1. The American Revolution
Unit 5

2. Words to know…
militia: a military force used to supplement a regular army in an emergency

3. Problems Creating An Army
in the early years, the army was just untrained state militia
solution: Washington began training his troops when the Continental Army was formed
Baron von Steuben taught men formations and how to use their bayonets
those 100 taught another and so on

4. Problems Creating An Army
initially Congress only asked men to enlist for 1 year
Washington never had more than 17,000 men serving at 1 time
solution: Congress extended the enlistment time

5. Problems Creating An Army
Congress was unable to supply the troops with what they needed

6. “Could I have foreseen what I have, and am likely to experience, no consideration upon earth should have persuaded me to accept this command.” -George Washington

7. British Strategy wanted to control the Hudson River Valley
would cut off New England from the other states
British would close in from 3 different directions

8. Battles In North Carolina
British moved south thinking there would be a lot of loyalists to help them
several battles in NC
Patriot victories
Battles of King’s Mountain, Moore’s Creek Bridge, Ramsour’s Mill
British victory
Battle of Guilford Courthouse

9. Battles of Saratoga
Continental army was able to surround and defeat one of the best British generals in a series of battles
significance: France and Spain believed that the Americans could win the war
started supplying money, weapons, and troops

10. Valley Forge spent the winter in Pennsylvania
no shoes, food, blankets, etc.
smallpox spreads
many deserted the army
others respected Washington too much

11. “The unfortunate soldiers were in want of everything; they had neither coats, nor hats, nor shirts, nor shoes; their feet and their legs froze till they grew black and it was often necessary to amputate them…The Army frequently passed whole days without food.” -Marquis de Lafayette

12. Battle of Yorktown British were blocked in at Yorktown
French were off the coast preventing retreat
Washington came in from the north and surrounded the British
significance: Lord Cornwallis surrendered his troops
the war was over

13. Why the Americans Won 1: better leadership
British leaders were overconfident and made bad decisions
2: foreign aid
3: home field advantage
Americans knew the land
British couldn’t control land past the coast

14. Why the Americans Won 4: motivation Americans had more to fight for
lives, property, and dreams of independence were at stake

15. Treaty of Paris of 1783 the US would be independent
boundaries included the Mississippi River on the west, Canada to the north, and Spanish Florida to the south
each side would repay its debts owed to each other