The American Revolution

1776 - 1783

Which side was better prepared to fight a war?

• British Advantages:– Military: world’s largest

navy, military experience, professional army

– Allies: Hessians, Indians, Loyalists

– Economic: $$$$$$, manufacturing capability BUT

• British Disadvantages:– 3,000 miles away from battle site– France was still an enemy– British people not united in supporting war

effort

Colonial Advantages:• Leadership:

Washington on battlefield & Ben Franklin as envoy to France

• Possibility of aid from France

• “home field” advantage

• Committed to a cause BUT

• Colonial Disadvantages:

• Poorly trained troops • No strong central

gov’t • Limited manufacturing

capability→ shortages • War effort not supported

by all colonists • $$$$$$$

Military tactics

American • Guerilla tactics!

Fight a “hit & run” war!

• Retreat!?! Not necessary to win a battle, just wear the British down!

• Make an alliance with one of England’s enemies! (France?)

British• Divide & Conquer –

break colonies in ½ by focusing on the Middle colonies

• Prevent goods from getting to colonies

• Get help from Loyalists

How can the colonial victory in this war be explained?

• Battle of Bunker Hill – British victory, but colonists

inflicted heavy causalities– Secret French aid

(gunpowder) begins – British General William

Howe given command of British troops

Crossing the Delaware • Christmas Day, 1776• Colonial forces

launched surprise attack on Trenton

• Feared Hessians defeated!

• Followed by another victory at Princeton

• Washington was able to hold his army together!

Battle of Saratoga

• The Plan:• 3 British units were to converge

on American forces at Albany, trapping them

• Why doesn’t this work?• Howe delayed leaving

Philadelphia → General Burgoyne forced to surrender when he ran out of supplies

Battle of Saratoga: the Turning Point

• British forced to surrender

• France convinced that colonists actually have a chance to win!

• France aid became open & substantial!

• France officially recognized American independence!

Valley Forge

• Low point for Washington’s troops

• ¼ of Washington’s troops die BUT

• Prussian Baron von Steuben arrived to help train soldiers → those who survive are turned into a disciplined fighting force

In-class assignment

Did African-Americans serve in the American Revolution?

Peter Salem at the Battle of Bunker Hill

Help from the French Navy!

• Washington received word that Admiral deGrasse was sailing towards the Chesapeake

• Washington abandoned his plan to attack the British in New York & moved his army towards the South instead

Battle of Yorktown (1781)

• September, 1781: a combined American –French force attacked British General Cornwallis at Yorktown

• French fleet blocked any British retreat by sea!

• British forces were trapped!

Cornwallis Surrenders at YorktownOctober, 1781

“The world is turned upside down.”

Why isn’t a peace treaty not signed until 1783?

• Periodic small battles continued to take place

• 1782 – Parliament voted to begin peace negotiations

• The Netherlands – 2nd country to recognize American independence → England realized “it’s over!”

Treaty of Paris of 1783

British negotiators refused to sit for this picture!

PROVISIONS OF TREATY

• Signed on September, 3 1783

• by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay

• What did it do?:– Officially recognized American independence

– Britain promised to remove all troops from American (did not happen)

– Boundaries of new nation are set (from Great Lakes in North to Florida in South; from Atlantic to Miss. River

– Access to fishing in the Newfoundland banks

– Return of land to loyalists (often did not happen)

– Pay back any debts owed to Britain

Why did England lose the war?Why did the colonies win?

Some thoughts

Washington’s forces simply wore the British down! Took advantage of England’s greatest disadvantage – distance!

Poor British military leadership! Allowed Washington’s army to retreat so that they could fight another day!

Americans had the support of England’s enemies, especially the French!