• Most took over the men’s duties

on the farms• Ran husband’s business• Some cared for the wounded

soldiers• Other disguised themselves as

men to join the fight (Deborah Sampson)

FINANCIAL BURDENS• Congress had limited resources: paying for the

war was difficult• Pleaded with the states to help but most states

had very little money• Congress printed continentals but the more

they printed the less valuable it became.

MOLLY PITCHER

DEBORAH SAMPSON

Fighting in the west• NATIVE AMERICANS WERE

BRIBED BY THE AMERICANS TO REMAIN AT PEACE WHEN THE FIGHTING MOVED TO THE FRONTIER

• MOST NATIVES STILL SIDED WITH THE BRITISH: THEIR GREATEST FEAR WAS THAT THE AMERICANS WOULD WIN AND CONTINUE MOVING WEST IN NATIVE AMERICAN LANDS

• DISAGREEMENTS AMONG TRIBES CAUSED MANY TO SPLIT

• SOMETIMES ENTIRE VILLAGES PICKED UP AND LEFT TO AVOID FIGHTING

• OTHERS ATTACKED WHITE SETTLERS• SMALLPOX OUTBREAKS WERE DEVASTATING

• MORE PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES TO SMALLPOX DURING THE WAR THAN BY FIGHTING

JOSEPH BRYANT

In an effort to defend the Frontier, George Rogers Clark was sent to attack British forts Captured Kaskaskia and Cahokia in 1778

1779, Clark led his men to attack Vincennes, caught the British by surprise and forced them to surrender

Clark’s victories allowed American settlers to stay in the area and it also strengthened American claim of the Ohio River Valley

Defending the Frontier

Spain, the owner of Louisiana and the land west of the Mississippi River, secretly provided Americans with money and weaponries to Americans on the Frontier

Allowed Americans to store the Ships in the New Orleans harbor for safe refuge

Why would Spain do this?

The Spanish join the Independence Efforts

Continental Navy to established in 1775, but the Americans were only able to build a few warships. They were at a disadvantage against the powerful

British NavyThe Americans were forced to use hit and run attacks

to be successful against the British Navy.MOST FAMOUS BATTLE ON THE SEA

American ship Bonhomme Richard led by John Paul Jones fought side by side with the British ship SerapisJones refused to give up even though he was out manned

and gunned. Serapis eventually will surrender

Americans also received help from PrivateersActed like pirate ships

War moves to the Sea