Essential Question:

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• Essential Question
• What factors caused the British to fail in what
  should have been an easy campaign to subdue the
  American rebels?
• RQ 7A (202-217) 

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The Decision to Fight For Independence
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Decision for Independence
The Battle of Bunker Hill (Breeds Hill)
demonstrated that Americans were willing to stand
up to a pitched battle

• The Lexington Concord skirmish was the 1st of a
  series of conflicts from 1775 to 1776 before the
  American call for independence
• Fighting erupted around Boston, NY, Charlestown,
  Quebec
• The 2nd Continental Congress met to organize a
  war plan
• King George declared the colonists in open
  rebellion

In early 1776, both Spain France began shipping
war supplies to colonists
Despite growing calls for independence, the
congress issued the Olive Branch Petition to King
George in July 1775
King George rejected the Olive Branch Petition in
August 1775
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Battle of Bunker Hill (Breeds Hill) June 17,
1775
With over 1,000 casualties, the British suffered
their greatest losses of the Revolution at Bunker
Hill
A few more such victories would have shortly put
an end to British dominion in America British
General Henry Clinton
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Decision for Independence

• By 1776, the 2nd Continental Congress served as
  an informal national govt for the colonies
• But the majority of colonists were undecided
  about independence
• Thomas Paines Common Sense proved to be the key
  factor in convincing Americans to support
  colonial independence

Challenged royal infallibility
Persuaded ordinary people to sever ties with
England its royal brute
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By 1776, colonial sentiment had changed
On June 7, 1776 Richard Henry Lee of
VA introduced a resolution to the Continental
Congress that these United
Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and
independent States... After
several days of debate, Congress appointed a
committee to draft a declaration of independence
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Declaration of Independence (1776)
Committee to draft the Declaration Thomas
Jefferson, Ben Franklin, John Adams, Robert
Livingston, Roger Sherman
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Decision for Independence

• On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted
  for independence
• On July 4, the Declaration of Independence was
  signed The Declarations purpose was to
• Justify the Americans desire to separate from
  England
• Articulate the principles on which the new nation
  would be established

Democratic ideals (republicanism)
Natural rights individual liberty
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Independence Hall at the Second
Continental Congress
The Declaration of Independence was NOT signed
like this!
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The Decision for Independence

• The colonists were divided about this decision
  for independence
• Supporters of independence were called Patriots
  or Whigs
• Colonists that opposed independence were called
  Loyalists or Tories
• There were many neutral colonists who were
  conflicted by the prospect of independence

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Patriots vs. Loyalists

• Where are the Loyalists?
• Why are Loyalists near cities?
• Why is the backcountry so contested?
• Why are Indians loyalists?

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Fighting the Warfor Independence
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The Outbreak of Revolution

• The British entered the war confident of a
  complete victory
• Their army was 400 larger well-trained solders,
  experienced officers, Hessian mercenaries
• Strong manufacturing base
• The worlds most dominant navy
• Believed the 1776 battles were a police action
  the show of force would force rebels to submit

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The Outbreak of Revolution

• In reality, England faced an impossible task
• Their long supply lines across the Atlantic would
  not be able to provide timely provisions
• The American terrain was large
• To win, the English had to find defeat the
  Continental Army
• Underestimated the colonial commitment to
  independence

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The American Revolution, 1775-1781

• Where was the American Revolution fought?

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Building a Professional Army

• Washingtons task was to defend as much territory
  as possible
• Relied on guerrilla tactics avoided all-out-war
  with Britain
• Washingtons Continental Army served as the
  symbol of the republican cause
• But, colonial militias played a major role in
  forcing neutrals to support the Revolution

As long as England did not defeat the Continental
Army, England could not win
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Slaves Indians in the War

• Black slaves supported whoever seemed likely to
  deliver freedom
• Northern slaves supported the colonists who
  offered freedom for any slave who fought
• Southern slaves typically supported Britain
• Native Americans feared colonial expansion
  overwhelmingly supported Britain

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The Variety of Colonial Soldiers
The Continental Army had 2 all-black regiments
composed of Northern slaves
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Women in the War

• Womens role in the revolution
• Supported their husbands sons in enlisting in
  militias
• Ran business affairs continued boycotting
  English goods while men fought (i.e. Abigail
  Adams)
• Created propaganda (political satires by Mercy
  Otis Warren)
• Some helped in the battlefield (Molly Pitcher)

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Differing Military Strategies
The Americans
The British

• Divide Conquer
• Use Loyalists
• Encourage slave revolts
• Seize property
• Break the colonies in half by dividing the North
  South
• Blockade the ports to prevent trade with American
  allies

• Win a war of attrition
• England had long supply lines
• Colonials did not have to win just had to wear
  down the British
• Guerilla tactics
• Make an alliance with one of Britains enemies

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The Early Years 1776-1777

• The initial battles of the revolution went badly
  for Americans
• British General Howe forced Washington to retreat
  at New York putting the Americans on the run
• Gen Howe issued a general pardon to all
  Americans who swore an oath of allegiance to
  George III thousands did so

Colonial militias retaliated against those who
deserted the patriot cause
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The Early Years 1776-1777
Howe captured New York
Captured Philadelphia

• The British strategy remained to fight a major
  decisive battle but Continental Army was
  elusive
• Despite British victories 1,000s of colonial
  oaths of allegiance, Washington kept fighting
• Won small victories that renewed American wartime
  morale
• Won at Saratoga in 1777

Washingtons army almost starved at Valley Forge
Took Trenton
Took Princeton
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British Seizure Burning of New York, 1776
Crossing the Delaware in route to a surprise
attack at Trenton Princeton, 1776
The Turning Point of the Revolution
The Battle of Saratoga, 1777
Near Starvation at Valley Forge, PA in 1778
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The French Alliance
A lot of these points were negotiated by none
other than Ben Franklin
AndEngland now has to worry about a possible
(yet remote) invasion of England by France

• Since 1775, the French covertly aided Americans
  with supplies
• But after the victory at Saratoga
• France recognized America as a new, independent
  republic
• France promised to pressure England to agree to
  American independence after wars end
• France relinquished all of its claims to
  territory in America

The turning point of the war!!
In 1778, England offered to remove all
parliamentary legislation vowed never to impose
revenue taxes on the colonists again
The Continental Congress refused the offer
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The Final Campaign

• By 1781, Washington pushed the Redcoats towards
  Yorktown (VA) where General Cornwallis was caught
  between the Continental Army the French navy
• On October 19, 1781 Cornwallis surrendered the
  English still controlled NY Charles Town but
  the fighting virtually ended

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American Victory at Yorktown
Cornwallis surrender was the day the world
turned upside down
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The Loyalist Dilemma

• Loyalists believed in liberty too, but feared
  that independence would breed anarchy in America
• Loyalists were treated poorly
• The English never fully trusted the Loyalists
• Patriots seized their property imprisoned
  executed others
• More than 100,000 Loyalists left America when the
  war ended

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The Treaty of Paris, 1783
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The Treaty of Paris (1783)

• The Treaty of Paris in 1783 was negotiated with
  England by Franklin, John Adams, John Jay
• The terms included
• Full American independence
• All territory east of Mississippi River, between
  Canada FL
• The removal of the British army from U.S. claims
  in America
• Fishing rights in the Atlantic

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North America after the Treaty of Paris, 1763
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North America after the Treaty of Paris, 1783
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Preserving Independence

• After 176 years of British rule, the American
  Revolution began the construction of a new form
  of government
• But...will the new United States be a government
  of the elite or a government of the people?
• HW To what degree did 1776 bring about a social
  revolution?