(AKA – The American War for Independence)

Revolutionary War – Military American Revolution – Social

Britain StrengthsWeaknesses Loyalists in ColoniesDistance Superior NavyLack of enlisted soldiers Formidable ArmyFinancial Strain Population in EnglandEventual lack of public support Many enemies

United States of America StrengthsWeaknesses State militiasLoyalists/Slaves DeclarationFew well trained soldiers New alliesLack of supplies Persistence/courage

Summer, 1776 – Warships arrive in New York Harbor Led by brothers General William Howe and Admiral Richard, Lord Howe End of 1776 – William Howe captures ¼ of Washington’s men. Force Washington to retreat into Pennsylvania

12/25/1776 – Washington attacks Hessian fort in Trenton, NJ 1/3/1777 – Washington attacks British troops at Princeton, NJ

Significance of Trenton and Princeton… Boosted morale all around British would pretty much flee NJ and head for the Big Apple. American forts built in Morristown, NJ by Washington NJ Loyalists were disarmed; leaders jailed

Post-Jersey battles – Marquis de Lafayette joins Washington (19 years old) Lets Americans know that France is paying attention

King Louis’ proof is in Saratoga… Summer 1777 – Colonel Barry St. Leger marches south along Lake Ontario; General Burgoyne will come from Quebec. Ft. Stanwix – 750 Continentals hold off 1,900 British Burgoyne captures Ticonderoga (8,300 troops/Hessians) General Horatio Gates fights two battles in Saratoga 10/17/1777 Burgoyne and 5,800 troops surrender

FRANCE IS IN! February 1778 – France recognizes United States June 1778 – France joins the American cause Victory at Saratoga shows American possibility June, 1779 – Spain joins war as a French ally Holland was united against England, allying with America

August, 1777 – 16,000 Continental troops occupy Philadelphia; General Howe lands 18,000 troops near Philadelphia September 11, 1777 – Armies meet at Brandywine Creek, PA. October 4 – Howe defeats Washington again at Germantown, PA Washington retreats to Valley Forge.

Can’t forage at Valley Forge Winter, – Washington and army stay at Valley Forge Baron Friedrich von Steuben arrives from Prussia and trains the army. Daily training and drills increase effectiveness and confidence in army

June, 1778 – British leave Philadelphia for NY June 28 – Washington catches up to British at Monmouth Court House, NJ General Henry Clinton retreats to NYC This victory ends the battle for the North

Tensions between settlers and Natives are high 1776 – Cherokee begin attacking settlers in NC; settlers strike back by burning most towns. Settlers force most Cherokee to sign treaties giving up most land in SC, and some land in NC and TN

Feb, Colonel George Rogers Clark leads KY militia north of OH river and take Vincennes. May, 1779 – John Bowman leads militia and destroys Shawnee villages August, Daniel Brodhead destroys Delaware and Seneca

Pro-British Iroquois – led by Mohawk Joseph Brant 1778 – Brant campaigns through PA and NY frontiers 1779 – General John Sullivan attacks Iroquois villages, fights one battle (near Elmira, NY) Defeat Brant, burn several dozen villages, destroy corn 1780 – Brant’s warriors attack Tuscarora and Oneida and spend 2 years attacking in PA and NY

England shifts focus to South Needs to secure ports to transport troops to West Indies easier Spring 1778 – British troops from E. FL take over GA May 1780 – Clinton takes over Charles Town, SC

August 13, 1780 – Lord Charles Cornwallis effortlessly defeats American forces at Camden, SC. Gates is relieved of command; Nathaniel Greene is new Southern Commander March-September, 1781 – fights and loses 3 battles Still causes Cornwallis to leave for VA

Cornwallis forms base at Yorktown, VA. August 30, 1781 – French fleet lands off VA coast Lafayette’s troops join French. Washington arrives with army from NY Sept 26 – October 17, 1781 – Siege and battle (yes, 21 days!) October 19, 1781 – Cornwallis and his troops surrender to allied forces.