THE END OF THE WAR! Chapter 7 sections 3 and 4

The End of the War  In 1781 Lord Cornwallis set up his base at Yorktown.  Washington saw this as golden opportunity.  He asked a large French fleet that was just arriving to block Chesapeake Bay.  The French blockade prevented the British from receiving supplies and from escaping!

Battle of Yorktown  In the Battle of Yorktown, American and French troops bombarded Yorktown with cannon fire.  Cornwallis had no way out!

Surrender!  On October 19, 1781 Cornwallis surrendered!  Yorktown was the last major battle of the war!

Why the Americans Won!  American Disadvantages:  They lacked training and experience.  They were often short on supplies and weapons.  British Disadvantages  British Generals were cocky and made poor decisions.  The British did not know the land.

Why the Americans Won!  British Advantages:  Their Army was among the best in the world.  They were well supplied and experienced.  American Advantages:  Better Leadership- Our generals were smart!  Foreign Aid- foreign loans and military aid from France!  Geographic Advantage-we knew the land!  Motivation-They were fighting for their lives, property and freedom!

The End!  The Treaty of Paris of 1783 ended the Revolutionary War.

The Treaty of Paris-6 Conditions  Most signification-The US was INDEPENDENT!  New Boundaries- the Mississippi River on the west, Canada to the north, and Spanish Fl. To the south.  The US could fish off Canada’s Atlantic Coast.  All sides agreed to repay its debts.  British would return any enslaved people they had captured.  Congress would recommend that states return property seized from Loyalists.

Neither side followed through!  America did not  Repay the prewar debts they owed the British.  Return confiscated loyalist property.  Great Britain did not  Return runaway slaves.  Give up military outposts.

Costs of War.  25,700 Americans Died, 10,000 British died.  Many who survived left the army with no money.  The war left us about $27 MILLION in debt.  Thousands of loyalists lost their property and many of them left the US.

Issues after the War.  Before the war the colonies demanded their rights as English citizens, now they replace that goal with the idea of republicanism!  Meaning instead of a King, the people rule.  Only men were allowed to vote. Many states abolished laws that stated Jews and Catholics could not hold office.  Many began to see conflict between slavery and liberty.

Slavery After the War  Vermont outlawed slavery.  Pennsylvania agreed to free the slaves gradually.  Elizabeth Freeman sued for her freedom in Massachusetts and won!