Moving Towards Independence

1
The American Revolution

• Moving Towards Independence

2
Essential Questions

• Why did the American colonies choose to declare
  independence?
• What challenges did the revolutionaries face at
  the start of the war?
• How did the United States gain allies and aid
  during the Revolutionary War?
• How did fighting in the West and South affect the
  course of the War?
• How did the Battle of Yorktown lead to American
  Independence?

3
Do Now

• Have you ever read a book that changed your
  opinion on something important to you? Explain.

4
Consider This

• Today is it more or less likely for a book to
  have such an effect on a public issue? Explain.

5

• Occasionally a book is published that shifts
  public opinion concerning an important event.
• Common Sense by Thomas Paine was such a book.

6
Moving Toward Independence

• While many Patriots argued that Britain should
  stop its unfair taxation, Paine wrote that common
  sense determined that independence should be the
  American colonies goal.

7
Moving Towards Independence

• Common Sense was published in January 1776
  after the war had begun.
• Many Americans were still vacillating between
  whether they were willing to take the final step
  of separation from their mother country.
• It was Paines Common Sense that was rumored to
  have the single greatest influence on public
  opinion.

8
Why?

• Paine had a way of expressing the ideals of the
  Revolution in an understandable manner.
• This spurred on Patriot conventions throughout
  the colonies to urge independence.

9
The Crisis

• After writing Common Sense Pain joined the
  Continental Army in 1776 and published The
  Crisis, which was designed to inspire support for
  the war among the average American colonists.

10
What is the purpose of Common Sense?

• No colonial people had won their independence.
• Paine wrote that independence was Americas
  natural right.
• Paine first raises the oppositions argument and
  then explains why its wrong.
• He makes comparisons that everyone can understand
  mother-child relationship with the colonial
  relationship.

11

• What argument against independence did Paine
  consider first? How does he respond to this
  argument?

12

• How does he counter the argument that Britain
  protected its American colonies?

13

• For what, according to Paine, should Britain be
  ashamed?

14

• Who does he say is the parent of America? Why?

15

• What does Paine challenge American supporters of
  the British to do?

16

• For what two reasons does Paine think the
  colonies should separate from Britain?

17

• How does Paine think the connection of the
  American colonies with Britain affects the
  colonies relationship with other countries?

18

• How does Paine think this connection can affect
  trade relations?

19
Stop Jot

• Paine argues that the colonies would have grown
  even more economically if it were not for British
  control. Do you agree? Why or why not?

20
Sum Up

• What is the purpose of Common Sense?

21
Stop Jot

• How would someone loyal to the British crown
  respond to Common Sense? Were there benefits to
  remaining a part of the British Empire?

22
Charles Inglis' Response to Paine

• Ruthless war, with all its aggravated horrors,
  will ravage our once happy land our seacoasts
  and ports will be ruined, and our ships taken.
  Torrents of blood will be split, and thousands
  reduced to beggary and wretchedness.

23
The Colonies Declare Independence

• The Second Continental Congress meeting hall was
  filled with spirited discussion or debate over
  whether or not the colonies should declare
  themselves as an independent nation or whether to
  stay under British rule.

24
The Debate Over Independence

• Some thought the colonies were not ready to form
  a separate nation.
• Others argued that war had already begun.
• Still others feared Britains power to crush the
  rebellion.

25
Declaration of Independence

• As the debate continued a committee was chosen to
  draft a Declaration of Independence.
• Jefferson was selected to write the declaration
  and he drew some of his ideas from English
  philosopher John Locke in his arguments for
  freedom.

26
Declaration of Independence

• On July 2, 1776 the Congress finally voted for
  independence.
• 12 colonies voted for it. New York did not vote
  but later announced its support.
• A few changes were made and on July 4, 1776 the
  draft was approved.

27
Declaration Format

• The Declaration has four major sections
• Preamble introduction states that people who
  wish to form a new country should explain their
  reasons for doing so.
• The next sections list the rights the colonists
  believed they should have and their complaints
  against Britain.
• The final section proclaims the existence of the
  new nation.

28
The Revolutionary War

• Battle Summary

29
Lexington Concord

• April 18, 1775
• Lexington British victory
• Concord Patriot victory

30
Lexington Concord

• Importance Shot heard round the world
  Marked the beginning of the war for independence.
  Rebels stood up against the ominous British
  army.
• About 8 minutemen laid dead As the British
  moved on to Concord to confiscate supplies, they
  arrived to find the majority had been removed.
  From there they were turned back at the North
  Bridge by the militia.
• Guerilla warfare enforced by Patriots causing
  heavy casualties for the British.

31
Bunker Hill

• June 16, 1775
• British Victory
• Importance General Prescott Dont fire until
  you see the whites of their eyes. The Patriots
  caused the British to retreat twice. However,
  after running out of gunpowder the Patriots had
  to withdraw. After, suffering heavy losses, the
  British realized that defeating the Americans on
  the battlefield would be a struggle.

32
Battle of Long Island

• August 1776
• British Victory
• Importance General Howe sent 32,000 British
  troops to New York very well aware of the heavy
  Loyalist population. With fewer than 20,000
  troops George Washington was outnumbered and
  outmaneuvered. While the patriots showed
  bravery, they also lost because they ran out of
  supplies but they were able to retreat to
  Manhattan and then across New Jersey into Penn.
  to temporarily escape the British. (Scan Map)

33
Trenton Princeton

• December 25, 1776
• Patriot Victory
• Importance Washington launched a surprise attack
  on the British Stationed in Penn, Washington
  and 2,400 troops crossed the Delaware River,
  surprised them at Trenton the next day and then
  marched on to Princeton causing the British to
  retreat.

34
Trenton Princeton

• Washingtons troops gained confidence
• Continental Army won needed supplies
• New enlistments and reenlistments rose

35
Saratoga

• October, 1777
• Patriot Victory
• Importance Desperate for supplies, Burgoyne
  retreated to Saratoga thinking hed have success
  in taking over the Hudson River, but the British
  troops he expected never arrived. As a result
  Horatio Gates was able to block Burgoynes path
  to the south and became surrounded by a larger
  army than his own. On October 17th, 1777Burgoyne
  surrendered. Turning Point in North.

36
Battle at Greensboro, NC

• Greene united the militia and the continental
  army in March 1781 at Guilford Courthouse.
• Cornwallis thought he was just to fight the
  militia, but as they retreated the militia led
  the British regulars into a trap the remaining
  regiments of the continental army was there
  waiting ready to push them back.
• General Cornwallis was forced to abandon the
  Carolina campaign and made his way to Virginia
  where the French would be waiting.

37
Yorktown

• October 19, 1781
• Patriot Victory
• Importance Washington followed the reports of
  the fighting in the South and knew Cornwallis was
  stationed in Yorktown, VA. Keeping it a secret
  Washington and Rochambeau rushed to the south
  with their armies. The French already had the
  British closed off on the Yorktown peninsula.
  Cornwallis was surrounded and was forced to
  surrender. It was the battle that convinced the
  British that the war was too costly to continue.

38
The Treaty of Paris 1783

• Great Britain recognized the United States as an
  independent nation.
• Withdrew troops from American Territory
• Agreed to give Americans the right to fish off
  the coast of Canada.
• U.S. agreed that British merchants could collect
  debts that the Americans owed them.
• Advised that Congress would prompt the states to
  return properties taken from Loyalists.

39
Stop Jot

• Why did the Americans win the war?

40
American Advantages

• Fought on their own land British brought troops
  overseas.
• Knew local terrain and where to ambush British.
• French allies supplied them with soldiers,
  ships and loans.
• Spanish allies Mississippi Valley and along the
  Gulf of Mexico.

41
American Advantages Influence

• Passion peoples movement not just
  dependent on one battle but on the determination
  and spirit of all Patriots and those striving for
  freedom.