The American Revolution

Presentation Overview Colonial Advantages British Advantages Colonial & British Disadvantages Decisive Colonial victories Results of war War Deaths in Perspective

British Advantages Professional Army & Navy Hessian (German) assistance (30,000) Loyalist & Native American support Strong central government More ch-ching $$$$

Colonial Advantages Desire to be free Popular support Knowledge of land and use of guns French alliance Defensive War strategy Guerilla tactics

Disadvantages British Getting supplies to America Mediocre Generals Debt Troops indifferent Colonial Lack of money Poorly trained army

Decisive Colonial Victories Battle of Saratoga (Oct. 1777) 6,000 British surrender Gain French and later Spanish & Dutch assistance Battle of Yorktown (Oct. 1781) 7,500 British surrender Lose will to fight

Results of War Sense of nationalism Ideas of government strengthened Government to protect property Government a product of those governed Articles of Confederation created

Results of War - Treaty of Paris (1783 ) U.S. recognized as independent state Fishing rights off Canada granted to U.S. British troops to leave “with all convenient speed” U.S. to compensate Loyalists Florida - Spain

Challenges facing the U.S. Articles of Confederation (1777) Weak central government Inability to collect taxes No military or president Reestablish economy Problems with Spain - use of Mississippi

U.S. War Deaths in Thousands

U.S. War Deaths WarYearsDeaths Revolutionary ,000 War of ,000 Mexican-American ,283 Civil War ,000 World War I ,002 World War II ,339 Vietnam ,151 First Gulf War Afghanistan/Iraq War present4000+