More War in the

Northeast

The Articles of

Confederation

Lesson 22:

1776-1777

Figure 1a

The British had the strongest army and navy in the world.

The British were well-equipped and were well-trained. Their army knew how to

fight.

The British Empire stretched across the world, which meant that the British had the money to spend on fighting a war.

The British also outnumbered the Americans in population, with 8 million

people living in Britain and only 2.5 million in the colonies.

The Continental Army was always struggling for men and supplies.

The Congress could do little to force the states to plan together to fight the British.

In essence it was like 13 separate wars were being fought at times.

The militias would fight the British, but only for a short time or near their homes.

The Continental Army only enlisted their men for a year.

The states had to recruit men into the army.

Washington asked for and got the Congress to grant three year enlistments to keep soldiers in the army longer.

Finally, most officers were veterans of the French and Indian War, or were younger men who stood out.

The Patriots did have some advantages in the

Revolutionary War:

• They fought on their own terrain.

• Their supply lines were short.

• Patriots were fighting for their freedom, the Hessian mercenaries were fighting

for money.

• The Americans had George Washington

General Washington was an extraordinary leader.

Washington had courage, honesty, and admiration in

larger amounts than any other military officer.

Almost all the delegates to the Congress had approved of his appointment to command the

Continental Army.

Washington mastered the tactical retreat during the

Revolution.

One thing that the British and the Patriots had in

common was that both felt the Revolutionary War

would be short.

The Patriots thought they could win by holding on

long enough that the British wouldn’t care

anymore (War of attrition).

The British thought that they could win by using

their mighty army and navy to crush the rebellion in

the colonies.

The British stayed in New York during the winter.

Some troops were left in Princeton and Trenton, New Jersey.

General Washington was in Pennsylvania, and saw a chance to attack a smaller force

of 1,400 Hessian troops.

Washington and 2,400 troops crossed the Delaware River on Christmas and

captured Hessian soldiers at Trenton.

Washington then marched to Princeton where he forced the British to retreat.

Washington wanted to attack before his men’s enlistments were up.

In the winter of 1776-1777, the Continental Army almost dissolved.

Most armies in the 18th Century didn’t fight during the winter.

Soldiers finished their enlistments, and others deserted the army.

Washington begged the Continental Congress for more troops and asked for even freed

African Americans to help fight.

He said if the army wasn’t put back together soon, that “the game is pretty near up.”

Southern states were not comfortable with African Americans being armed and allowed to

serve in the army.

The first major victory for the Americans was won at

Saratoga.

The British had planned a 3-prong assault on Albany, to destroy resistance and to

separate the New England and Southern Colonies.

Generals Howe and Burgoyne, as well as Lt.

Colonel St. Leger were to move in on Albany from three

sides, surrounding and capturing it.

The goal was to destroy any resistance in New York.

The British were defeated after they didn’t follow through on their plan.

Burgoyne was forced to surrender to General Horatio Gates.

The French realized that the Americans may be able to win the war, and declared war on Great Britain too.

France began to send help to the U.S. to fight off the British and remain independent.

After the Battle of Saratoga, the Patriots attracted the attention of the other large

European powers.

Ben Franklin had been in Paris since late 1776.

Franklin was able to use his charm to get the French to help fund the war effort secretly.

In February, 1778, after the Battle of Saratoga, the French decided to help the Americans openly, publicly announcing their support.

An alliance formed between the French and Americans, and they sent money, equipment,

and troops to the U.S.

France also declared war on the British in February, 1778.

Spain also declared war on Great Britain in 1779. They did so mostly because they

hated the British.

The Spanish governor of Louisiana formed an army and attacked the British in

Florida and the surrounding area.

This fighting distracted the British from the main goal of defeating the Patriots, and forced some of their troops to be busy fighting

unimportant battles.

General Howe stayed in Philadelphia for the winter of 1777-1778 after not going to

Albany.

George Washington and the Continental Army set up camp at Valley Forge, about 20

miles away from the British.

The winter was brutal. The troops didn’t have enough food, clothing, tents, or

medicine.

Washington’s army was falling apart.

Many men deserted the army.

As winter ended however the army began to grow and become stronger again.

One of the leaders at Valley Forge was a Frenchmen named the Marquis de Lafayette.

He learned of the Declaration of Independence and came to help the Patriots.

Washington made him an assistant, and he helped to run the army.

Casimir Pulaski, a cavalry officer from Poland, helped train the troops at Valley Forge.

Friedrich von Steuben, a German army veteran, also joined Washington army.

Von Steuben drilled and trained the troops, making them into a professional army.

Once the United States was born with the Declaration of Independence, a system of government was needed.

The Articles of Confederation was the first written constitution of the United States.

The U.S. government under the Articles of Confederation could negotiate with other countries, maintain the army and navy,

borrow and issue money, but it could not tax, regulate trade.

Each state had one vote on an issue regardless of size or population. Nine states had to agree to something in order for

it to happen.

There was no executive (President).

It could not collect taxes and it had no way to enforce its laws.