British strategy: police action isolate and make an example of key rebels Geographic focus: Massachusetts Bay Actions: Coercive Acts & military occupation of Boston

Continental Congress another petition to Parliament aid to Boston Increased communication Committees of Correspondence New England: militia preparation “Minute Men” caches of arms and ammunition

Summer 1775: the Second Continental Congress Olive Branch Petition Declaration of the Reasons for Taking up Arms creation of the Continental Army appointment of Washington to lead it King George’s Proclamation of Rebellion destroyed most hopes for a diplomatic solution forced colonists to take sides January 1776: Thomas Paine’s Common Sense dual argument: for independence – the only legitimate option remaining against monarchy – intrinsically tyrannical June-July 1776: Congress votes for independence

Colonial protests had become a war for independence

British strategy: conventional war conquer and control the colonies Geographic focus: the Middle Colonies Actions: Massive army sent to occupy New York

August 1776: New York – humiliating American defeat British Army occupied NYC and all of New Jersey December 1776: Trenton & Princeton – inspiring American victory kept the Continental Army from disintegrating over the winter September 1777: Philadelphia – British occupation of the capital yields them nothing October 1777: Saratoga – critical American victory of the war captured an entire British army convinced France to intervene, first recognizing the US and then allying with them this alliance turned the entire war gave the Americans much-needed arms & supplies transformed the Revolution into a major European imperial war

British victories had yielded little concrete result, while its defeats had produced a French-American alliance British occupation tended to alienate the local population, demoralizing Loyalists and strengthening Patriots esp. due to crimes/violence against civilians

British strategy: transfer war to Loyalists set up loyal governments, colony by colony Geographic focus: the South Actions: Medium-sized army to Georgia, then north

Rapid conquest of Georgia  Loyalist government South Carolina  massive civil war, social breakdown mainly guerrilla fighting between Loyalist militias and Rebel “partisans” frequent atrocities – burning, pillaging, rape, murder British General Cornwallis – limited effectiveness/control 1780: US General Nathanael Greene Washington remained outside NYC Greene’s flight north supply lines Cornwallis’ new VA strategy October1781: Yorktown Continental Army, French fleet surrender of an entire British army end of major fighting in the US

Contributions to the protest movement boycotts pressure on men Wartime independence decision-making influence of Revolutionary principles/ideals Judith Sargent Murray, “On the Equality of the Sexes” (1790) Abigail Adams: “Remember the Ladies...” Republican Motherhood important political role but limited in its direct impact educational opportunities Legal reforms voting rights? property rights? (coverture)

the Iroquois British alliance – why? defeat  loss of diplomatic leverage end of Iroquois power & influence the Ohio Valley Westward migration led to significant conflict 1780s-1790s campaigns Fallen Timbers (1794)