UNIT 2 NOTES:
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
FOUNDING FATHERS HAD
STYLE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sInw7f6
pf2A
Fighting
Although Declaration is approved on July 4, 1776 fighting had been
going on since the spring of 1775
King 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. Americans
Americans only won because they outlasted and secured French
assistance
The 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
US leaders
George Washington
John Adams
Horatio Gates
Marquis de Lafayette
Ben Franklin
John Paul Jones
Nathan Hale
Thomas Jefferson
Factors
Great Britain
United States
Population
Approximately 12 million
Approximately 3 million and
1/3 loyal to England.
Manufacturing
Highly developed
Practically none
Money
Richest country in the
world
No $$$ to support the war
Army
Large, well trained army
plus Hessians
Volunteers, poorly
equipped
Leaders
Few officers capable of
leading
Dedicated officers plus
foreign leaders
Geography
Strange land---difficult to
re-supply troops
Navy
Naval world power
Familiar land, easy access
to supplies
No navy
Will to Fight
Trained soldiers---but no
heart
Defending homeland---will
to fight
Patriots
Americans who
supported the
Rebels…..
controlled the
countryside.
Loyalists
Americans who
supported
England…
controlled the
cities…
GB leaders
King George III
General Charles Cornwallis
General John Burgoyne
Benedict Arnold
General William Howe
The Americans
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 British
Break 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 York
Washington 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 Failure
By 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 Measures
Something 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 Philadelphia
Lord 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 Arnold
Saratoga, New York, late September 1777
British 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
Americans
Led to a military alliance with France providing
soldiers, naval fleet and $$$$$. (Franco-American
alliance, 1778)
Help from France
France 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 PROBLEMS
Ordinary 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
Wholesale
Price
Index:
1770-1789
SLAVE REFUGEES
In 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 III
Sensing 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 South
Much 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
Map-yorktown
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.
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 war
Major 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
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 USA
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.
Social Change
AFRICAN AMERICANS
For 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 AMERICANS
Indians 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
WOMEN
Did 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
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.
•Abigail Adams—1790’s to early 1800’s
•Supported the abolition of slavery
•Wrote her husband to “Remember
the Ladies”
•Republican motherhood