Section 1

The Early Years

Opposing SidesBritish Advantages• Strongest Navy• Trained Army

• Wealth• Larger Population

British Disadvantages• Fighting long way

from home

• Have to ship soldiers and supplies

Opposing SidesAmerican Advantages

• Know the Land• Fighting for

Freedom• Gen. Washington

American Disadvantages

• No Regular Army/Navy• Rely on Volunteers

• Lack Military Experience

• Short Supply on Weapons & Ammo

• Independence Not Supported by All

Need for Troops• British rely on

Mercenaries (hired soldiers)

• Most are Hessian – German mercenaries fighting for the British.

The Fighting Begins• Battle of Long Island

– 1st Major Clash (32,000 vs. 20,000)– Serious American Defeat, Forced to

retreat to New Jersey– British use New York City as a base for

the remainder of War

Missed Opportunity• General Howe

(British Commander) lets Washington retreat

• Ignored advice of others

• Could’ve captured Army and ended war

Washington’s Tactics• Moves army into

New Jersey (supposed to stop fighting in Winter)

• Surprises British on Christmas– Captures 900

Hessians at Trenton

• Holds off British at Princeton

Importance of Trenton• Renews American Confidence/Spirit

“A few days ago the Americans had given up the cause for lost. Their late successes have turned the scale and now they are all liberty mad again.”

- British Soldier, 1776.

British Plan for Victory• Capture Albany, NY

and Hudson River• Split New England

from Middle Colonies

• Howe promises to move up from NYC

Distractions/Blunders• Howe captures Philadelphia (winters

there)• Burgoyne slowed down by 30 wagons

of luxury goods• Green Mountain Boys (Vermont Militia

group) force Burgoyne to Saratoga

Battle of Saratoga• Burgoyne surrounded• 5,700 British soldiers surrender• Important Because

– Disrupts British Plan for Victory– Encourages France to support America

Section 1

The Early Years

Section 2

The War Continues

France Joins In• Hated British to

begin with• Saratoga

convinced them Americans had a chance at winning

• Franklin persuaded them to help

Winter of 1777• Howe wintered

in Philadelphia

• Washington 20 miles west in Valley Forge

Valley Forge

• Time of Great Suffering – lack of food, clothing and shelter

• Many deserted (left without permission)

Valley Forge• Also time of

retraining and rejuvenation

• Baron Von Steuben trains Army– Practice Bayonet

• Marquis de Lafayette (French leader) joins cause

Money Problems• Continental

Congress couldn’t raise $ (no power to tax)

• Printed more money

• Led to inflation – took more and more money to buy the same amount of goods.

Section 2

The War Continues

Section 3

The War Moves West and South

War at Sea• British set up

Blockade (prevented ships from entering or leaving harbors)

• American Congress could only produce 2 ships to fight this

Citizens Respond• Privateers -

2,000 privately owned ships are outfitted with weapons and authorized to attack the blockade

John Paul Jones• Famous Naval

Officer• Attacked British

Ship and won• Famous for

saying, “I have not yet begun to fight”

British Move South• Hope to use Loyalist

support in South to their advantage

• Works well - Gen. Clinton captures Savannah and Charlestown

Setbacks• Encounter a new

style of fighting - guerilla warfare - small forces that attack in a hit and run style

• Francis Marion - famous guerilla leader, called the “Swamp Fox”

Spain Lends a Hand• Loaned Money• Opened New Orleans port• Declared war on Britain• Galvez opened the South

“The most vital aid contributed by any one man to the struggling American colonies.”• Buchanan Thomas, historian

Section 3

The War Moves West and South

Section 4

The War is Won

Lead up to Yorktown• Cornwallis

(British) had been leaving the South

• Lafayette kept him bottled up on Yorktown Peninsula

Victory at Yorktown• Washington marches his troops (in

secret) 200 miles in 15 days to reach Yorktown

• French ships also moved to surround area

• Bombard area for over a month

Surrender at Yorktown• British ran out of

supplies• Cornwallis’s army

(7,500 men) surrender on October 19, 1781

• Yorktown made the British realize the war was too costly

Independence• Ben Franklin, John Adams & John Jay

sent to Paris to make treaty with the British

Treaty of Paris - 1783• Recognized U.S. as an independent

nation• Set Boundaries (Mississippi)• Withdrew British troops• Granted Fishing Rights in Canada• Allowed British merchants to collect

debt• Said Loyalist land must be returned

Why did we win?• Geography - knew the terrain better• British couldn’t control rural areas• French & Spanish support• ***Washington didn’t need an all out

victory - he just had to avoid defeat

Big Question

Who should be given the most credit for the American victory

in the Revolution?

Section 4

The War is Won