The American Revolution

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The American Revolution
1776 - 1783
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The Early Years
Main Idea
The British and the Americans each had advantages
and disadvantages as they faced one another in
war.
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British Advantages
strongest navy
experienced, well trained army
wealth of world wide empire
large population
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Colonial Advantages
Fighting on own ground
Determination
Greater stake in winning
George Washington
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British Disadvantages
Ship soldiers and supplies from a far distance
Mercenaries fight isnt important for them
Hessians
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Colonial Disadvantages
No regular army or strong navy
Little experience
Small amount of weapons and ammo
Mostly volunteers that fought for a short time
Not all Americans supported revolution
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3 Sides
Loyalists
Neutral
Patriots
Tories
Patrick Henry John Adams Ben Franklin
Will Franklin Robert Kerr John Butler
Quakers
New England Colonies
Carolinas Georgia
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Why not revolt?
Did not think reasons for revolt were strong
Members of Anglican Church
Jobs from Britain
Afraid new government would not do a good job
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Women Warriors
Molly Pitcher
Margaret Corbin
Deborah Sampson
When her husband died in battle she took his
place, from Pennsylvania
She disguised herself as a boy to join the army,
from Massachusetts
She carried water to soldiers, and helped man the
guns at the Battle of Monmouth
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Raising An Army
I need a regular army that will serve more than 1
year.
Americans arent willing to transfer power from
King George to the Continental Congress
During the summer of 1776 Britain sent 32,000
troops to the colonies. General Howe, the
British commander, hoped the size of the army
would convince the Patriots to give up.
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Washington asks Congress to enlist free African
Americans into the Army.
Southern states try to stop this because of a
fear of a
REVOLT
By the end of the war there are over 5,000
African Americans enlisted in the Army.
2 African Americans who fought at Lexington
Concord.
Lemuel Hayes and Peter Salem
Salem also fought at Bunker Hill.
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Trenton
Christmas Night, 1776 Washington took 2,400
troops across the Delaware River and surprised
and captured 900 Hessians.
After the victory at Trenton, Washingtons troops
drove the British from Princeton, New Jersey as
well.
Britains Plan for Victory
Take control of Albany, New York so they can
control the Hudson River, which would divide the
New England and Middle Colonies. In the fall of
1777 the colonists forced the Continental
Congress to flee from Philadelphia.
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Saratoga
goes to Saratoga, New York for supplies and to
wait for British forces coming from the south and
west.
General Burgoyne
American forces stop the Brits from the south and
the west and General Horatio Gates surrounds
Saratoga and halts any movement by Burgoyne.
The British surrender on Oct. 17, 1777, ending
their plan to drive a wedge between the colonies.
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Saratoga was important because the victory made
France
Spain

believe the colonists could defeat the British.
The French sent small numbers of
Troops
Money
Supplies
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Valley Forge
Winter 77 to Spring 78
No Food
Ratty Clothing
Bad Shelter
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Foreign Aid
5,000 French soldiers landed at Rhode Island
July 1780
We will save the Americans!
Gotcha!
A year later the French sent more ships and
soldiers to America. Washington learned that the
fleet was heading for the Chesapeake Bay.
Hmm . . . Very Interesting
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Washington leaves New York and heads to Yorktown,
Virginia
General Cornwallis was camped at Yorktown, held
there by Marquis de Lafayette
Washington keeps move to New York so secretive,
his troops dont even know where they are going.
Cornwallis
Marquis de Lafayette
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The Siege of Yorktown
Washington and his troops marched 200 miles in 15
days to reach Yorktown. The British had no idea
the Americans left.
By the end of September, 1781 over 14,000
American and French troops surround the 7,500
British and Hessian troops under Cornwallis.
Washington and Lafayette controlled forces on
land and Admiral De Grasse was in charge of the
French fleet.
Admiral De Grasse
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De Grasses fleet kept the English from escaping
by sea.
Those lobsterbacks arent going anywhere!
Sweet Revenge!
On October 9th the American and French began a
bombardment
Constant firing with cannons
British supplies ran out and many soldiers were
wounded so Cornwallis surrendered on October 19th.
Despite the surrender fighting continued, but the
British realized the war was too expenive to
maintain.
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Independence
The 2 sides sent delegates to work out a treaty
Benjamin Franklin
John Adams
John Jay
Treaty of Paris
Signed on September 3, 1783
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US Gains
England recognized the U.S. as an independent
nation
Won land from Atlantic to Mississippi and Florida
to Canada
British promised to remove all their troops from
American land
Americans gained permission to fish off the coast
of Canada
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British Gains
British merchants could collect debts owed by
Americans
The states would return any property taken from
Loyalists
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