The American Revolution Turning Points of the War 4.3

Focus Question? What factors helped the Patriots win the war?

The Opposing Sides Britain seemed to have great advantages over the colonies at the start of the war. The Patriots needed to overcome a powerful empire with nearly four times their population. (The Colonists were: 20% Loyalists plus 20% slaves plus many who remained neutral)

Odds Were Against the Patriots Britain was : Well-organized, long established government. Produced many more ships and weapons. British troops were well trained and supplied. Colonists: Continental Congress just starting out. The Continental Congress had no money nor authority to tax. Continental soldiers were cold, hungry, and poorly equipped

The British Make Mistakes In 1775, the British did not take the Patriots seriously. The British battle tactics were unsuited for fighting in America. The hiring of brutal Hessian mercenaries angered colonists. The British failed to see that the real struggle was for the hearts and minds of the citizens.

Battle of Bunker Hill British Commander William Howe made a costly mistake at Bunker Hill. To show British invincibility he ordered a frontal assault up a hill on the Patriots. The Redcoats first two charges failed but eventually they took the hill, but they suffered heavy casualties.(2-1) The Patriots won a psychological victory.

In January 1776, Colonel Henry Knox arrived with cannons to reinforce the Patriots in Boston. His men hauled the cannons 100 miles from upstate NY where Ethan Allen’s men captured them at Fort Ticonderoga Patriots shelled both Boston & the Harbor, forcing the British to leave the city.

British Misunderstood the Conflict The British thought they were fighting a traditional European War. They believe the Patriots would surrender if Lord Howe could defeat the Continental Army & capture major seaports, including Philadelphia. The British actually accomplished these goals but still lost the war.

The Patriot’s Strength George Washington didn’t win many battles but he kept the Continental Army intact. He only fought when conditions were favorable. He inspired his men despite extreme hardship.

His small but committed Army hung together despite casualties, hunger, & disease. Washington's Continental Army allowed local militia’s to suppress Loyalists in the countryside.

Colonists Endure Hard Times The Continental Congress could only pay farmers and soldiers with paper money (continentals), causing inflation. The British blockade meant shortages of goods. Some profiteers sold items at inflated prices. Washington’s troops spent the cold winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge. There was disease and hunger; a third of the men were without shoes or coats.

The War Shifts The British under the command of General Howe capture NYC in Sept. of 1776. 30,000 British & German troops devastated the continental army. On Christmas night, Washington crossed the Delaware River surprising 1,000 German mercenaries at the Battle of Trenton. This modest victory raised the spirits of the Patriots and kept the revolution going.

Military Turning Points At the Battle of Princeton( 1777), Gen. Washington defeated Gen. Charles Cornwallis. However, Washington suffered more defeats than victories in 1777 and eventually lost Philadelphia. .

British General Burgoyne marched the British army from Canada into the Hudson Valley. Falling into a Patriot trap at Saratoga, Burgoyne surrendered. This victory suggested that the American’s might actually win the war. This victory also helped to secure European allies.

European Allies Benjamin Franklin persuaded France to send supplies and, after Saratoga, troops and a navy. French nobleman Marquis de Lafayette volunteered to help Washington. Baron Von Steuben, a German, volunteered to train and drill Washington’s men in 1777. The Spanish in New Orleans kept the British from entering the Mississippi River in 1779.

Women Play an Important Role Wives and daughters made blankets, clothing, and shoes for soldiers. Some wives followed the men into battle, cooking, washing clothes, and maintaining the camp. At Monmouth, Mary Hayes, known as “Molly Pitcher,” was said to have replaced her fallen husband at a cannon

Mary Ludwig Hayes McCauley is buried at Old Cemetery, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She was the most famous “Molly Pitcher” of the American Revolution, a nickname for women who carried water to the troops during the war.

Continental Army Faces Challenges During the winter of 1777, Washington's army survived horrible conditions outside Philadelphia in a camp in Valley Forge. The soldiers suffered from a lack of supplies and food. Reports claim nearly 10,000 soldiers had no coats or shoes.

Valley Forge Despite the hardships, the soldiers improved from careful drilling by German volunteer, Baron Von Steuben.

Despite winning most of the battles, the British had gained little. Outside of NYC, the British really had no control. They decided for head south.

The Frontier War Most Native American sided with the British who did not want their land, this made the war very difficult for the Patriots. Colonel George Rogers Clark led a Patriot militia of roughly 175 men and French Allies took several British posts in the Northwest. In 1779, the British and the Iroquois attacked outposts in northern New York.