The American Revolution (1775)

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The American Revolution(1775)
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I. First Continental Congress

1. Discuss acceptable forms of protest reaction
2. Assert the rights of colonials?repeal the
   Coercive Acts
3. Urged colonies to
4. Build up military reserves
5. Organize boycotts of British goods

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Declaration of Rights Grievances

• Sent to the king to correct the wrongs against
  the colonists
• Acknowledged parliament to regulate trade
  commerce
• The Associationboycott committees
• Agreed to meet May of 1775, if their grievances
  were not met.
• Parliament did not respond
• War would break out before the delegates could
  meet again.

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The Shot Heard Round the World!
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II. The Fight Begins

1. Lexington Concord
2. British General Thomas Gage
3. Seize armaments rebels in Concord
4. Minutemenwaited in Lexington to stop the British
   in their tracks
5. The shot heard around the world
6. Minutemen forced a treat of the British, 250 KIA

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Bunker Hill

• Bunker HillJune 17, 1775
• Colonists were defeated
• 1000 British KIA and WIA
• Significance
• Massive casualties on the British
• King declared the colonies in rebellion?declaratio
  n of war
• Hessians mercenaries (Germany) were hired by the
  king
• Colonists viewed this as a motive for a war of
  annihilation.

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Strengths/WeaknessesColonies vs. Britain

1. British Advantages
2. Larger population
3. Greater financial resources
4. Professional army
5. Large Navy
6. Indians generally allied with the British
7. Many Americans, Tories loyalists
8. Black, offered freedom, for service

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• British Disadvantages
• Britains military stretched thin
• European style of fighting
• 3,000 miles from home
• Destroy Washingtons Army

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• Colonial (Patriot) Advantages
• Fighting for liberty way of life
• Excellent Officers
• Guerilla Warfare
• French help after 1778
• Protracted warBritish lose their will

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• Colonial Disadvantages
• Smaller army
• Continental Congress had no power to tax or
  create currency
• Most Americans Loyalists or indifferent
• Supply shortages
• A long war

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Who is easier to see and shoot?
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The Second Continental Congress(1775)
Olive Branch Petition
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IV. Second Continental Congress

1. May 1775
2. Congress drew up military plans
3. Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of
   Taking Up Arms
4. American army, led by Washington
5. American navy, disrupt British shipping

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• Olive Branch Petition
• Last gesture of peace to stop war
• July 1775
• Reasserted colonial loyalty to the crown?asked
  King George III to intervene with Parliament on
  their behalf
• The king refused

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V. Common Sense

1. Thomas Paine, Jan. 1776
2. Read all over (120,000 sold)
3. Attacked the entire system of monarchy and empire
4. Monarchy hereditary succession have laid the
   world in blood ashes

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Common Sense (contd)

1. Used Lockes natural rights to justify British
   rebellion
2. It would be contrary to common sense to allow the
   injustices to continue

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Richard Henry Lee
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VI. Declaration of Independence (1776)

1. Richard Henry Lee-Lees Resolution
2. American colonies should be independent states
3. Confederate form of government formed for future
   discussion
4. Foreign relations should begin with other
   countries

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Declaration of Independence (1776) (contd)

• John Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson (who
  wrote the declaration)
• Enlightenment (Locke) influence
• 1st part (includes Preamble)
• Necessity of independence for basic natural laws
  and rights
• 2nd part
• Lists abuses/maltreatments of the king and his
  gov.

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• 6. July 4, 1776-formally approved
• 7. Before the Declaration of Independence was
  signed, a committee was appointed to draft the
  1st constitutionthe ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION!!!

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VII. Independence (Not Dependence)

1. Patriots--independence
2. Loyalists or Toriessided with Great Britain
3. Indifferent

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VIII. Battle of Saratoga

1. Albany, NY, 1777
2. British Gen. Burgoyne defeated by General Horatio
   Gates
3. Turning Point
4. France joined the Americans

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IX. Battle of Yorktown the Treaty of Paris 1783

1. Yorktown, 1781
2. Last major battle of the Revolution
3. Washington the French force the surrender of
   British General Cornwallis

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Battle of Yorktown the Treaty of Paris 1783
(contd)

• At Paris 1783
• Formal recognition of the United States as a
  country
• Boundary stretched west to the Mississippi River
• Fishing rights off Newfoundland
• Americans agreed to repay debts to British
  merchants
• Promise not to punish Loyalists that remain in
  the U.S.

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New National Symbols