The American Revolution

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The American Revolution 1775-1783
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On the Eve of the Revolution
Britain Americans
Advantages ? ?
Disadvantages ? ?
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Loyalist Strongholds
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Washingtons Headaches

• Only 1/3 of the colonists were in favor of a war
  for independence the other third were Loyalists,
  and the final third were neutral.
• State/colony loyalties.
• Congress couldnt tax to raise money for the
  Continental Army.
• Poor training (until the arrival of Baron von
  Steuben).

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Exports Imports 1768-1783
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Military Strategies
The Americans
The British

• Time/Attrition the Brits had a long supply line.
• Space Avoid pitched battles v. superior forces
  
• Gain official recognition from one of Britains
  enemies.

• Break the colonies in half by getting between the
  No. the So.
• Blockade the ports to prevent the flow of goods
  and supplies from an ally.
• Divide and Conquer enlist the Loyalists.

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Phase I The Northern Campaign1775-1776
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Bunker Hill (June, 1775)
The British suffered over 40 casualties.
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Phase II NY PA1777-1778
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New York City in Flames(1776)
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Washington Crossing the Delaware
Painted by Emanuel Leutze, 1851
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Saratoga Turning Point of the War?
A modern-day re-enactment
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Phase III The Southern Strategy 1780-1781
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Britains Southern Strategy

• Britain thought that there were more Loyalists in
  the South.
• Southern resources were more valuable/worth
  preserving.
• The British win a number of small victories, but
  cannot pacify the countryside similar to U. S.
  failures in Vietnam!
• Good US GeneralNathanial Greene

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The Battle of Yorktown (1781)
Count de Rochambeau
AdmiralDe Grasse
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Cornwallis Surrender at Yorktown
The World Turned Upside Down!
Painted by John Trumbull, 1797
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Why did the British Lose???
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The Decisive Factors

• The Alliance with France
• Washingtons Ability to Learn
• Space
• The Mediocrity of the British Commanders

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North America After theTreaty of Paris, 1783
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Why was Great Britain so Generous?

• They feared the growing American relations with
  France
• They wanted to be sure that America was big
  enough to maintain independence
• They still wanted to keep America as a viable
  market for trade

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Articles of Confederation Government 1781-1789
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Essential Question

• To what extent were the Articles of Confederation
  effective in solving the problems that confronted
  the new nation?

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Social Results of the Revolution

• Anti-Slavery Movements
• Criminal Code Reforms
• Separation of Church and State
• Education
• Land Reform

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Political Results of the Revolution

• Creation of State governments/written
  constitutions
• New constitutions placed more power in the
  legislative branch and less in the executive
  branch
• Political base broadened (more voters)
• Bicameral legislatures
• No Political Parties

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Occupational Composition of Several State
Assembliesin the 1780s
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Weaknesses of theArticles of Confederation

• A unicameral Congress 9 of 13 votes to pass a
  law
• Unanimous vote to amend.
• Representatives were frequently absent
• Could not tax
• No executive or judicial branches

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Indian Land Cessions1768-1799
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Disputed Territorial ClaimsBetween Spain the
U. S.1783-1796
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State Claims to Western Lands
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Land Ordinance of 1785
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Northwest Ordinance of 1787

• One of the major accomplishments of the
  Confederation Congress!
• Statehood achieved in three stages
• Congress appointed 3 judges a governor to
  govern the territory.
• When population reached 5,000 adult male
  landowners ? elect territorial legislature.
• When population reached 60,000 ? elect delegates
  to a state constitutional convention.

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The United States in 1787
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WholesalePriceIndex1770-1789
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American Exports, To From Britain 1783-1789
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Annapolis Convention (1786)

• 12 representatives from 5 statesNY, NJ, PA, DE,
  VA
• GOAL ? address barriers that limited trade and
  commerce between the states.
• Not enough states were represented to make any
  real progress.
• Sent a report to the Congress to call a meeting
  of all the states to meet in Philadelphia to
  examine areas broader than just trade and
  commerce.

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Shays Rebellion 1786-7

• Daniel Shays
• Western MA
• Small farmers angered by crushing debts and taxes.

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Shays Rebellion 1786-7
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Shays Rebellion 1786-7
There could be no stronger evidence of the want
of energy in our governments than these disorders.
-- George Washington
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Importance of the Articles

• Landmark in Government
• Steppingstone toward the Constitution
• Fought and won a war and concluded a favorable
  peace
• Weathered a depression and a rebellion
• Established long-standing policy on western lands

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The Constitutional Convention

• Origins
• Concern over Shays Rebellion
• Economic difficulties
• Lack of respect diplomatically
• Inability to amend the Articles

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The Constitutional Convention

• Areas of Agreement
• Sense of Urgency
• National government must be strengthened
• Tax
• Regulate trade foreign and interstate
• Act w/o consent of states
• Act through own agencies and departments
• Safeguards against abuse of power

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The Constitutional Convention

• Major Compromises
• Great Compromise
• Three-fifths Compromise
• Commerce Compromise

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Federalist vs. Anti-FederalistStrongholds at the
End of the War