1. 7.1 The Early years of the war

2. Americans divided 20-30% of Americans were loyalists
Roughly 40-45% were patriots
The rest remained neutral

3. Creating an army
Washington’s army never numbered more than 17,000 men…. Why??
Washington’s main goals:
Survive
Keep an army in the field
Win some battles and avoid a crushing defeat

4. mercenary A professional soldier hired to fight for a foreign country
Hessian- mercenaries from Germany

5. Trenton/Crossing the Delaware
December 25th, 1776, Washington’s troops rowed across the icy Delaware River to New Jersey
Killed more than 900 Hessians and gained needed supplies

6. Saratoga: A Turning point
Benedict Arnold is injured
Outcomes:
Benedict Arnold married a woman who was a loyalist
Influenced by his bitterness and his wife, he betrayed his army
Several European nations decided to help America in its struggle… Why??

7. 7.2 The War Expands

8. Help From Abroad
In 1778, France signed two treaties of alliance with the United States
In 1779, France persuaded its ally Spain to help the Americans
The British had spread their military resources over many fronts

9. Marquis de Lafayette
A 19-year-old French nobleman who volunteered to serve in Washington’s army
He used his own money to buy warm clothes for his ragged troops

10. Baron von Steuben
Helped turn the inexperienced Americans into a skilled fighting force
The soldiers practiced making charges with bayonets
Washington's army pre-war grade=D/F

11. Valley Forge Valley Forge came to stand for the great hardships
The soldiers at Valley Forge grew weak from not having enough food or warm clothing
A quarter of them died from malnutrition, exposure to the cold, or diseases such as smallpox and typhoid fever
The army stayed together because of “Love of our Country” and also because of Washington

12. John Paul Jones
Captain of the Bonhomme Richard- rammed the better- armed British vessel called the Serapis
“I have not yet begun to fight”
After a fierce three- and-a-half hour battle, the main mast of the Serapis cracked and fell