American Revolution

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American Revolution

• Canadian History 11

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Patriot Victory

• In 1776, the Patriots had an army of 18,000 of
  poorly armed and trained men.
• The British had a force of 30,000.
• Yet, the Patriots were victors.
• How did this happen?

3
Patriot Victory

• The British could easily conqueror cities
  however, they had trouble in the countryside.
• The Patriots shot at them from behind trees and
  used other hit-and-run tactics.
• This guerilla warfare wore down the British army.
• The Patriots gained experience and started
  winning battles.
• In 1778, France signed an alliance with the
  Patriots.
• In 1781, the British surrendered to George
  Washingtons army

4
The Treaty of Paris

• The peace treaty went into effect in 1783
• In the treaty, Britain agreed to do the
  following
• Recognize American Independence
• Turn over to the United States all the land from
  the Mississippi River to the Atlantic coast
  between the Great Lakes and Florida
• Give the Americans fishing rights off the coast
  of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.
• In return, Britain wanted the Loyalists paid back
  for the losses they suffered during the war. The
  Congress agreed, but the Loyalists were never
  paid.

5
Evacuation of the Loyalists

• After the peace treaty was signed, Loyalist
  soldiers often found that they could not return
  home.
• The Law of Forfeiture in NY allowed rebel agents
  to evict the wives and children of British
  regiments. They then sold the property to
  Patriots at a fraction of the value.
• Thousands of Loyalists were in refugee camps in
  New York City
• Loyalist forces were rewarded for their role in
  the war. Many were transported to British
  colonies, such as NS.
• They received special land grants for their
  service.
• Sir Guy Carleton had a difficult time evacuating
  the Loyalists.
• There were not enough ships to carry the people,
  so the convoys had to make several trips.
• As a result, the Loyalists were set ashore in the
  wilderness with only what they could carry.

6
Creation of New Brunswick

• The Loyalists were given a few supplies salted
  meat, biscuits, flour, tools, guns and tents.
• The arrival of the Loyalists had a profound
  effect on the colonies.
• Many of the Loyalists who arrived in the St. John
  River Valley, NS were well educated. They had
  their own ideas about how the colony should be
  run. Halifax was far away and unconcerned about
  the Loyalists.
• The St. John Loyalists therefore wanted their
  settlement to become a separate colony.
• In 1784, the British government created the new
  colony of New Brunswick.

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Impact on Canada

• Thousands of Loyalists fled to present-day
  Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and
  PEI.
• By 1784, 40,000 Loyalists had arrived in British
  North America.
• The Loyalists who came to these British colonies
  cleared and settled new land.
• They helped to open up and develop the land that
  would one day become Canada.

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Movie Canada a Peoples History A Question of
Loyalties