The American Revolution

The Early Years

-British had an experienced, well-trained army and wealthy government, much larger population.

- Colonists lacked a regular army, lacked experience, and guns and ammunition Ewere in short supply.

-As many as 1 in 5 colonists were Loyalists.

-African Americans were promised freedom if they fought for the British.

-Americans did have some advantages: fighting on their own land, fighting for freedom unlike the Hessians hired by the British or other British troops, and George Washington was a better general due to his experience in the the French and Indian War.

-Continential Army had trouble recuiting men to fight as many fought in militias. Men could sign up for one year or for more than three. Also difficult to recruit officers.

- Women would also fight with the Patriots on some occasions.

- British planned to take Albany, New York and the Hudson River to split the New England colonies from the Middle colonies.

- Howe would capture Philadelphia in September 1777, forcing the Continental Congress to flee the city. His troops would stay in the city through the winter after a failed attack by Washington in nearby Germantown.

- American General Benedict Arnold would lead successful attacks against the British preventing them from taking Albany.

- British General Burgoyne's army had trouble taking Albany and would lead failed attempts to attack American supply bases, retreating to Saratoga, New York for winter.

-American General Horatio Gates' army would prevent Burgoyne's army from advancing south and would cause Burgoyne's surrender on October 17, 1777.

- The need for soldiers grew, some states began to allow African Americans to enlist. By the end of the war, all but South Carolina had enlisted African Americans to fight.

-British troops settled into New York for winter, leaving some troops in Princeton and Trenton, New Jersey. Washington saw an opportunity.

-Washington was stationed in Pennsylvania across the Delaware River. On Christmas night 1776, Washington and 2,400 troops crossed the river and surprised the British the next day.

- During the summer of 1776, Britian sent 32,000 troops across the Atlantic to New York under the command of General William Howe.

-Washington had fewer than 20,000 troops and would suffer defeat at the Battle of Long Island.

- Nathan Hale: American spy who would be captured by the British and hanged. "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

- Winter of 1776-77, many Patriots left the army as their contracts were up or ran away. Washington asks for more troops from the Continential Congress, fearing the war would be over if he did not get more troops.

The War Continues

-Victory at Saratoga was a turning point in the war.

- France began to realize that Americans had a chance at defeating the British and openly announced support for the patriots. By 1778, France had a trade agreement and alliance with the United States and had declared war on Britain. Began to send money, equipment and troops to the Americas.

- Spain declares war on Britain in 1779. Spanish governor of Louisiana Bernardo de Galvez raised an army and forced British troops from Baton Rouge and Natchez, as well as capturing British forts at Mobile and Pensacola.

-Washington's troops would set up camp for winter at Valley Forge. The army lacked decent food, clothing, shelter, and medicine.

-Many men would desert, or leave without permission.

- The army would survive the winter and fresh recruits would join them in the spring of 1778.

- Marquis de Lafayette: French noble who became a trusted advisor to Washington during the war

- Friedrich von Steuben: former army officer from Prussia, would help train the troops at Valley Forge.

- Juan de Miralles: represenative from Spain who would convince Spain, Mexico and Cuba to send aid to the Patriots.

- Continential Congress had no power to raise money through taxes.

- Congress and states printed paper money.

Too much printed + no gold/silver= inflation

-Women began to play a bigger role during the war.

- Judith Sargeant Murray: pushed for equality for women in education

- Abigail Adams: husband of John Adams who pushed for rights of women

-Some northern states such as Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey began to discuss the abolishment of slavery.

The War Moves West and South

-The British Navy kept a strong blockade on the American harbors.

-Patriots could only launch 2 warships out of the 13 the Second Contiental Congress ordered built. Congress would then authorize 2,000 ships to sail as privateers.

-John Paul Jones: American naval officer who would raid British ports. His ship would battle a British warship off the coast of Britian and get the ship to surrender.

-West of the Appalachian Mountains, the British and their Native American allies raided American settlements.

-George Rogers Clark: lieutenant colnel in the Virginia militia looked to end these raids. He would march his troops 120 miles to seize the British post at Kaskaskia in present-day Illinois, and then capture Vincennes in present-day Indiana.

-British troops would recapture Vincennes but a couple of months later, Clark would lead a surprise attack and recapture the town.

-Initially, Patriots had success in the South defeating Loyalists. This caused the British to revise their strategy to use their navy and a hard hitting offensive.

-In 1778, British General Henry Clinton sent 3,500 troops from New York to capture Savannah, Georgia. 2 years later, he would lead troops to capture Charles Town, South Carolina.

- Clinton would return to New York and leave General Charles Cornwallis in charge. The Second Contiential Congress would send General Horatio Gates and his army to fight Cornwallis.

-While Cornwallis's army would move through the countryside, small forces of Patriots would engage them in guerrilla warfare.

- Bernardo de Galvez: Spanish govenor of Louisiana. Would open up the port of New Orleans to free trade, and would ship ammunititon and supplies up the Mississippi River to American troops.

-Summer 1779: Spain declares war on Britian. Galvez would raise an army and lead attacks on British posts along the lower Mississippi.

-October 1780: Nathanael Greene replaces Gates as commander of Continental forces in the South. Would split his army in two. One half would defeat the British at Cowpens, SC. The other half would use guerrilla warfare.

-April 1781: Cornwallis moves his troops to Yorktown, Virginia.

The War Is Won

-Washington's troops left New York City without British troops realizing. 15 days later, Washington and combined American and French armies had trapped Cornwallis's army at Yorktown, and the French warships stopped their retreat by sea.

-Oct. 9: American and French troops began a bombardment on the British. British troops began running low. 10 days later, Cornwallis surrended. The Battle of Yorktown was a success.

-July 1780: French warships appeared off Newport, Rhode Island carrying the promised French aid, including soldiers lead by Comte de Rochambeau. British ships would trap the French ships in the port.

-Autumn 1780: Washington camped north of New York City waiting on a second fleet of French ships before he attacked General Clinton in the city. The ships did not sail until 1781.

-Washington learned in 1781 of the British troops at Yorktown, Francois de Grasse was sailing French ships to Chesapeake Bay and decided it was best to attack the British at Yorktown.

- Delegates from both sides met in Paris, France to discuss a peace treaty.

- The American Congress approved the treaty and it was signed on September 3, 1783. The United States was now an independent nation.

Review