The American Revolution
1775-1783
Flour Bluff JHS 2014-15
U.S. History
Poorman/Jensen/Clow
An Uneven Fight
• After the colonists declared independence
in the summer of 1776, war was inevitable.
• Both sides believed the war would be over quickly.
Why the British should win
Britain had an overwhelming advantage:
1) Strongest navy in the world
2) Experienced, well-trained army
3) The wealth of a worldwide empire
4) Larger population (8 million vs. 2.5 million)
1)
(But bright red uniforms? Maybe
they should have rethunk that.)
Why the British should win
• The colonists had serious disadvantages:
1) Lacked a regular army, navy, weapons,
ammunition and experience.
2) Congress could not collect taxes to pay for war.
3) Not all Americans supported the war.
Which side of the fence?
Colonists who remained loyal to Britain
were called loyalists (or “Tories.”)
Colonists who supported independence
were called patriots.
Why the colonists should win
• The British also had disadvantages:
1) They had to ship supplies and soldiers
across an entire ocean.
2) They were unfamiliar with the land.
3) British and Hessians
(German mercenaries)
fought for money,
not passionate beliefs.
4) They were an occupying
force – invaders of other
people’s property.
Promises, Promises
• Many African-Americans
fought for the British
because they were promised
their freedom.
Why the colonists should win
• The Patriots did have some advantages:
1) Fought on their own land
with determination
2) Fought for their own
freedom and land
3) They had a great leader
in George Washington
Ladies lead the way
• Many women (Molly Pitcher, Deborah
Sampson, Margaret Corbin) helped
with the war.
The Early Years
• In the summer of 1776,
Britain sent 32,000
troops to the colonies,
under the command
of Gen. William Howe.
The Early Years
• On Sept. 22, 1776,
21-year-old Nathan Hale
was caught by Howe’s troops
and hanged as a spy.
His famous last words:
“I only regret that I have
but one life to lose for my
country.”
The Early Years
• George Washington wanted African Americans
to be allowed to fight, but Southern states feared
revolts and refused to give guns to slaves.
Some northern states did anyway.
First Victory
• Normally, no fighting occurred during the colder
months, so a Hessian army settled in New Jersey
for the winter.
• George Washington
saw an opportunity
to catch the British
off their guard.
First Victory
• On Christmas night, 1776, 2,400 colonial
troops crossed the icy Delaware River.
This is a very famous painting...
First Victory
• On Christmas night, 1776, 2,400 colonial
troops crossed the icy Delaware River.
This one’s probably more accurate.
First Victory
• At the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army
surprised and captured 900 Hessians.
A New Plan
• In January of 1777,
Gen. John Burgoyne
had a plan to take
control of the
Hudson River,
which would isolate
New England
from the rest
of the colonies.
Britain on the move
• Burgoyne captured Fort Ticonderoga on June 2, 1777.
• But as Burgoyne's army marched south, Patriot militia
circled north, cutting the British supply line.
Victory at Saratoga
• In October of 1777, after defeat in Vermont
and a tie in New York, Burgoyne retreated
10 miles and surrendered his remaining
6,000 British forces at Saratoga, N.Y.
Victory at Saratoga
• The victory at Saratoga was the turning point
of the war. It boosted spirits and convinced people
around the world that the Americans could win.
Foreign aid
• Benjamin Franklin was in Paris trying to gain support.
The victory at Saratoga caused the French to declare
war on Britain.
• Spain soon followed and also declared war on Britain.
“The enemy of the enemy is my friend.”
Trying times
• Washington was in Valley Forge, Pa., during the
winter of 1777-1778. They suffered terribly.
• Widespread hunger, lack of clothing and other
supplies and diseases killed 2,000 soldiers.
Trying times
• Thomas Paine wrote The American Crisis. He said,
“These are the times that try men’s souls.”
• When Washington received word of France’s support,
it raised the spirits of the troops.
Help from Other Nations
• Inspired by the Declaration of
Independence and American
ideas of freedom, the French
nobleman Marquis de
Lafayette used his own
money to come to America.
• Lafayette became one of
Washington’s most trusted
aides.
I’m so fancy/You don’t even know…
Help from Other Nations
• Friederich von Steuben
came from Germany. He
drilled the troops, taught
them how to march, and
introduced latrines
(toilets) to camp.
• Von Steuben turned the
Continental Army into an
effective fighting force.
Other Important Americans
Wentworth Cheswell
• African-American who rode
to warn Portsmouth, N.H.,
of the arrival of British ships.
• Also served in the Continental
Army and fought at the Battle
of Saratoga.
Other Important Americans
Mercy Otis Warren
• American woman who wrote
poetry and plays supporting
the independence movement.
• She was a friend of Abigail
Adams and, like Adams,
believed women should
have the right to vote.
Other Important Americans
James Armistead
• American slave and spy
who pretended to be a
British spy (double agent).
• He provided Americans
with valuable information
about the British, setting
up the final victory.
Other Important Americans
Bernardo de Galvez
• Naval commander and
governor of Spanish
Louisiana who gathered
troops and sent weapons
to George Washington.
• He also battled and defeated
the British at New Orleans
and in Florida.
Other Important Americans
Haym Salomon
• Polish-born Jewish American who helped the
Continental Army by providing money and other
financial help.
On the Seas
• A British blockade kept
Americans from receiving
supplies and reinforcements
from overseas.
• American privateers captured
more British ships than the
entire American navy.
On the Seas
• In September of 1779, American naval war hero
John Paul Jones, aboard the Bonhomme Richard
(named after Ben Franklin) engaged in a four-hour
battle with the HMS Serapis off the British coast.
THIS John Paul Jones…
… not this John Paul Jones
On the Seas
• When the English
captain told him to
surrender, Jones
famously replied,
“Sir, I have not yet
begun to fight!“
• Jones eventually won,
convincing the French
crown of the wisdom
of aiding the colonies.
The War Moves South
• By 1778, the British realized
how hard the war was going
to be. They decided on
a hard-hitting offensive
in the South.
• They hoped loyalist
support in the South
would be of help.
• They did not get
the help they expected.
The War Moves South
• Gen. Charles Cornwallis
was in charge of British
forces in the South.
• The guerilla warfare
used in the south caught
the British off guard.
Umm… that’s a
gorilla, not a guerilla.
(Technically, it’s a
gorilla guerilla, or
maybe even a guerilla
gorilla, but I digress.)
The War Moves South
• Attacks by American forces led by Nathanael Greene
and Horatio Gates cost Cornwallis valuable time and
supplies.
The Final Phase
• Cornwallis decides
to go to Yorktown,
Va., to receive new
supplies and soldiers.
• George Washington
learns of Cornwallis’
plan and decides
to attack.
• American and French
troops marched 200
miles in 15 days.
The Final Phase
• At Washington’s request, a large French fleet of warships
sailed up to the Chesapeake Bay.
• Cornwallis was trapped by Washington, Rochambeau, Lafayette,
and the French fleet, and was kept from receiving supplies).
The Final Phase
• The 7,500 British troops were surrounded by 14,000 American and
French soldiers. With supplies very low, Cornwallis surrendered to
Washington in October 1781.
The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle
of the American Revolution.
Making peace
• John Adams, Ben Franklin & John Jay went
to Paris to work out the terms of the treaty.
Terms and Conditions may apply
• The treaty included the following:
1) Britain recognizes America as an independent nation
The Treaty of Paris of 1783
officially ended the Revolutionary War.
Terms and Conditions may apply
• The treaty included the following:
2) America claims land from the Atlantic Ocean to the
Mississippi River, from Canada to Spanish Florida
The Treaty of Paris of 1783
officially ended the Revolutionary War.
Terms and Conditions may apply
• The treaty included the following:
3) Britain will withdraw all troops from America
The Treaty of Paris of 1783
officially ended the Revolutionary War.
Terms and Conditions may apply
• The treaty included the following:
4) Americans may fish in waters off of Canada.
The Treaty of Paris of 1783
officially ended the Revolutionary War.
So… how did we pull it off?
• How did America defeat the world’s strongest power?
1) Fought on their own land
2) Received help from other nations
3) The determination and spirit of the Patriots
Influences of the American Revolution
• The American Revolution would later inspire the
French Revolution (1789) as well as Haiti’s
fight for independence from France.
The End