Revolutionary War Notes

A Country Divided 2/5th - Patriots Mostly in New England and VA

A Country Divided 1/5th- Loyalits= Tories Mostly in NY and South

Colonies Divided Native Americans African Americans Have to decide which side will treat them best if they win

Americans- Disadvantages Had to start Army/Navy from Scratch No formal government to make decisions Scarce supplies: money, clothing, food, guns, ammo

Americans-Advantages Better leadership-Washington “Home Field Advantage” Tactics/Strategy-guerilla warfare Foreign Aid- France as an ally Motivated to save own land Cause=Independence Control of Countryside

British Disadvantages Far away from Britain, sending orders, getting news takes 2 months Fought using old strategies-unwilling to change Has a worldwide empire to worry about

British Advantages Best Army and Navy in the world Also 30,000 hired mercenaries Superior weapons Controlled major cities (NY and Boston) Richest nation in the world Strong and organized government

Early Strategies-American Score early victories to show they were for real Keep army away from major cities Drum up support-gain more patriots Gain foreign allies-France, Spain Make British taxpayers grow weary of paying for war

Early Strategies-British Occupy major coastal cities-take advantage of better Navy Drum up Loyalist support Crush the Continental Army before it has a chance to gain momentum

War in the North Patriots drive British from Boston, NYC Britain gets serious about war, sends huge amount of troops, ships, supplies Britain kicks patriots out of NYC Begins a year of defeats for Washington and Continentals

Trenton Dec. 25, 1776 Continentals are in bad shape after many losses, casualties, few supplies Most soldiers enlistments ending If Washington does not take immediate action the revolution is likely over

Trenton Washington’s bold plan- cross Delaware River on Christmas night Surprise attack on German Hessians Result: 30 Hessians killed, 918 Captured Result: Only 4 Colonists killed Result: Many guns, ammo captured. Supplies, Result: Major morale boost for Washington and Continental Army

Trenton

Princeton Jan. 3, 1777 Washington builds on success, attacks 1200 British and captures or kills 1/3 Only 40 Continental casualties

3 Reasons Trenton and Princeton were major victories 1. Boosted Patriot morale 2. Britain left New Jersey- remains in Patriot hands the rest of the war 3. Continental Army gains much needed supplies and weapons

The Revolutionary War 1777-1778 Major Battles

Saratoga Oct. 17, 1777 Part of British Army had gone to Canada to attack from the North They were supposed to meet up with main British Army in NYC The Continentals defeated the British in several battles around Saratoga

Saratoga British surrendered 5800 men, supplies Is a major turning point in war towards a Patriot victory France sees success and becomes and ally, sending troops and $$ Later Spain joins fight against British as well--global war for British!

Valley Forge, Penn..

Valley Forge In late 1777, British force Continentals out of Philadelphia They set up a winter camp at Valley Forge, PA Very poor conditions- few supplies, food, not proper clothing for winter 1/4 died from starvation, cold, disease

Baron Von Steuban Prussian Officer helped instill discipline in the Continental Army @ Valley forge Troops loved him! Cont. Army becomes formidable fighting force=Battle of Monmouth

Ch. 7 Sec. 2 Reading Quiz 1. In 1778 and 1779, the Patriots signed a treaty of Alliance with what two countries? 2. Namesome hardships endured at Valley Forge. 3. What is a bayonet? 4. George Rogers Clark led the Patriots fighting in what region of the colonies? 5. Describe the contributions of John Paul Jones to the Patriot cause.

American Navy Built from scratch- few in numbers Each colony had its own small navy Pay: $32/month for captain $8/month for seamen Bounties- 1/2 of profits from British warships

American Navy At the beginning of the war the British control the seas Changes when France and Spain enter the war to help the Americans John Paul Jones- “I have not yet begun to fight”- took the war at sea to Britain Privateers: A privately owned ship that a wartime government gives permission to attach an enemy’s merchant ships

War on Frontier George Rogers Clark- 24 yr old Travels through PA, OH, IN, IL Recruits soldiers along the way Captures British forts at Kaskaskia, Vincennes Gave a huge amount of land to the Americans

War in the South- Whigs vs. Tories Whigs: loyal to the Continental Congress Tories: British loyalists and sympathizers Most brutal acts of war occurred between Whigs and Tories in the South Excuse to repay old grudges British army much more successful in South- captured Savannah and Charlestown

Swamp Fox Francis Marion- led a band of about 20 patriots on horseback Used guerrilla tactics Cut British supply lines, communications Nathaniel Greene replaces Gates Americans lead British on chase all through South, wasting British time and money=

Yorktown Washington’s Army & French Navy Trap Cornwallis Oct 19 1781 Cornwallis Surrenders 8000 men 1783 Treaty of Paris

Why the Americans won the war: 1)Better Leadership: pg 196 G. Washington learned from mistakes, never lost his army, guerilla war ｷ Poor British generals, Burgoyne Foreign Aid: France, Spain, Holland=Britain was fighting a GLOBAL WAR Knowledge of the Land British could control coastal cities, but NOT THE COUNTRYSIDE Motivation: Americans= Liberty, homes, family, freedom, property British= Paycheck To summarize, the Americans simply wore the British down.

Casualties Inaccurate records 25,000 Patriots/10,000 British killed 6004 wounded Does not count those dying from disease, starvation, freezing

Financing the War Most difficult problem for the Americans No money in treasury No authority to tax $1 in paper money was worth 2 cents America left deeply in debt after war- $27 million

Treaty of Paris- 1783 Britain acknowledges American independence Boundaries: W. to Mississippi, N. to Canada, S. to Florida Each side repays any war debts British return captured slaves-reality

Fate of Loyalists Approx. 80,000 left America 4,000 African Americans went to Canada Many lost land, money, property