1. America secedes from the Empire
Chapter 8
American Pageant, 13th. Ed.

2. Reluctance abounds May 1775
Second Continental Congress meets after Lexington & Concord
Agrees to:
More appeals to British
Formation of Army & Navy
Collection of money for “the cause”
Appoint G. Washington head of Continental Army (political selection)

3. Formal rebellion May 1775 June 1775 July 1775
Ticonderoga & Crown Point
Americans seize gunpowder & artillery
June 1775
Bunker Hill (Breed’s Hill)
High British casualties, American loss
July 1775
C.C. adopts Olive Branch Petition, King George III rejects it; George proclaims colonies in rebellion (Aug. 1775); America in denial until Jan (British burn Norfolk & hire Hessian mercenaries)

4. Rebellion continues October 1775 January 1776 March 1776 July 1776
Americans (under Montgomery & Arnold) invade Canada, hope to get French on their side; big oops!
January 1776
British torch Norfolk, VA
March 1776
British evacuated Boston; British look to NY for base
July 1776
Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence adopted upon Enlightenment principles

5. War of Independence – from who?
Redcoats vs. Patriots – big picture
Loyalists (16%) vs. Patriots – smaller picture
Tories vs. Whigs (factions in England)
Campaigning for votes “political education”
Loyalists (older & richer, Anglican); Patriots (younger & rebellious, more religously diverse)

6. Washington’s whereabouts
July 1776
Outnumbered in NY thanks to arrival of British fleet (Battle of Long Island); Retreats to Manhattan then south
December 26, 1776
Retreats to Delaware River & crosses to safety (Trenton, NJ)
Captured Hessians
Good escape or just lucky???

7. Washington’s whereabouts
Pennsylvania 1777
Defeated at Brandywine Creek & Germantown
Valley Forge
New Jersey/New York 1778
Drove British out of NY, not decisively
Virginia 1781
Yorktown (finale)

8. British Burgoyne British General John Burgoyne
Fought against Gen. Benedict Arnold at Lake Champlain, lost
Moved south through NY, hoping to meet with Washington in Philly but met again with Ben Arnold at Saratoga
Trapped and surrendered Oct. 1777
British offer American home rule w/in the empire

9. France – friend or foe? France wanted revenge against Britain
Ben Franklin used possible reconciliation to entice French alliance
February 1777 – our first alliance
War until win
United States should have freedom
Both would fight a common enemy
Essentially conflict is a world war
Provided guns & money, ½ of armed forces, Navy

10. Others join in Spain & Holland ally against British Armed Neutrality
Alliance of passive countries against Britain (bark, but no bite)
Russia, Scandinavia, Prussia, etc…

11. Start wrapping it up
Loyalists in Southern colonies, overrun by British
Gen. Nathaniel Greene outsmarted Cornwallis and won in Georgia & South Carolina
Privateers “legalized pirates” helped America at sea
Show down at Yorktown as French alliance pays off; Cornwallis surrenders

12. To Paris for peace September 1783 – Treaty of Paris
John Adams, Ben Franklin, John Jay negotiated peace w/Britain
British recognize American independence
Granted boundaries to the Mississippi River and to Great Lakes
Americans could not persecute Loyalists (yeah)
Americans did owe British creditors(never paid)

13. And here we are!