The Revolutionary
War
HUSH
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You’ve Declared Independence,
Now What?
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The US had no Central Government.
Continental Congress had no power to tax and
had to “ask” the States for troops and the
money to pay for them.
Constant shortages of everything.
General Washington spent a block of time
every day writing letters to Congress for more
essentials.
The former Colonists were fighting the most
well trained, most equipped and most
experienced army in the world.
The odds?
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The Continental Army
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Broken into two segments: Continental
Regulars and Militia.
Regulars were fairly well trained and
disciplined.
Militia were volunteers with little or no
training.
Throughout the war, the regulars gained a
reputation for bravery under fire.
The militia gained a reputation for horrible
discipline and running at the 1st sign of
trouble.
Guerilla Warfare & the Rules of Engagement.
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The Combatants
Continentals
Red Coats
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General George Washington
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43 year old Virginia
plantation owner.
Mount Vernon.
Was a natural leader whom
troops wanted to follow.
Worked as a surveyor in his
early years.
Though he was rich, he
earned the respect of his
men by braving the same
hardships they did.
Was nominated to the post
of General by John Adams.
Competition: John Hancock.
Naturally intimidating at
6’ 3 ½” tall.
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How did the Colonials Win?
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British advantages:
Training, equipment
and experience.
Ample resources and
reinforcements.
Alliances with local
loyalists.
Disease
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Colonial advantages:
Strong leadership.
Fighting on home
territory.
Had to win the war.
An alliance with
France.
“One farmer defending
his home is more
powerful than 5
soldiers trying to take
it.”
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Battle of Trenton: 1776
Washington’s Legend is Born
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Trenton, capital city of New Jersey
Washington’s 2,400 Continentals vs. 1,400
sleeping Hessians.
Washington breaks the rules of war: He
attacked during the winter and he attacked at
night.
Colonials crossed the Delaware river into New
Jersey Christmas Night with the plan to attack
the Hessians before day break.
Washington’s men were ragged, moral was low,
and his leadership was being questioned.
A lost cause?
Enlistments.
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Battle of Trenton: The Plan
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A Smashing Victory
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Crossing the river took longer than
expected so the attack was delayed until
after day break.
The Hessians were under the command of
Colonel Rall, a ruthless leader who had
executed a number of Colonial troops who
had surrendered in New York.
A total rout: only two Colonials were
wounded, one being future President James
Monroe with 2 more dying of hypothermia
during the march.
The Hessians suffered 114 casualties, with
23 dead, including the hated Rall. 918 were
captured.
“I can not spare you”. Battle of Princeton.
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The Battle of Trenton
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The American Leadership
General Nathanael
Greene
“The Fighting
Quaker”
Friedrich Wilhelm
Ludolf Gerhard
Augustin “Baron”
von Steuben
Horatio Gates
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The British Leadership
General
William Howe
General Banastre
Tarleton
“Bloody Ban”
General Charles
Cornwallis
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Women at War
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Mary McCauley aka
Molly Pitcher
Battle of Monmouth
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Deborah Sampson
Aka Robert Shurtliff
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Benedict Arnold
From Hero to Traitor
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Arnold was one of
Washington’s best field
Generals.
He won the Battle of Fort
Ticonderoga.
Ethan Allen took the credit.
He won the Battle of Saratoga.
Horatio Gates took the credit.
He was wounded at Saratoga.
If he had died, he would have
gone down as one of our
greatest Patriots.
After being wounded in the
leg, he was named the military
commander of Philadelphia 18
A Name Synonymous With Treason
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Founded a fort on the Hudson River in New York
called Fort Arnold and later renamed West Point.
He married a young socialite named Peggy Shippen, and
as a couple, they enjoyed living beyond their means.
He arranged to be given command of Fort Arnold and
set out to betray the fort to the British.
He sold the plans to the Fort to the British in return for
money and a command in the British Army.
Arnold meets John Andre then has breakfast with
Washington.
Arnold fought several battles for the British, including
the capture of Richmond, Virginia.
Arnold asked a captured soldier what would happen to
him if he were captured?
Your left leg would be cut off and given a full military
burial, the rest we would hang on the gallows.
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West Point – Old Cadet Chapel
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Boot
Monument
Saratoga
Battlefield
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Spies in War
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British Spy
John Andre
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American Spy
Nathan Hale
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In Come the French
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The Marquis de La Fayette
“The enemy of my enemy
is my friend.”
The French would help
anyone that would hurt
the British.
Their aide allowed the US
to go on the offensive
against the British.
The French sent troops,
supplies and most
importantly, their Navy to
support the Continentals.
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The Battle of Yorktown
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Siege of Yorktown
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