Chapter 8 The Rebellion

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Chapter 8 The Rebellion
Analytical Themes -Rise of Patriotic
Support -Increase in merchantilism and
international relations -Increase in colonial
unity -Revolutionary reforms in government -Rise
in American self-image -Creation of the American
mind
I. The American Revolution A.     The 1st
Continental Congress angered the Crown and
Parliament leading to the use of force, to keep
the colonies in line (quote P. 103).Thomas Gage
was the governor of Massachusetts and British
commander-in-chief of 4000 troops in North
America. B.     British felt opposition to their
rule was concentrated in Mass. Edmund Burke's
speech to the House of Commons for conciliating
the colonies, fell 270 to 78 against him.
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• II. "The Shot Heard Around the World
  
• A.     April 14, 1775 Gage received orders from
  London. Mass. was in a state of rebellion.
• B.      Mass. had illegal assemblies and militia
  (minute men) and were training for battle.
• C. Paul Revere warned of attack from British
  (famous ride to John Hancock).
• April 18 1775 Gage sent 700 crack troops to
  Concord 20 miles away.
• At Lexington en route to Concord, the Redcoats
  met 70 Minute Men who withdrew after an argument.
  Shots were fired, 8 patriots died.
• E.      Redcoats entered Concord and destroyed
  remaining supplies but faced a gauntlet of attack
  all the way back to Boston.
• F.      Casualties less than100 Patriots, 273
  Redcoats -British were lucky!
• G.     Mass. takes offensive against some British
  held forts.-(example Ticonderoga).
• J. Colonies rallied quickly
• III. The Second Continental CongressPhiladelphia
  
• A. Distinguished group of Radicals-John Adams,
  Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Richard Henry Lee,
  Gadsden of S.C., Jefferson and Washington, among
  others.
• B. Major goal was to unify- John Hancock pleaded
  for raising and financing an army.
• C. Washington Commander-in-Chief of new
  Continental Army.
• IV. The Battle of Bunker Hill
  
• A. Fought on Breed's Hill, not Bunker Hill.
• B. Colonist take the high ground and Gage
  attacked -suffering huge losses but the Patriots
  ran out of ammunition - failure of logistics.
• C. Fighting poured to the Charleston area of
  Boston, and casualties were high of British
  officers.
• D. Due to the heavy losses, a settlement was
  likely out of reach.

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V. The Great Declaration
A.
Difficult to break from the numerous traditions
of England-quote p.106. B. To declare
independence would be consiered treason and could
result in capital punishment. C. Early protesters
to British tyranny were the wealthy, with some
middle class citizens participating in mob scenes
and meetings. D. Would the Revolution elevate the
status of the common man??? Yes, but to what
degree and when? E. Patriots felt George III had
been mislead by advisers word of hiring Hessian
mercenaries to fight the Patriots angred he
colonies and rose fear. F. Publication of Common
Sense by Thomas Paine-In simple logic, Paine
assaulted the "Royal Brute" George III and the
idea of monarchy itself. 1. 150,000 copies sold.
2. Read widely among colonists, but not everone
was impressed. 3. "A government of our own is
our natural right". 4. John Adams felt Common
Sense was somewhat plagiarized. G. Tone of the
debate increased-ports were opened to Foreign
shipping, privateering was encouraged. H. 1775
Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution of the
the Virgina Convention. P.106. I. At the age of
33, Thomas Jefferson was the youngest member to
be placed on the committee, to join John Adams,
Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert
Livingston. J. Jefferson returned late in mid-May
and was delegated to draft a document-with a few
amendments, the draft became the Declaration of
Independence-July 4, 1776. K. Declaration had 2
parts 1. Justifying the theory of republican
government. 2. "Injuries and usurpations" by
George III 3. Blamed the king rather then
Parliment because the king was the
personification of the nation the colonies were
rebelling against.
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L. The Declaration of Independence had little
immediate impact. M. Some idealist soldiers
joined the ranks of the Patriots. N. Later this
document (French Revolution) becomes a brilliant
cornerstone in most revolutions. O. Why
Jefferson? He expressed clearly the views of many
liberal patriots in the period-his articulation
was a timely and articulate synthesis of the
AMERICAN MIND. VI. 1776The Balance of
Forces
A. The Declaration did not
solve the problem of a new nation at war. B.
Loyalists were an obstacle but the Americans had
the home court advantage and popular
support-Interesting parallels to Vietnam. C. The
British soon learned that logistics, popular
support and long supply lines would be costly and
protract the war. 1. Also European threats had
to be considered. 2. The colonist were mainly
English. 3. Cost of men and s (lbs). D. 1775
attacks in Quebec, Canada met defeat-but the
British could not pursue or hold territory beyond
forts and urban areas. E. Howe goes to New York
to split the colonies and cut communication and
supply. F. The British were well prepared and had
teh advantage of wealth, size, and experience.
Washington had the challenge of organizing a
militia force. VII. Loyalists

A. Loyalists, or Tories, were present in
the colonies. B. 1/5 loyalist- 2/5 Patriots- 2/5
undecided. C. Tory strength was in the rural
section of New York and in the North Carolina
backcountry-church leaders, British appointed
officials, some merchants and some non-English
settlers who relied on the crown for protection
from the masses. D. Tories lacked organization.
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E. Tories felt that the Crown's actions did not
merit a revolution that the colonies were
destined to lose. F. Great fracturing of families
and community, Tory and Patriot battles were
gruesome (quote P. 111). VIII. Early
Defeats
A. Howe left
Boston and attacked Washington at New York, The
British regular forces were devastating and could
have won the war if Howe would have pursued with
his navy. B. Howe was not sure if he was a
conqueror or peacemaker-the fact that the
Colonist were British may have played upon Howe's
biases. He held back on a killing blow. C.
Washington, frustrated by lack of discipline,
reluctantly went to New Jersey to avoid navel
superiority. D. Washington and the Continental
Army were ravaged in the battles around New York.
Washington learned not to put his troops in a
vulnerable position by keeping away from the
British navy. E. Howe went to winter quarters in
New York but posted garrisons in Princeton and
Trenton. F. Morale down-Washington makes two bold
assaults - Trenton - surprise attack at Christmas
Eve captures 900 Hessian soldiers. G. Next he
attacked Princeton and out maneuvered William
Cornwallis. H. Morale soared and so did the
Continental Army's chances-new enlistments. IX.
Saratoga and the French Alliance
A.
British had a three phase plan to route the
Continental Army-General Howe's questionable
actions and decisions gave the Patriots cause and
opportunity!!! 1. General Thomas Burgoyne
attacks from Canada to Lake Champlain. 2.
British were to attack from Ft. Oswego on Lake
Ontario to Albany. 3. Howe attacks up the Hudson
to smash the Continental Army - P. 112. B. The
goal was to pound the New England states with the
logistical advantage of Canada. C. The result is
a series of British fiascoes 1. General
Burgoyne attacks from Canada to Lake Champlain
worked taking Ft. Ticonderoga- But no support
came -Patriots will harass his slow progress and
set a trap at Saratoga.
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2. Lt. Col. Barry left late and attacked Ft.
Oswego allowing Benedict Arnold time to move
1,000 men from Saratoga-Crushed Barry's
forces. 3. Howe was wasting time attempting to
pin Washington's forces-Washington sent troops to
assist Horatio Gates -Howe sent Gen Clinton to
support General Burgoyne but Clinton returned for
reinforcements- General Burgoyne capitulated and
5,700 troops were captured. D. British occupied
Philadelphia - but could not control territory
without troops. E. Great victory- the war was not
won or lost but an alliance with France and Spain
became an option. F. Both allied with the USA
(Spain aided the US covertly with needed
supplies). G. Motivation for France and Spain was
more to hurt Britain than to assist the USA- the
end result was an incredible boost to the
Revolution. H. Louis the XVI gave financial
support and recognized the USA as a sovereign
nation. I. The French Alliance 1778-dramatic
shift in events. J. England now worried Lord
North offered to repeal the Coercive Acts
(Intolerable) and never tax the colonies-Rejected
by the USA! K. Terrible winter at Valley
Forge-Suffering and desertion. L. Washington's
leadership challenged some wanted Horatio
Gates-Big mistake! X. The War Moves
South
A. Howe and Clinton
change strategy. B. Base of operation goes back
to New York. C. Washington fought at Monmouth
Court House and held the field with neither
defeat nor victory. D. British go to the south in
search of support from Tories and slaves. E.
British victories under Clinton and Cornwallis at
Savannah and Charleston (3,000 captured). Clinton
left and Cornwallis stayed with 8,000. F. The
British began to be smug with Tories-that caused
some defection-and the battles in the interior
regions proved to be difficult under militia
units-Francis Marion "Swamp Fox" and Thomas
Sumter.
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G. Gates was sent to command the south but failed
in battle, replaced by Nathaniel Greene. Greene
trapped Tory units and divided Cornwallis' forces
in several decisive battles-retaking Carolina
backcountry. XI. Victory at Yorktown

A. Cornwallis was marching from Carolina
to Virginia to use Tory alliances-not present.
B. Benedict Arnold sold out to the British and
was going to force defeat at West point. This
plan was foiled by the capture of André, a
spy. C. A bold alliance and plan by Washington
and Rochambeau used American and French Naval,
and Infantry units to engage the British
Fleet-gain control of Chesapeake and fool
Cornwallis (thought Washington was marching on
New York). D. British again were slow to react
and counter the naval action of the French. E. By
mid-October, Washington and French troops were at
Yorktown with 17,000-Cornwallis surrendered
7,000. XII. The Peace of Paris 1783

A. Numerous British loses, huge debt, failed
military campaigns, they wanted Peace-but peace
was difficult to define. B. John Adams, Ben
Franklin, Henry Laurens, Thomas Jefferson, and
John Jay negotiated the treaty. C. Britain
formally recognized the USA and gave the western
lands and Great Lakes region in the settlement.
Fishing rights in Canadian waters were confirmed
in exchange for navigation rights on the
Mississippi. Also to assist in the return of Tory
properties seized. D. Franklin and Jay played
England against France and received favorable
terms. Great manipulation, a key foreign policy
skill two mighty powers against one another to
succeed! E. Vergennes was appalled at the
concessions of Britain(Oswald).