Chapter 7, Section 3
Great Britain:
Strengths
Had more money and resources
Had a powerful military (well trained)
Had largest navy in the world
Great Britain: Weaknesses
• Had to ship their supplies across the
ocean
• Had to deal with hostile citizens in
America
Patriots: Strengths
• Many Americans supported the
Revolution
•
Fighting for a cause they believed in
Patriots: Weaknesses
• The colonial army was made up of
poorly trained local militia
•
Was fighting a very powerful country
1. What was George Washington’s first
task?
He had to organize and maintain more
troops for the Continental Army
2. During the course of the war,
more than 230,000 soldiers served
in the Continental Army.
3. Many African Americans fought in battles
during the American Revolution. Name two.
Peter Salem
Salem Poor
4. George Washington had to make a decision
whether or not to allow blacks to fight in the
Continental Army. What did he decide?
He banned blacks from fighting
Why did he make that decision?
Southerners did not want blacks fighting
because they were slave owners.
5. Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation was
issued by the British. What did it say?
It promised freedom to any enslaved
person who fought for Great Britain
6. What effects did Lord Dunmore’s
Proclamation have on the Continental Army?
They started allowing free African
Americans to fight – over 5,000 did
List the other groups of people that each
side received help from:
GREAT BRITAIN
American Indians
Thayendangea and other
Iroquois
PATRIOTS
American Indians
Women like Molly Pitcher
8. Who was Thayendanegea, also known as
Joseph Brant, and which side did he join?
He was the Mohawk leader and he
persuaded many Iroquois to join the
British
9. How did women help the Patriots in the
Revolutionary War?
Ran farms and businesses, raised money
for supplies, were spies, nurses or
messengers
10. What role did Molly Pitcher have in the
war? Read about her in the second
paragraph and look at the picture at the top of
the page.
She brought water to the
Patriots during the battle and
when her husband was
wounded, she took his place
loading cannons.
**Historians question this account.
11. Patriot troops went to British-controlled Canada
which was known as the “fourteenth colony.”
Write down if the Patriots or the British won at the
battles listed below.
St. John’s, Canada
Who won?
Patriots
Quebec
Who won?
British
• George Washington was moving
his troops to New York. The
Patriots had seen British ships
nearing New York Bay. British
General William Howe drove the
Continental Army off of Long
Island (which is in New York.)
• The British force was larger and
better equipped and
Washington tried hard to save
his outnumbered army. In a
series of battles, Howe forced
the Continental Army to keep
retreating (backing away).
• The Redcoats (British) captured
many Patriots as well as
valuable supplies. After
several months they pushed
Washington out of New York.