7.2 The War Expands

Learning Targets 3. Be able to identify reasons why Spain and France entered the war.  Be able to explain why the expansion of the war weakened the British attempts to defeat the Americans 4. Be able to explain how and why fighting spreads to the frontier.

Help From Abroad  France was still biter over their defeat in the French and Indian War  France provided, money, supplies, and troops.  France convinced Spain to do the same  France and Spain forced the British to fight on several fronts thus dividing its attention from the Americans  France and Spain also wanted to expand its empire and weaken Great Britain.  Spain attacked the British from Louisiana (the South) General Bernardo de Galvez captured Natchez (1779), Baton Rouge(1779), Pensacola (1781) and Mobile (1781).

Marquis de Lafayette  He volunteered to serve in Washington’s Army for no pay.  Lafayette was a 19 year old French aristocrat who wanted a military career  Lafayette was given the command of an army division and quickly gained Washington’s confidence.  He won his men’s respect and love by sharing their hardships.  Called “the soldiers friend” because he used his own wealth to buy clothes for his troops and lived with the troops.  He persuaded King Louis the XVI to send a 6000 man army.  Baron de Kalb came with Lafayette

Valley Forge  Winter 1777 and 1778  Valley Forge symbolizes the great hardships Americans endured Not enough Food, Clothing, shoes or Medicine Not enough Food, Clothing, shoes or Medicine Some only had a blanket to cover themselvesSome only had a blanket to cover themselves ¼ died of malnutrition, exposure, or diseases. ¼ died of malnutrition, exposure, or diseases. ¼ desert or runaway from the army ¼ desert or runaway from the army  The rest remained despite the hardships because of the “Love of their Country”.  They stayed for their love of their officers’ especially Washington  They stayed for their loyalty to each other.

Valley Forge Continued  New Year’s Day a group of Philadelphia women drove ten teams of oxen into camp with supplies and the oxen were used as food  The Army also finally gets Trained. Baron Von Steuben trains 100 soldiers in military drill who then trained thousands of others Baron Von Steuben trains 100 soldiers in military drill who then trained thousands of others  The hardships and the training create the Army that Washington needs to finally take on the British.

“Frontier” Fighting  The region between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River.  George Rogers Clark persuade Virginia’s governor, Patrick Henry to allow him to raise and Army  Clark won battles at Kaskaskia, Ft Sackville (Vincennes) and Cahokia  Clark wanted to expand the war against the British and force them to fight on another front  To give the US claim to the Territory from the Appalachians to the Mississippi River

The War at Sea  The Americans had no organized navy. They hired privateers to attack British merchant ships They hired privateers to attack British merchant ships at one time their was more than a 1000 American Privateersat one time their was more than a 1000 American Privateers A privateer is privately owned ship that has been granted permission by a government to attack the enemy’s shipsA privateer is privately owned ship that has been granted permission by a government to attack the enemy’s ships These Privateers captured hundreds of British ships causing many British merchants to call an end to the War. These Privateers captured hundreds of British ships causing many British merchants to call an end to the War. John Paul Jones was the most famous American Privateer John Paul Jones was the most famous American Privateer Jones attacked ships along the British Coast.Jones attacked ships along the British Coast. He won against the bigger British warship the Serapis. Stating the Famous quote “I have not yet begun to fight” when ordered to surrender by the British commander.He won against the bigger British warship the Serapis. Stating the Famous quote “I have not yet begun to fight” when ordered to surrender by the British commander.  It was another way that the Americans spread out the British making them fight on more than one front