Chapter 4 Section 4 Independence

Savannah and Charles Town Britain moved the war to the south because they believed that most people living in the Southern Colonies were Loyalists After fighting for 3 years in the North, the British were no closer to victory Even though the British had captured some cities in the North, they could not control the countryside Believed that if they gained territory in the South, the Loyalists there would help them hold on to it

Savannah and Charles Town The British expected that the Southern slaves would also be on their side Promised to grant slaves willing to fight for the British freedom Even though thousands of African American slaves did join the British, not all received their freedom Some British officers sold African Americans into slavery in the West Indies

Savannah and Charles Town British also moved the war south so that they could be closer to their West Indian colonies Southern seaports were closer to the West Indies where British troops were stationed December 1778: British capture the port of Savannah and using it as a base were able to conquer most of Georgia In 1780, General Henry Clinton forces Charles Town (now Charleston) to surrender Worst American defeat of the war

The Swamp Fox and Guerilla Fighting After the loss of Charles Town, General Horatio Gates is assigned to form a new Southern army Hero of Saratoga Headed for Camden, South Carolina to challenge British General Lord Cornwallis On the way, met a group of backcountry Patriots Leader was Francis Marion, called “The Swamp Fox” Provided Gates and his soldiers useful information about the Carolina swamp lands Gates sent Marion and his men to destroy boats on the Santee River This cut British communication to Charles Town

The Swamp Fox and Guerilla Fighting August 1780: Gates army runs into British troops outside of Camden Americans in no shape to fight-out of supplies and starving Gates put his men on the front lines, which was disastrous His men fled and so did he Terrible defeat Ended Gates’s term as head of an army Morale reached a new low

The Swamp Fox and Guerilla Fighting After Camden, the British set out for Charles Town with American prisoners Marion and his men overwhelmed the British and freed the prisoners From a base in the swamp, Marion’s men were able to cut the British supply line using methods of a guerilla warfare. Small bands of fighters who weaken the enemy with surprise raids and hit-and-run attacks Both Patriots and Loyalists formed guerilla bands in the South and both sides conducted vicious raids

The Tide Turns Under Greene’s command, Americans avoided larger battles British had the edge in large battles because of superior firepower Americans let the British chase them around the countryside and wear them out When fighting occurred, they made sure that the British suffered heavy losses War enters sixth year of fighting Many British opposed to the war Begin to think that American independence isn’t so bad

The End of the War 1781: Most of the fighting took place in Virginia British General Cornwallis set up base at Yorktown along the Chesapeake Bay From there, the British could receive supplies from New York Washington seized the opportunity General Lord Cornwallis

The End of the War August 1781: Large French fleet arrives from the West Indies and blocked Chesapeake Bay Prevented British from receiving supplies and from escaping Washington and French commander General Jean Rochambeau marched south and trapped Cornwallis on the peninsula When British ships tried to reach Cornwallis, French ships drove them back

The End of the War The Battle of Yorktown American and French troops bombarded Yorktown with cannon fire Cornwallis was forced to surrender Continental Army captured 8,000 British soldiers – the largest British Army in America Yorktown was the last major battle of the American Revolution

Treaty of Paris Britain would officially recognize America as an independent nation Set America’s borders to the Mississippi River Britain accepts America's right to settle and trade west of the Appalachians. Britain returns Florida to Spain