1. The American Revolutionary War APUSH Unit 3

2. Strengths and Weaknesses for the American Revolution

3. British Strengths  7.5 mill population vs. 2.5 mill colonists  More money and the best navy in the world  20,000 slaves in Carolinas and GA joined the British (only 5K for the colonists)  Many Indians also sided with Britain and attacked the colonists on the frontier  Britain possessed a 50,000 man professional army  King George hired an additional 30,000 German Hessians  Had about 50,000 loyalists in the colonies

4. British Weaknesses  Enormous distance for supply line  America was too large for an army to effectively occupy + population was still dispersed  British generals in America were poor leaders  Americans only had to tie - British had to win  France hated England  King George and Lord North were terrible

5. American Strengths  Outstanding leadership  Economic aid from France at the beginning + later military aid  Defensive military tactics  Agriculturally self-sustaining  Colonials were better shots than the redcoats  Moral advantage from a belief in a just cause

6. American Weaknesses  Badly organized  Jealousy among the colonies  Economic difficulties  Military challenges  Morale in the Revolutionary Army was undermined by greedy American profiteers  Only a select minority of Americans were truly committed to the cause  Lack of Supplies

7. How did America win?  Regulars were whipped into shape by Prussian Baron von Steuben  5000 African Americans enlisted to help America  Largest contingents came from northern states with free blacks  The strength of the few outweighed the weakness of the many  The British people got tired of the war

8. The Second Continental Congress

9. Second Continental Congress (CC2)  All 13 colonies present -- delegates still not interested in independence but rather redressing of grievances.  Most significant act of Congress: Selected George Washington to head of the Continental Army.  Selection largely political – Northerners wanted to bring Virginia into the war.

10. CC2 - Declaration of the Causes & Necessity of Taking Up Arms  Written by Jefferson & Dickinson  Drafted 2nd set of appeals to the king and British people for redress of American grievances.  Seen as intermediate step towards the Declaration of Independence  Declaration & Resolves from 1st Continental Congress was earlier step  Adopted measures to raise money and to create an army and a navy.

11. CC2 – Olive Branch Petition  Written largely by Dickinson  Last ditch effort by moderates in the Continental Congress to prevent an all-out war.  Once again, pledged loyalty to the crown; sought to restore peace  Appealed to George III to intercede with Parliament to reconsider the “Intolerable Acts”  King refused to recognize Congress; the war raged on

12. Early Battles

13. Ticonderoga and Crown Point – May 1775  Tiny forces under Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys of Vermont and Benedict Arnold of Connecticut surprised & captured British garrisons.  After this loss, King George replaced General Gage with Generals Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne  Ticonderoga and British leadership clip 2:43 Ticonderoga and British leadership clip

14. Bunker Hill (Breed’s Hill) – June 17, 1775  Colonials seized Breed's Hill -- commanded a strong position overlooking Boston.  1,500 American sharpshooters mowed down over 1,000 oncoming redcoats in ill-conceived frontal assault.  Americans had 140 killed and 441 wounded.  Americans ran out of gunpowder and were forced to abandon the hill in disorder.  Viewed as an American victory due to the heavy losses suffered by Britain.  Bloodiest battle of the War for Independence  British Army left Boston to conduct the war from New York.

15. Effects of Bunker Hill  Colonists issue the Olive Branch Petition  Following Bunker Hill, King proclaimed the colonies in rebellion (Aug. 23, 1775).  This was tantamount to a declaration of war against the colonies  18,000 Hessians (German mercenary soldiers) hired by King to support British forces  Americans shocked that king would hire soldiers reputed for their brutality

16. Americans at War

17. Loyalists (Tories)  About 20% of Americans  Usually conservative, educated, and wealthy; afraid of mob rule  Often older, worked for the crown, Anglican  Most influential in aristocratic NY, Charleston, PA, and NJ  Least numerous in New England  80,000 fled the colonies – estates were confiscated by Patriots  About 50,000 fought for the British

18. Patriots  Sometimes called Whigs  Rebels who fought soldiers and loyalists  Most numerous in New England  Approximately 40%  More meh people switched to this side

19. American War Stats  250,000+ American soldiers fought  10% who fought died  Largest % of any American war  British occupied most major cities: Boston, NYC, Philly  Who fought?  African Americans fought on both sides  5000 for US; 30,000 for British  Native Americans fought for British – felt colonists were worse  Young laborers, farm boys, indentured servants – the poorest were often the soldiers

20. War Economy and Government  State and National Governments were created  People loaned money to the army and Congress  War Profiteers (merchants) often made lots of money off the war

21. Women in the War  Managed farms and businesses while men were away  Travelled with Army as cooks and nurses…  Expressed political thoughts freely, though couldn’t vote  Abigail Adams is well known for her writings on the Revolution and the formation of the new country

22. Problems for the American Army – Early Years  GW loses first year’s troops and African Americans are not allowed to fight anymore – end of 1775 – Video #2 5:21 GW loses first year’s troops and African Americans are not allowed to fight anymore – end of 1775 – Video #2

23. Declaration of Independence 1776

24. Reasons for Shift of Loyalty:  Previously most Americans were proud British citizens  Shifted because:  Hiring of Hessians  Burning of Falmouth & Norfolk by the British  Governor of Virginia promised freedom to slaves who would fight for Britain.  Persuaded many southern elite to join New England in the war effort.

25. Common Sense by Thomas Paine Published early 1776  Became an instant best-seller in the colonies; effective propaganda  Main ideas:  Britain's colonial policies were inconsistent; independence was the only course  Nowhere in the physical universe did a smaller heavenly body control a larger one. Why should tiny England control huge North America?  King was nothing more than the "Royal Brute of Great Britain.”  America had a sacred mission; moral obligation to the world to set up an independent, democratic republic, untainted by association with corrupt monarchical Britain.  Persuaded Congress to go all the way for independence  Could not hope for aid from France unless they declared independence  France not interested in colonial reconstruction under Britain

26. Philadelphia Congress  On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee proposed independence  "These United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states..."  Motion was adopted on July 2, 1776  Yet, formal explanation was needed to rally resistance at home and invite foreign nations to aid the American cause, especially France…

27. Committee on Independence  Appointed to prepare an “appropriate statement”  Committee handed it over to TJ  There was discussion and debate on the final version  Especially the clause on slavery, which was removed  Not addressed to England – they didn’t expect a response from the king now  Declaration of Independence formally approved on July 4, 1776

28. 3 Main Parts of DOI  Preamble (heavily influenced by John Locke)  Stated the rights of colonists to break away if natural rights were not protected: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (property)  Stated "all men are created equal"  List of 27 grievances of the colonies (seen by Congress as most important part)  Underwent the most changes from the original draft -- 24 changes  Charged King with imposing taxes w/o colonials' consent, eliminating trial by jury, military dictatorship, maintaining standing armies in peacetime, cutting off trade, burning towns, hiring mercenaries, & inciting Indian violence.  Formal declaration of independence  Officially broke ties with England  "United States" officially an independent country

29. Effects of Issuing the DOI  Now America could solicit foreign aid!  Gathered more recruits for the Continental Army

30. 1776-1777 Mid Atlantic States

31. Battle of Trenton December 26, 1776  Washington’s crossing of the Delaware  Surprised and captured about 1000 hung-over Hessians

32. Battle of Princeton January 1777  GW defeated some Brits a week after Trenton  British forced to pull back to NYC  Quick victories of Princeton and Trenton helped to inspire the Patriot army

33. Battle of Saratoga October 1777  MOST IMPORTANT BATTLE OF REVOLUTION!  Brits wanted to capture NY and sever New England from America  Benedict Arnold slowed Brit invasion of NY  Burgoyne surrendered to American Gates  BROUGHT AID FROM FRANCE  Because it was a decisive victory

34. Camping out in Valley Forge Winter 1777-1778  Supplies were scarce: food, clothing  Army whipped into shape by the Prussian drillmaster Baron von Steuben  Episode demonstrated American resolve despite horrible conditions

35. Alliance with France!

36. How Does France Help?  Early on: secret shipments of munitions and supplies from France  Organized by Silas Deane and Benjamin Franklin  After DOI and Saratoga:  Franco-American Alliance of 1778  Recognizes America as independent  Both sides would fight until America was free or both sides agreed to terms  France continued to send supplies and actually had a Navy!  Became a World War that tied up British resources:  Spain, Holland, kind of Russia

37. Battle of Yorktown End of war!

38. Backstory for Yorktown  1778 British focused on Southern colonies  Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC fell in 1779 and 1780  Charleston was 4 th largest American city – big loss  Here comes Nathaniel Greene! Clears GA and SC of most British troops!  British General Cornwallis is forced to abandon Southern strategy and retreats to Yorktown in the Chesapeake

39. Battle of Yorktown  French Admiral de Grasse blockaded the Chesapeake – trapping British and preventing supplies from reaching Yorktown  GW and Rochambeau’s French Army march 300+ miles from NY to Chesapeake  Attacked Yorktown by land + British were blockaded form escaping to the Bay  October 19, 1781: General Cornwallis surrendered entire force of 7,000 men  War did continue for approximately another year – especially in the South

40. Post-Revolution America

41.  America made peace with England first because they were afraid that France would betray their western interests to Spain  America got all land to the Mississippi (Spain still had Florida)  Why was England so nice?  Wanted America to be more loyal to England than France Peace of Paris, 1783

42. After the Treaty of Paris, 1783

43. Equality vs. Reality  Could not sacrifice new country to battle over these details  Slavery  Women  So:  Civic Virtue : Democracy depended on the unselfish commitment of each citizen to the public good  Republican Motherhood : Women were the keepers of the nation’s conscience – they trained the new leaders

44. State Constitution Making  Based on theory of republicanism : sovereignty of state would rest on authority of the people  Documents were supposed to represent a fundamental law that was greater than the changing whims of legislation  Most contained bills of rights  Annual election of legislators  Weak executives and judicial branches (because of problems with England)  Legislatures were given sweeping powers (led to problems)