The Revolution Chapter 6

Pick A Side 1/5 th Patriots – New England & VA 2/5 th Loyalists – NY and Carolinas 2/5 th Neutral – Pennsylvania: Quaker pacifists African-Americans fought on both sides depending on who was promising freedom. In the South, more slaves joined the British army.

Patriot Forces Most American males served in local militia (protection from Indians) Patriots seized control of community militias – becomes harder to be neutral Continental Army – suffered casualty rates as high as 40% Issues Shortages of food and pay Discipline & training

Loyalists British colonial officials, Anglican clergy, Indians and others About 50,000 fought for the King and 80,000 fled the country after the war

Early Battles British want to cut New England off from other colonies Drive Washington out of NYC and into New Jersey Christmas Eve Patriot victory at Trenton – Crossing the Delaware River British strategy fails at Battle of Saratoga

Battle of Saratoga Ends British strategy France signs Treaty of Alliance France helps with naval support and British must withdraw troops from mainland to protect their colonies in Caribbean Continental ships raid British merchant ships

Valley Forge Winter of 1777 Bitter struggle for survival Unites Patriots

End of War Britain shifts attention to South Captures Charleston Plundering of Americans to feed the army upsets colonists – turns more to Patriots

Battle of Yorktown Patriots trap British while French close the trap by preventing evacuation by sea Support of Parliament ends Peace negotiations begin in 1782

Treaty of Paris 1783 Ben Franklin, John Adams, John Jay Withdrawal of British troops Land to Mississippi River and fishing rights in Atlantic

Articles of Confederation One branch – legislative – one house Congress Every state has one vote 3/4 th must agree for a law Unanimous approval required for changes to government Government could not tax Ratification delayed 3 yrs by MD over western land claims – 8 states ceded land to federal government

Articles of Confederation Debt Congress financed the Revolution mainly by issuing $200 million in paper currency States also issued another $200 million Runaway Inflation Need to pay soldiers and also pensions for officers

Newburgh Conspiracy Army in NY waiting for treaty to be completed before disbanding Loss of faith in government leads to talk of a military coup Gen. Washington ’ s response "Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have not only grown gray but almost blind in the service of my country." Shames conspirators into refraining from mutiny

Western Land issues Land Ordinance of 1785 Surveyed land in Ohio Valley for sale by government Northwest Ordinance of states Banned slavery north of the Ohio River

State Governments Most had 2 house legislatures, a governor and a court system States wrote guarantees of freedoms patterned after Virginia ’ s Declaration of Rights States abolished aristocratic inheritance customs like primogeniture & entail Separation of church and state PA dropped property requirements for voting

Rights of Minorities Slaves & Free Blacks PA, MA, CT, NY & NJ abolish slavery by 1805 – gradually dies out in NH & RI Upper South relaxes ban on emancipation Free blacks build community of churches, schools Women Seen as the educators of patriotic values in children

Economic Woes Economic depression Inflation High prices led to food riots Britain dumped surplus goods Lack of hard currency – farmers ask for laws requiring creditors to accept goods and commodities

Shays ’ Rebellion Daniel Shays – MA farmer Farmers in western MA close courts to prevent foreclosures and imprisonment of debtors release debtors from prisons Governor orders militias from eastern MA to put down rebellion Faced with a strong military presence backed by the state, the rebellion disintegrates Underlying problems remain & lead some to call for a stronger federal government