The American Revolution
1775-1783
The Shot Heard Round the World
The Combatants
• British Advantages
– Army of Regulars
– Top Navy
– 30,000 Hessians
– 50,000 American
loyalists
– Large industrial base
– Money and supplies
• American Advantages
–3,000 miles of ocean
–Home Turf
(defensive war)
–Fighting for
independence
–Leadership
–Possible French
assistance
–Guerilla tactics
American Advantages
• Most important element of American
victory was their determination to be free.
Battles
Lexington
and
Concord
“The shot heard
round the world”
–Unclear start to a
revolution
–Approves “Olive
Branch Petition”
Battles
Breed’s
Hill/
Bunker
Hill
• British driven from
Mass
• England ‘wins’ but
loses ½ its men
• British realize the
scope of the revolution
Battles
Trenton
• NJ:Washington
attacks during
winter with
limited success.
Defeats
Hessians
• Battle of
Saratoga:
–Turning point
–French have the
confidence to
support the
Patriots with
supplies
Washington Crossing the Delaware
Valley
Forge
• Low point for
Continental Army.
Suffered the winter
without food or
supplies. 3,000
soldiers die from
starvation and
disease.
Battles
Yorktown
• Marks last major
battle
– Cornwallis
cornered
between land
and sea
– French-American
army surround
British
“The World Turn’d Upside Down”
First Continental Congress
• Convened in Phil. in ‘74
–Statement of grievances to King
–Preparations for fighting
–Boycott
–Agreed to meet again in ‘75
Common Sense
Thomas Paine
• Published Jan.’76
• Sold 100,000
copies in first
four months
• Called for
complete split
from Britain and
its constitution
Declaration of Independence
• Written by
Jefferson
• Formal break with
the crown
When in the Course of Human Events…
Reactions to July 4…
Conducting the War: States v.
Central government
• Despite individual states vying for
power, Congress given power to
coordinate the war but
–State militias
–States volunteering money
New York City in Flames
War and Economy
Trade with Britain cut
No protection at sea
• Diversified by the 1780s
–New trading partners
–Formation of navy
–Some industry forms
Imports/Exports
Treaty of Paris of 1783
• U.S. bordered by Mississippi, Canada,
Atlantic, and Florida
• Diplomatic recognized by British
• British promised to evacuate Ohio
Valley
• U.S. promised to pay debts
War and Society
• Loyalists harassed
–Left behind property and estates
–Many moved to Canada or
Britain
• Native-Americans generally
opposed the Revolution
• Mixed bag for African-Americans
Toleration and Slavery
• Where it was not used, usually
abolished
• SC and GA refused to halt slave
trade
• Separation of Church and State
(Statute of Religious Freedom by
Thomas Jefferson of VA)
Washington Resigns from the Army
State Constitutions
• Guiding principle: Do the opposite of
Britain
• Republicanism
• CN & RI simply changed their colonial
charters
• Limited executive branch
• Most had bicameral legislatures
• Property required for voting
Articles of Confederation (’81-’89)
• Federal Gov’t consisted of a unicameral
Congress (9 out of 13 votes to pass a
law)
• 13 out of 13 states needed to amend
• Representatives frequently absent
• Could not tax or raise armies
• Northwest Ordinance a success
• Shays’ Rebellion shows weaknesses