Difficult Choices During the war, only 1/3 of people in America supported the war. Loyalist vs. Patriot -Loyalist - wanted to remain part of Britain (loyal to king) -Patriots - wanted to create a new country

Difficult Choices African-Americans - 1.Fought for American cause, but colonists didn’t want to give them weapons.George Washington discharged them from the Continental Army 2.Britain offered freedom if they fought against colonists. As a result, many African-Americans began fighting with British. 3.Washington saw a potential disaster and quickly changed his position, allowing them to reenlist. Many joined the colonial armies. Examples: Peter Salem and Salem Poor

Difficult Choices Native Americans - 1.Native Americans had to choose sides. Many attempted to stay neutral but were drug into the war 2.A majority of Natives supported the British. Why? 3.Their role was to attack forts and settlements in the west (frontier). This would cause chaos and force the colonists to spread out their armies.

Difficult Choices Women - 1.Most colonial women supported the war by handcrafting war materials and running farms/businesses in the husbands absence. 2.Others actually fought in the war. - Molly Pitcher - Deborah Sampson

Ending the War Battle of Yorktown, 1781 In late 1781, the American and French forces had cornered British general Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. Set seige American soldiers were backed up by 10,000 French troops. The British numbered Cornwallis sent for reinforcements, but they were going to be late. Running low on food and supplies, Cornwallis surrendered his troops.

Ending the War

Treaty of Paris 1783 Ended the war. Key points Recognizing the 13 colonies as free and sovereign States with [Article 1] [1]; Establishing the boundaries between the United States and British North America [Article 2]; (for an account of two strange anomalies resulting from this part of the Treaty, based on inaccuracies in the Mitchell Map, see Northwest Angle and the Republic of Indian Stream) Granting fishing rights to United States fishermen in the Grand Banks, off the coast of Newfoundland and in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence [Article 3]; Recognizing the lawful contracted debts to be paid to creditors on either side [Article 4]; United States Congress will "earnestly recommend" to state legislatures to recognize the rightful owners of all confiscated lands "provide for the restitution of all estates, rights, and properties, which have been confiscated belonging to real British subjects [Loyalists]". [never implemented, Article 5]; United States will prevent future confiscations of the property of Loyalists [Article 6]; Prisoners of war on both sides are to be released and all property left by the British army in the United States unmolested (including slaves) [Article 7]; Great Britain and the United States were each to be given perpetual access to the Mississippi River [Article 8]; Territories captured by Americans subsequent to treaty will be returned without compensation [Article 9]; Ratification of the treaty was to occur within six months from the signing by the contracting parties [Article 10] D. HARTLEY (SEAL)JOHN ADAMS (SEAL)B. FRANKLIN (SEAL)JOHN JAY (SEAL )

Ending the War Treaty of Paris 1783 Aftermath: 1.About 250,000 Loyalists left (or were forced to leave) the colonies. 2.Inspired revolution in France and Latin America. 3.British monarchy began losing power.