BR: T2D17 Review the last section in the textbook (“British Plan for Victory”, 167-166), or your guided notes, and answer the following questions: What was the British Plan? How / why did it fail? What was the end result?

Ch. 6.1 The American Revolution: The War Continues U.S. History I Ch. 6.1 The American Revolution: The War Continues

Gaining Allies The victory at Saratoga in October, 1777, was the shot in the arm that the Americans needed. After having lost the Capital, Philadelphia, to General Howe, things looked bleak. Without that victory, the war might have been over. Overseas, the news of the capture of Gen. Burgoyne and his army was great news to the enemies of Britain. Benjamin Franklin had been trying to convince the French to join the war on the side of the American Colonies, but they had resisted. When news of the victory at Saratoga arrived, that was the tipping point. Before this, France had secretly given some money before, but now they made it official, in February 1778, signing a trade agreement and the Treaty of Alliance, declaring war on Britain and sending troops, money equipment and ships to the desperate Americans.

Galveston, Texas’ Namesake Spain Sends Aid Spain also joined the conflict, though not officially, on the side of the American Colonists, against their colonial rival Britain. While unofficial allies of the Americans, they eventually did declare war on Britain in 1779, helping keep the British occupied elsewhere, making the American Revolution more costly to the British. One of the more important figures in this effort was Bernardo de Galvez, the Spanish Governor of Louisiana. He helped raise an army in 1779, and attacked the British at Baton Rouge and Natchez, and later Mobile (1780) and Pensacola (1781). This kept British troops away from the American colonies, while they tried to not lose more ground to the Spanish elsewhere. Spanish Grenadiers & Militia Pour Into Ft. George in Battle of Pensacola, Florida Galveston, Texas’ Namesake

Winter at Valley Forge Despite this good news, the Americans didn’t get it until the Spring of 1778. Meanwhile, Washington set up the remnants of the Continental Army at Valley Forge, 20 miles west of Philadelphia and the British, in their cozy captured capital. It was quite rough. The men were in the freezing cold, in mere tents, with hardly the supplies they needed. Many got sick, others deserted, or left without finishing their tour. Things looked bleak: VID Yet with help from others, like Friedrich von Steuben, and other foreigners inspired by the American Revolution, things start to look up. News arrives that France has signed an alliance with the Americans, and people start to join up as soldiers again, renewed in their determination that this was a battle we could win!

Other Problems the Americans Face Despite this help, America still has other issues. For instance, the Continental Congress had no power to raise taxes, to fund the war effort. The money they got from France and the colonies that could spare some was not enough. They decided to just keep printing money, to pay for everything. However, this quickly led to inflation, because the silver and gold that was used to back up the value of these paper bills did not also increase. People soon realized that the paper money was just that…paper!

Women’s Rights During this period, women also bravely helped keep things going on the home front. While men were away fighting, the women ran the businesses, farms, etc., which had often been the men’s duties. Many women felt that they were up to the task. Abigail Adams, John Adams’ wife, for example, in a letter to her husband shows how many other women felt about the fact that the new country claimed that “all men are created equal”, yet ignored all women! “I cannot say that I think you are very generous to the ladies, for, whilst you are proclaiming peace and good will to men, emancipating (i.e. freeing) all nations, you insist on retaining an absolute power over [women &] wives.”

Slavery Questioned Another thing that was beginning to be questioned was the issue of slavery. As early as 1778, Gov. Livingston of New Jersey tried to get all slaves in the colony freed, saying: “[Slavery is] utterly inconsistent with the principles of Christianity and humanity.” Others, such as slaves in New Hampshire, asked their legislature for their freedom “so that the name of slave may not be heard in a land gloriously contending for the sweets of freedom.” Most of these early measures to eliminate slavery failed. But though slavery would continue in much of the future United States, the seeds of discontent with this institution had been sown, and many religious and other groups would continue to fight for emancipation, eventually leading to our Civil War.

HW: Let’s begin work on the assignment “Foreign Friends”, or you can get caught up.