The American Revolution

1
The American Revolution

• The War Continues
• p. 172 - 176

2
Gaining Allies

• The victory at Saratoga boosted American spirits
  and marked a turning point in the war.
• European nations, especially France, realized
  that the U.S. might actually win its war against
  Great Britain.
• Benjamin Franklin had been in Paris for a year,
  trying to get the French to support the
  Americans fight for independence. France
  secretly gave America money, but would not commit
  to an alliance.

3
France Spain

• Victory at Saratoga made France realize the
  Americans had a chance at defeating Britain.
• The French announced support for the U.S.
• February 1778, the French and Americans worked
  out a trade agreement and an alliance.
• France sent money, equipment, and troops to aide
  the American Patriots.
• France declared war on Great Britain.
• Spain declared war on Britain in 1779.

4
Winter at Valley Forge

• British general Howe spent the winter in comfort
  in Philadelphia.
• Washington set up camp at Valley Forge.
• Washington endured a winter of terrible
  suffering, lacking decent food, clothing and
  shelter.
• Washington's greatest challenge at Valley Forge
  was keeping the army together.
• Most men lacked blankets, shoes, and shirts. Some
  made shoes from scrap cowhide.

5
Winter at Valley Forge

• Men deserted, or left without permission, while
  at Valley Forge some resigned.
• Somehow the army survived the winter and
  conditions gradually improved.
• Troops built huts and gathered supplies.
• Martha Washington made clothes for the troops and
  cared for the sick.
• In April 1778, the troops learned of the alliance
  with France.
• This raised the spirits of the troops.

6
Help From Overseas

• A French nobleman, Marquis de Lafayette, spent
  the winter at Valley Forge.
• Lafayette was excited to join the Patriot cause
  and offered his services to General Washington.
• He became a trusted aide to Washington.
• Thaddeus Kosciusko and Casimir Pulaski from
  Poland helped the Patriot cause.
• Friedrich von Steuben, a former army officer from
  Germany, also came to help Washington.

7
Help From Overseas

• Von Steuben turned the ragged Continental Army
  into a more effective fighting force by drilling
  and teaching the army discipline.
• Juan de Miralles, a representative of Spain,
  urged Spain, Cuba, and Mexico to send financial
  aid to the colonies. Miralles lent money to the
  Patriot cause.

8
Money Problems

• Raising money to finance the war was a major
  problem because the Continental Congress had no
  power to raise money through taxes.
• To pay for the war, the Congress and the states
  printed hundreds of millions of dollars worth of
  paper money.
• These bills quickly lost their value because the
  amount of bills in circulation grew faster than
  the supply of gold and sliver backing them.

9
Money Problems

• This led to inflation, which means it took more
  money to buy the same amount of goods.
• Congress stopped issuing the paper money because
  no one would use it.
• The Americans had no other way to finance the
  fighting of their war for independence.

10
Life on the Home Front

• With thousands of men away in military service,
  women took over the duties that had once been the
  responsibility of their husbands or fathers.
• Other women ran their husbands or their own
  businesses.

11
Changing Attitudes

• The ideals of liberty and freedom that inspired
  the American Revolution caused some women to
  question their place in society.
• Judith Sargeant Murray argued womens minds are
  as good as mens.
• Girls should get as good an education as boys.
  (At this time girls received little schooling.)
• Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, also
  championed womens interests.

12
Treatment of Loyalists

• Thousands of Loyalists fought with the British
  against the Patriots.
• Some spied on Patriots.
• Many Loyalists left American during the
  Revolutionary War.
• Loyalists who stayed were often shunned or
  victims of mob violence.
• Active Loyalists could be arrested and tried as
  traitors.

13
Hopes for Equality

• Many white Americans began questioning the act of
  slavery.
• Some religious groups voted to condemn slavery.
• From the beginning of the war African American
  soldiers fought for the American cause.
• Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and
  Pennsylvania attempted to end slavery in their
  stated but eh issue of slavery would remain
  unsettled for many years.