The American
Revolution 1775-1783
Chapter 5
Second Continental Congress

met in Philadelphia three weeks after
Lexington and Concord
every colony represented except Georgia
all agreed to support the war, but argued
over purpose

1.
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one side argued for independence (John &
Sam Adams, Richard Henry Lee)
Second Continental Congress (cont.)
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Others argued for modest reforms and
reconciliation with GB (J. Dickson of
Pennsylvania)
most searched for a middle ground between
both ends
Olive Branch Petition”(7/5/1775) and
the “Declaration of the causes and
Necessity of Taking Up Arms”
(7/6/1775)

1.
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At first, most Americans believed they were
fighting not for independence but for a redress
of grievances within the British Empire.
During the first year of fighting, they began to
change their minds
costs of the war grew to be to high to justify
original aims
Olive Branch Petition (cont.)

British recruited African Slaves, Indians and
foreign mercenaries known as “Hessians”
British rejection of Olive Branch Petition &
the “Prohibitory Act”

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closed all colonies to overseas trade
made no concession to American demands
naval blockade
Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense”
 Became a best seller
 Addressed many of the
arguments used in
support of staying
connected or under the
authority of Great
Britain.
 Created discussion
throughout the colonies
Decision of Independence
 1776 Actions of Continental Congress
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i.
declared American ports open to the
ships of all nations except GB
ii.
entered into negotiations with foreign
powers
iii.
rec. to the colonies that they create
new government. independent of the British
iv.
appointed a committee to draft a
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson
 i.
33 year-old
delegate from Virginia
 ii. wrote most of the
Declaration of
Independence
 iii. assistance from B.
Franklin and J. Adams
 iv. much of it came
directly from popular
propaganda of the time
Three Parts of the Declaration of
Independence
 i. Part 1: J. Locke: governments formed to
protect the rights of life, liberty and
property.... TJ changed last part to “pursuit
of happiness”
 ii. Part 2: listed alleged crimes of the king
(aka grievances)
 iii. Part 3: Conclusion: due to all of the
previous points made; the colonists are now
the United States of America and are free
and independent of Britain.
Effects of the Declaration of
Independence
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i. Concept of “all men are created equal” was
borrowed from George Mason and helped inspire
later movements of liberation within the US
ii. French Revolution
iii. led to increased foreign aid that would prove vital
iv. inspired Patriots to reject the idea of a peace that
stopped short of winning independence
v. created deep divisions within American society
vi. colonies begin to call themselves states
Articles of Confederation
 Adopted by CC in 1777, but not finally ratified
until 1781
 did little more than confirm the weak state
system already in place
 CC power over individual states limited
 did not make it clear that CC was to be a real
government
 New Nation had to fight a war for survival with
a weak and uncertain government
The War: Preparation Challenges
 raising and organizing armies
 providing them with supplies and equipment
 paying for it
George Washington
 Nominated to

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command 1775
Had to deal with short
rations
Underpaid soldiers
mutinies
attempted coup at
Valley Forge
received help from
Marquis de Lafayette
(French) and Baron
von Steuben (Prussia)
Phases of Warfare: New England
1775-1776

Bunker Hill
 British leave Boston
 Quebec (Canadians denied alliance)
Phases of Warfare: Mid-Atlantic
Region 1776-1778

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British best chance to win
32,000 British vs. 19,000 Americans
Original Strategy was to pinch in from north
and south... Howe abandoned that and
decided to attack Philadelphia directly
(interesting theories about why Howe did
this)
 Northern Regiment lead by Burgoyne gets
surrounded and surrenders at Saratoga
 Victory in North lead to alliance with French
Phases of Warfare: The South
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After French commitment, GB imposed new limits to its level
of commitment in the war
British faced problems
underestimated patriot sentiment in the south
loyalists refused to help because they feared patriot response
patriots could blend with population
new kind of combat
British were able to win battles in major cities, but were
troubled in countryside
Cornwallis stages several successful battles, but has his
forces depleted. He is ordered to wait for new supplies in
Yorktown.
Ambushed in Yorktown, forced to surrender Oct. 17, 1781
BUT British still held onto major cities: Savannah, Charleston,
Wilmington and New York...
Peace of Paris
Cornwallis’s defeat at Yorktown shifted
popular opinion in England against the
war...
 Treaty of Paris Sept. 3, 1783
 granted clear-cut recognition of its
independence

Social Impact of the
American Revolution
Loyalists

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1/5 (maybe 1/3) of white population
some office holders
some merchants (most merchants sided
with Revolution)
non-city inhabitants
100,000 fled country: England & Canada
wealthy landowners leaving = change in
social dynamic
Religions

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A. Anglicans

financed by England

by end of war, many perishes had no clergy
B. Quakers

pacifists, thus criticized

limited political prestige
C. Catholics

strengthened due to support for Patriots

French alliance brings chaplains with troops

Vatican provided the US with it’s own catholic hierarchy
D. Church and State

most states moved quickly in the direction of religious
freedom

“Statute of Religious Freedom” Thomas Jefferson
Native Americans
 “To most Indians, the revolution threatened to
replace a ruling group in which they had
developed at least some measure of trust
(the British) with one they considered
generally hostile to them (the Patriots).”
Brinkley p. 170
Revolutionary Era Women
A. Departure of men to fight left women in charge of
farms and businesses

some success

some dislocation
 B. Rebellion
 C. On the Front Line

many women driven from homes

served as auxiliary, cooks, laundry, nurses,
morale = VALUABLE

gender roles transcended

war called to question the traditional roles of
women
Slavery

A. During Revolution

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British army wished to liberate slaves to disrupt Patriot cause
emancipated and led thousands of slaves out of the country
exposure to liberty
whites in S.C. and Georgia were hesitant to join in fear of slave
rebellion
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Georgia, slaves were half of population
SC, slaves were a majority
B. During Legislation
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New England and Penn. abolished it
Virginia passed a law encouraging manumission (freeing of slaves)
But slavery survives

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assumptions about the natural inferiority of Africans
enormous economic investments of white southerners
Daniel Shays
 Early Financial Woes
 consumer indebtedness
 postwar depression
 inadequate money supply
 biggest failure of Continental Congress
 Soldiers
 Government owed backpay to soldiers
 power of taxation limited
 Fed. only received 1/6 of the money requisitioned from
the states
 Government defaulted on obligations
Shay’s Rebellion

Absence of Central
Government
 domestic debt fell on
states hands and thus
state taxes
 state creditors, i.e.
bondholders this was
good policy
 poor farmers, burdened
by debt, considered
taxes unfair and
tyrannical
 many lost property and
went to jail
Daniel Shays
and Job
Shatuck,
leaders of the
Mass.
Rebellion, aka
Shay’s
Rebellion
Daniel Shay’s and his
army of farmers protesting
the unfair taxation, sitting
in front of a court house in
Mass. Before heading to
the federal arsenal, with
1,200 men, later defeated
by Washington and his
force of 15,000
Shay’s Rebellion
 Soldiers plight
 no paycheck from war to pay off debts
 no currency to assist them in the matter
 Rebellion
 Daniel Shays, former army captain
 summer of 1787 set out to Boston to confront
 wealthy merchants took out loan to finance
counter army
 Shays army scattered in hillside amidst a
snowstorm
Shay’s Rebellion
 Effects
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military disaster (not successful)
Shays was first sentenced to death, but later
pardoned and given tax relief
Demonstrated need for
strong, central government