The American Revolution

1
The American Revolution

• 1775-1781

2
The Early Years of the American
Revolution1776-1775
3
Americans Divided

• 40 Patriot (Whigs)
• 20 Loyalist (Tories)
• 40 Neutral
• Many loyalists worked for British government or
  were clergy (ministers) and members of the Church
  of England (Anglican/Episcopal). Some Quakers
  were loyalists.
• Native American chose both sides. The Cherokee
  chose to fight with the British.
• The British offered freedom to African American
  slaves if they would join the British army.

4
Washington Leads Continental ArmyCould I have
foreseen what I have. And am likely to
experience, no consideration upon the earth could
have persuaded me to accept this command.George
Washington

• Most soldiers did not stay long.
• Congress had difficulty in supplying the army.
• Many women helped in the camps.
• Mary Hays Molly Pitcher helped by carrying
  water.
• Deborah Sampson dressed as a man and fought in
  several engagements.

5
Washington Takes Command of Continental Army
6
Struggle for the Middle Colonies

• The British hired Hessian mercenaries(
  professional soldiers) from the German state of
  Hess.
• Through summer of 1776 Washington and British
  General Howe fought for control of New York
  State.
• By December 1776, Washington had been forced into
  New Jersey.

7
Battle of Trenton, NJDecember 25, 1776

• Washington Crossed the icy Delaware River and
  surprised Hessian soldiers sleeping off their
  Christmas celebration encamped at Trenton.
• The victory gave Washington a win when he needed
  it the most.
• Eight days later Washington won another victory
  at Princeton, NJ.
• Because of these victories, Washington was able
  to attract new recruits.

German Beer Stein
The Christmas Battle
8
Washington Crossing the Delaware RiverDecember
25, 1776
9
Christmas Victory at Trenton, NJ
10
British Strategy

• Take Control of the Hudson River and split the
  Middle Colonies from the New England Colonies.
• British Officers John Burgoyne, Barry St. Ledger.
  and William Howe would rendezvous at Albany, New
  York
• Big Mistake for British! Howe decides to take
  Philadelphia and defeat Washington in
  Pennsylvania. This leads Burgoyne and St. Ledger
  open to American General Horatio Gates troops.

English General John Burgoyne
American General Horatio Gates
11
British Mistake
12
Battle of Saratoga, New YorkOctober 7, 1777

• Burgoynes Army had been slowed by the large
  number of his supply wagons.
• Major American Victory, Why?
• Inspired solders to keep fighting
• France became our ally with this victory
• Spain allies with America and seizes British
  control of the lower Miss. River.
• Benedict Arnold became a traitor giving the
  British Washingtons trip movements along the
  Hudson River.

13
Saratoga, New YorkTurning Point in the North
14
Battles of Germantown and Brandywine and the
British Occupation of Philadelphia

• British General Howe captures Philadelphia.
• Washington looses the battles of Brandywine and
  Germantown, just outside Philadelphia, but is not
  captured.
• Edward Buncombe dies from wounds at Germantown in
  October of 1777.

Battle of Germantown
Christ Church Philadelphia (Episcopal) Site of
Edward Buncombes Grave
15
Edward Buncombe Wounded at Germantown,
Pennsylvania
http//www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/
battle-of-germantown/videos
16
The War Expands1778-1779
17
Brown Bess Musket
18
Calvary Sword
Cartridge Box
Hole Pick and Brush
Cannon Lighter
Musket Cartridge
Powder Horn
19
Fork

Pewter Plate
Playing Cards
Pipe
Trousers
20
Help From Abroad

• Marquis de Lafayette
• 19 year-old French nobleman who volunteered to
  fight in Washingtons army
• Clothed American soldiers with his won money
• Persuaded King Louis to send 6,000 French troops
  immediately
• Called the Soldiers Friend
• Helped inspire the French Revolution in the
  1790s
• NC Highland Scot town of Cross Creek was renamed
  Fayetteville in his honor

Marquis de Lafayette
21
Marquis de Lafayette Comes From France to Aide
the American Fight for Independence
22
Baron Von Steuben

• From the German state of Prussia
• Taught American soldier effective bayonet moves
  and getting a least 3 shots per minute from their
  muskets

23
Winter of 1777, Valley Forge. Pennsylvania

• The unfortunate soldiers were in want of
  everything they had neither coats, hats, nor
  shirts, nor shoes their feet and their legs
  froze till they grew black. It was often
  necessary to amputate them. The army often went
  days without any food.
• Marquis de Lafayette at Valley Forge

24
Winter of 1777 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

• 2,000 soldiers died due to exposure, smallpox,
  and typhoid fever.
• Washington constantly inspired the troops to stay
  until spring.
• Soldiers ate tree bark and rodents.
• Lieutenant Colonel John Brooks wrote
• We stayed together for love of our country.

25
Winter of 1777, Valley Forge. Pennsylvania
26
War on the Frontier

• George Rogers Clark
• Attacked the British under Henry Hamilton( Known
  as the Hair Buyer) because he paid the Indians
  for American scalps
• In February of 1779 Clark and Patriot troops
  marched over 300 miles of icy swamps and waded in
  chest high water to attack Hamilton at present
  Vincennes, Indiana
• The Americans then controlled all land from the
  Great Lakes to the Ohio River, except Fort
  Detroit.

George Rogers Clark
Vincennes
27
George Rogers Clark
28
Americas First Naval HeroJohn Paul Jones

• Off the coast of England Joness ship named the
  Bonhomme Richard attacked the British ship
  Serapis
• The British commander confident of victory, asked
  Jones and the Americans to surrender.
• Jones replied I have not yet begun to fight.
• The Americans won the battle even though the
  Bonhomme Richard eventually sank, the Americans
  took control of the Serapis and sailed home.

John Paul Jones Father of the American Navy
29
John Paul Jones Father of the American Navy
30
Path To Victory

• Seeking Loyalist support, the British invaded the
  South- but ultimately lost the war there.
• The British would be close to troops and supplies
  from the West Indies ( there islands in the
  Caribbean)
• General Charles Cornwallis will be chosen as the
  British leader in the South
• Horatio Gates, hero at Saratoga, NY will lead
  patriot troops until his defeat at Camden, SC

LORD CHARLES CORNWALLIS
31
Early British Success in the South

• December 1778, Savannah, Georgia falls to British
  control
• 1780, Charleston, SC falls to British control
• August, 1780 Cornwallis defeats Horatio Gates at
  the Battle of Camden, South Carolina
• Banastre Tarleton massacres Patriot troops in the
  Waxhaws along the NC and SC border near Charlotte.

Savannah
Charleston
32
British Take Control of the South
33
Waxhaws Settlements
Battle of Camden August, 1780
Charleston
Savannah
34
Francis Marion The Swamp Fox

• Francis Marion helped General Gates with helpful
  knowledge about the South Carolina Low Country
  before the Battle of Camden.
• Marion used Guerilla warfare tactics to attack
  the British taking supplies from Charleston to
  Cornwallis in the SC interior.
• Marion, the county seat of McDowell County is
  named in his honor.

35
The Tide TurnsOctober, 1780

• Cornwallis advances to Charlotte where Patriot
  resistance is so strong he say He feels like he
  is sitting on a Hornets Nest.
• He sends Patrick Ferguson west to put down
  Patriot support in the Carolina foothills and
  across the mountains in the Watauga Settlements
  (present NE Tennessee)
• From Rutherfordton, NC Ferguson sends messengers
  across the mountains to tell the mostly Scots-
  Irish Watauga Settlement Either they submit to
  the king or he will hang their leaders and burn
  their homes.

36
The Battle of Kings MountainSouth Carolina,
October 1780

• Patrick Ferguson and loyalist troops from NY and
  NJ go to the top of Kings Mountain located on the
  NC and SC border.
• He states All the demons itin hell could not
  take me from this mountain.
• The mountain men from the Watauga Settlements
  arrive under the leadership of John Sevier, Isaac
  Shelby, Joseph McDowell, and Benjamin Cleveland.
  (note that these are names of local counties and
  towns)
• Patrick Ferguson and the Loyalist troops are
  defeated!
• Turning Point in the South!

John Sevier
Fergusons Grave at Kings Mountain
Joseph McDowell
37
CHARLOTTE
WATAUGA SETTLEMENTS
RUTHERFORDTON
38
KINGS MOUNTAIN AND COWPENS, SOUTH
CAROLINA NEAREST REVOUTIONARY SITES TO US
OMS
KINGS MOUNTAIN OCT, 1780
COWPENS JAN, 1781
39
BATTLE OF COWPENS,SOUTH CAROLINAJANUARY, 1781

• Following the patriot victory at Kings Mountain,
  Daniel Morgan and American troops defeated the
  British under Banastre Tarleton at the Cowpens
  near present Spartanburg, South Carolina

Daniel Morgan
Morgan Statue Downtown Spartanburg
40
Battle of Cowpens, Spartanburg, SC
41
Battle of Guilford Court HouseGreensboro,
NCMarch 1781

• Following Gates defeat at Camden, Washington
  appoints Nathanael Greene as commander of
  Southern Patriot troops.
• British General Cornwallis chases The Cat and
  Mouse battle Greene across NC and into Virginia
  and back into NC at Greensboro.
• Cornwallis held the ground, but lost ¼ of his
  troops. Weakened, he then retreated to Wilmington
  before marching into Virginia to meet Washington
  at Yorktown

Nathanael Greene
Guilford Battle Flag
42
Cornwalliss Invasion of the South
Road to Yorktown, Va, Fall of 1781
Guilford Court House
Retreat to Wilmington
43
THE END Yorktown VirginiaOctober,1781

• The French Fleet blocks the Chesapeake Bay
  keeping the British from getting supplies.
• Washington comes from the North trapping
  Cornwallis on James River Peninsula at Yorktown
  near Jamestown and Williamsburg.
• Cornwallis surrenders on October 19, 1781

Yorktown
Williamsburg
Jamestown
Trench Warfare Begins at Yorktown
44
British Surrender at Yorktown, Virginia