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Chapter 2, Sect. 2 Notes The Revolutionary War

Military Strengths and WeaknessesUnited States StrengthsFighting on own land(protect own homes)Commander knew British tactics (Washington)Untraditional warfareA hope for French Support

United StatesWeaknessesUnknown number of troopsLack of supplies- no moneyNo central government Great BritainStrengthsbetter equipped and Trained troopsMore money and more suppliesMany colonists are loyalist or Tories to England30,000 German mercenariesEstablished central governmentWorlds Strongest Navy

Great BritainWeaknessesFight in a hostile landBritish Generals slow to adapt

Things to think aboutBritain's Population was four times larger than the 2.5 million people in the colonies1/5 of colonists are still loyal to British Empire1/5 are slavesMany others remain neutral

People PatriotsGeorge WashingtonCommander Marquis de LafayetteFrench aristocrat and volunteer general Benjamin FranklinDiplomathelps secure French support after SaratogaHenry KnoxColonel Nathan Hale--Patriot spy who will get killed at the Battle of Long Island. Famous Quote I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country. Benedict ArnoldPatriot at first then defected to the British side and became the most famous traitor of all time

BritishGeneral William HoweBritish Commander General Henry ClintonBritish Commander General Charles CornwallisBritish general, YorktownJohn Burgoyne British general at Saratoga

Battle of Long Island, New YorkSummer 1776

Long Island

Battle of Long Island, New YorkSummer 1776Britain wanted to cut of New England from the rest of the colonies. They sought to do this by seizing New YorkBritish arrive with German mercenariesWHO WON? BritishWHY DID THEY WIN? Colonists were ill-equipped and unable to hold British backRESULTS: British gain control of city and surrounding area. Badly defeated Washington was forced to retreat across New Jersey in the fall, finally escaping to Pennsylvania across the Delaware River

CLIPSept 1776, Hero/Spy- Nathan Hale captured in New York, by Gen Howe and sentenced to death. 'I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.'

Washington used defensive strategiesSkillful retreats saved lives

Battle of TrentonDecember 1776

After this British forces regroup and continue advancing, eventually hit PhiladelphiaTrenton

Battle of TrentonDecember 1776Christmas night 1776Washington crosses the Delaware with his 2,400 menHorrible weather, icy watersWith the element of surprise they are able to capture Trenton, N.J., along with 1,000 Hessian mercenary troops.WHO WON? Continental ArmyWHY DID THEY WIN? Had the element of surpriseRESULTS: Huge moral victory for the Continental Army, gave public new confidence in the army and improved publics opinion of the Continental Congress, also increased enlistments in the Continental Army

After this British forces regroup and continue advancing, eventually hit PhiladelphiaSaratoga, New YorkOctober 1777British General John Burgoyne planned to lead an army down a route of lakes from Canada to Albany and meet up with troops marching from New York CityIf successful the British would have cut off New England as they planned to do all along.WHO WON? Continental ArmyWHY DID THEY WIN? Burgoyne had been waiting for other British troops to come, but they were preoccupied in Philadelphia so they never came, giving colonists time to surround Burgoyne. RESULTS: Turning point, secretly the French had helped the colonists but wouldnt enter into an open alliance until they thought they could win the war. Saratoga makes them start to believe colonists had a chance to win the war. Eventually they create an open alliance with colonies (1778)

Saratoga

14Valley Forge, Pennsylvania Valley Forge winter (1777-1778): very few supplies and food ,over 2,000 soldiers die.One of Washington most difficult challenges

Lafayette

Steuben

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania Valley Forge winter (1777-1778): few supplies and food ,over 2,000 soldiers die. Despite hardships, soldiers train with Frederick Von Steuben. Improve fighting skills and discipline.British start turning attention towards the south.

Impacts of War War at Sea:Fight was not only on landBoth sides sought control of the Atlantic ocean, Britain had a distinct advantage until the French and Spanish agree to help the colonistsJohn Paul JonesAmerican naval commander, captured a number of British vesselsI have not yet begun to fight when asked to surrenderHis ship, the Bonhomme Richard defeated the Serapis

War in the South: British turn their energy South after Saratoga. The British assume southern farmers who are loyalists will helpInstead of supporting loyalist militias, British continue to wage conventional warThousands of slaves escape in the chaos of warLate 1778seize Savannah, GeorgiaSprint 1780Capture Charleston, South Carolina

Womens War Efforts: Wives step up when husbands leave. Run farms and businessesMany others went into battle as cooks and caretakers.Molly Pitcher and Deborah Sampson

War in the West:Fighting occurred in the MidwestSiege of Fort Vincennes:Illinois militia led by George Rogers Clark take the British fort at Vincennes, strengthening their position in the west

Pitcher

Sampson

Continental Army in the WestGeorge Rogers Clark and the Americans defeat the British at Vincennes

1780, General Arnold , commanding West Point is discovered to be a traitor.

Benedict Arnold

Continental Army in the SouthGeneral Cornwallis and Clinton capture Charles Town in 1780 but colonists start to push backLed by Nathanael Greene and Daniel MorganIn 1781 they inflict heavy losses on the British at the battles of Cowpens (South Carolina) and Guilford Courthouse (N. CarolinaForced Cornwallis to march north into Virginia (Yorktown) with plans to fortify VA and eventually meet Clintons forces in the north

Cornwallis

Yorktown, VirginiaYorktown, October 19,1781Washington plans on trapping Cornwallis at Yorktown. In order for plan to work he needs the French fleet to arrive at the right moment to prevent the British navy from evacuating their army by seaWHO WON? Continental Army/FranceWHY DID THEY WIN? Cornwallis was trapped, the French arrive at precisely the right moment to block off the Chesapeake BayRESULTS: Trapped by land and seaGen. Cornwallis in surrenders. The Revolutionary War is over.

Treaty of ParisTreaty of Paris 1783 officially ends the WarBen Franklin one of America delegates sent to negotiate a peace treatyRecognizes American independence and grants generous boundaries to the United States

Results for different groupsLoyalists: British did their best to protect, but mobs and state laws made this difficultmany became refugees (lost everything)Women: Inspired to seek more rights. Also new role as mothersto train young citizens in republican virtues. African Americans: Inspired to demand freedom, especially in north. The rest of the world: spread the idea of liberty to other countries. Used as a model for revolutions in other parts of the world like France.