UNIT 2 NOTES:

REVOLUTIONARY WAR

FOUNDING FATHERS HAD STYLE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sInw7f6pf2A

FightingAlthough Declaration is approved on July 4, 1776 fighting had been going on since the spring of 1775King George assumed the war would be swift and decisive– Twice the Americans were on the verge of defeat (76 & 80)

It was a civil war in it’s own right and many instances involved Americans v. AmericansAmericans only won because they outlasted and secured French assistanceThe war also caused conflict in American morality as Americans began to think in crude racial categories – clashed sharply with their claims of universal rights and liberty and equality– Most Indians and slaves hoped Britain would win the war

George Washington Horatio Gates Ben Franklin Nathan Hale Thomas Jefferson

John Adams Marquis de Lafayette John Paul Jones

US leaders

Population

Manufacturing

Money

Army

Leaders

Geography

Navy

Will to Fight

Approximately 12 million

Highly developed

Richest country in the world

Large, well trained army plus Hessians

Few officers capable of leadingStrange land---difficult to re-supply troops

Naval world power

Trained soldiers---but no heart

Approximately 3 million and 1/3 loyal to England.Practically none

No $$$ to support the war

Volunteers, poorly equipped

Dedicated officers plus foreign leaders

Familiar land, easy access to suppliesNo navy

Defending homeland---will to fight

Factors Great Britain United States

PatriotsAmericans who supported the

Rebels…..controlled the countryside.

LoyalistsAmericans who

supported England…

controlled the cities…

King George III General John Burgoyne General William Howe

General Charles Cornwallis

GB leaders

Benedict Arnold

Attrition [the Brits had a long supply line].Guerilla tactics [fight an insurgent war you don’t have to win a battle, just wear the British down]Make an alliance with one of Britain’s enemies.

The Americans

The BritishBreak the colonies in half by getting between the No. & the So.Blockade the ports to prevent the flow of goods and supplies from an ally.“Divide and Conquer” use the Loyalists.

Phase I: The Northern Campaign[1775-1776]

War in New YorkWashington had moved to New York to fight where he was outnumbered by redcoats and Hessians

Early successes kept American morale high– Thousands volunteered in 75 & 76

However, Britain took NYC by September 1776 after crushing American forces in battles – led by the brothers Howe, Naval Admiral Richard and General

William

By October 1776, England was easily winning the war for New York and have captured NYC

Near FailureBy December 1776, the Howe’s had swept across New Jersey and were heading towards Philadelphia– The Continental Congress soon fled Philadelphia

These British victories and the volunteer system of Washington’s army were soon having a devastating effect on American morale– Many troops had deserted General Washington– British successes seemed to prove that no American force could stand

before a properly organize British army

Many residents were taking the king’s oath – American forces in the northern theatre dwindled to 6,000 – most are ready to go home when their enlistment was up

The Revolution seemed on the verge of collapse

Desperate MeasuresSomething drastic was needed to restore morale

Traditionally, warfare ceased during winter months– To gain upper hand, Washington ignored these measures and left

the Pennsylvania camp to attack on Christmas night 1776

Troops were ferried across the Delaware River and the Americans won the Battle of Trenton over the next day

Washington defeats Cornwallis at Princeton on January 2– Further victories that early winter boosted Patriot morale and

gained support for the army

• Referred to as the “ten crucial days”…Dec. 25th to Jan. 3rd

• First major victory for the Continental Army and Washington

• Raised the morale of the American troops as well as the country

• The Howe’s are much less offensive after this point

• Those who had pledged allegiance to the crown were now filled with regret and they

were forced to flee to British lines• In 1777 fewer would be willing to declare

loyalty for the crown• The British and Hessians were losing the

hearts and minds of settlers in the North

• Led to soldiers re-enlisting and future enlistments• Captured over 1,000 Hessian soldiers, weapons, food and etc.

• American Army re-crossed the Delaware to Valley Forge in Pennsylvania

US Delaware

Phase II:NY & PA

[1777-1778]

Britain Wants PhiladelphiaLord George Germaine was the new war minister in 1777– He ordered the Howe’s to take Philadelphia

He also sent John Burgoyne to Canada with plans to move south and connect with garrisons located in NYC commanded by George Clinton– Burgoyne takes Fort Ticonderoga in June 1777

On September 11, 1777 Howe forces Washington to retreat at Brandywine Creek (PA)– Philadelphia is soon lost

Washington heads to Valley Forge where the continentals endured the most miserable winter of the war in 1777

Burgoyne’s Advance

During this time British General John Burgoyne is advancing through New York to cut off New England from the rest of the colonies– As Americans retreated from Burgoyne they burned

bridges to slow his advance– This caused the Brits to run low on supplies

General Horatio Gates surrounds the British with the help of Benedict ArnoldSaratoga, New York, late September 1777British defeat stopped them from cutting off New England from the rest of the country and ending the war.British lacked knowledge of geography and failed at communications.

Oct. 1777, British General, John Burgoyne was surrounded by US General Horatio Gates and forced to surrender 6,000 British troops.This marked a turning point in the war for the AmericansLed to a military alliance with France providing soldiers, naval fleet and $$$$$. (Franco-American alliance, 1778)

Help from FranceFrance had been helping Americans with supplies, but not an open alliance– Saratoga convinced the French that the Americans had a real chance to

win the war– On February 6, 1768 the two countries signed a treaty of alliance– They also disavowed all territorial ambitions in North America

France also brought Spain into the War in 1779

This meant additional supplies, money in loans, French troops, and help of French Navy– Without French aid the Americans could not have won the war– This gave American the hope of a quick victory as George III declared war

on France

THE HOMEFRONT

ECONOMIC PROBLEMSOrdinary civilians also suffered hardships– Household income plunged by 40%– Feeding French soldiers was burdensome– These demands led to the collapse of the Continental dollar in 1779-80– Necessities were often scarce and many colonists took advantage by

profiteering

British navy blockaded much of the Atlantic coast during the war– This disrupted American trade– Merchants lost most of their European markets due to British blockades

Continental soldiers – unpaid, ill-clothed, and often poorly fed grew mutinous– They often deserted or threatened to go home

WholesalePriceIndex:1770-1789

SLAVE REFUGEESIn New England more slaves fought with the patriots sensing they could gain their freedom

When given the choice most southern slaves sided with Britain– They realized their best chance for emancipation lay with Britain– Most slaves who reached British lines won their freedom– When Britain withdrew after the war, the slaves went with them to the Caribbean,

Canada, or London

The war created a large amount of white and black refugees between former slaves and loyalists – Thousands flocked to Canada – the American Revolution laid the foundation for 2 nations – Canada and the U.S.

Phase III: The Southern Strategy [1780-1781]

Britain’s “Southern Strategy”

Britain thought that there were more Loyalists in the South.Southern resources were more valuable/worth preserving.The British win a number of small victories, but cannot pacify the countryside

PHASE IIISensing an opportunity, Britain attacked the south with great success in 1780– By early 1780 they were ready to launch a major offensive– General Clinton was in charge of British war and devised a plan – Cornwallis would invade Carolina – Clinton would simultaneously attack through New Jersey and New York in 1780

Clinton wanted to use loyalists to restore order– He planned to conquer American forces within a year and use loyalists to pacify the

countryside– The policy was to pacify the rest of the state by using loyalist armies to terrorize

civilians into submission

General Cornwallis was left in southern command while Clinton sailed for New Jersey– Cornwallis’s conquest of the Carolinas proceeded rapidly– Throughout the first part of 1780 the British had destroyed all of the continental army

in the deep south and Cornwallis began his march through North Carolina

Fighting in the SouthMuch of the fighting in the South pitted Americans against each other– Britain relied primarily on loyalist soldiers in Southern fighting

Through successful battle strategy, Nathanael Greene, outmaneuvered Cornwallis in North Carolina– This forced Cornwallis to retreat to Virginia where felt more

confident

Cornwallis soon marched to Yorktown, Virginia, set up camp, and prepared for reinforcements to arrive

Battle of Yorktown

• British General Charles Cornwallis

wanted to winter his troops in the South believing the war

would be won in the Spring…..

• Yorktown was chosen because it

provided easy access to be

reinforced and re-supplied

• General Washington learned of the

British decision to winter their main

troops in Yorktown.

Map-yorktown

Battle of Yorktown

• American strategy included the use of the French navy, French troops and American troops.• George Washington soon arrived to meet up with French

Marquis de Lafayette at Yorktown

• French navy under the direction of Admiral de Grasse, placed a blockade around the

Chesapeake Bay.• 15,000 American and French

troops surrounded 8,000 British troops……

• General Cornwallis is trapped and is forced to his surrender his troops to Washington on

October 19, 1781• Brings war to an end

Treaty of Paris - 1783

Two years pass between the surrender and peace treaty that officially ends the warMajor Provisions:– Great Britain recognizes the United States of America– Establishes U.S. – Canadian border– Mississippi River established as border between U.S.

– Spanish territories– Florida is returned to Spain– Britain agrees to withdraw all troops from U.S.– Restored property of loyalists

Treaty of Paris, continued

• Under the terms of the treaty, Great Britain…

– recognized the United States as an independent nation whose territory extended from the Atlantic Ocean west to the Mississippi River and from Canada in the north to Spanish Florida in the south.

– promised to withdraw their troops from the American territory.

– gave Americans the right to fish in the waters off the coast of Canada.

Treaty of Paris

USA

Social Change

AFRICAN AMERICANSFor African Americans results were mixed– Within a generation slavery would be abolished in the “north” (1800)– Due to economic conditions of not depending on slave labor

“northern” regions more often gave freedom as a reward for military service

– Pennsylvania would lead the way with legislative action– In 1780 the state passed the modern world’s first emancipation

statute

The institution of slavery contradicted the idea that “all men are created equal” – Majority of southern slave-owners came to believe that slave labor

was essential to their economy– The Revolution freed tens of thousands of slaves, but it gave further

strength in the region people were beginning to call the “south”

NATIVE AMERICANSIndians of the eastern woodlands played an active role in the war– They sided with Britain on the hope that it would halt or slow westward

expansion– This helped them achieve an unparalleled level of unity

For Native Americans the result was a disaster– Power of Iroquois League was destroyed, pushed out of NY

Indians were appalled to learn that the treaty gave their lands to the U.S., they had not been conquered – this would begin a long war for survival

WOMENDid not change any immediate gain for women – Remained second class socially

With men away fighting women were left in charge of households– This gave women new authority at home

More women learned to read and write– especially in the NE– First female academies were founded in the 1790s

• Abigail Adams—1790’s to early 1800’s• Supported the abolition of slavery• Wrote her husband to “Remember

the Ladies”• Republican motherhood

Republican motherhood• Concept that a woman’s role was to stay at home and raise the next

generation of PATRIOTS. • This was a role to be proud of because a woman’s responsibility was

to teach and raise their children in REPUBLICANISM.