1. The American Revolution Section 3
Chapter 4
U.S. History
Mr. Kissam

2. The Struggle for Liberty
The Big Idea
Patriot forces faced many obstacles
in the war against Britain.
Main Ideas
Many Americans supported the war effort.
The Patriots both won and lost battles during the years
France and Spain helped the Patriots fight the British.
The winter at Valley Forge tested the strength of Patriot troops.
The war continued at sea and in the West.

3. Declaring Independence (VC)

4. British Advantages Most powerful army in the world
Most powerful navy in the world
Much larger population
“Loyalist” support in the American colonies (mainly in the South)

5. British Disadvantages
Fighting in enemy territory
Fighting 3,000 miles from home (supplies, etc)
Fighting in unfamiliar land
Fighting a determined enemy

6. American Advantages Fighting for their homes (life or death)
Knew the land & terrain (could use guerrilla warfare)
Determination of the “Founding Fathers” to succeed.
Leadership of George Washington

7. American Disadvantages
Fighting a powerful, organized enemy
Lack of money to fund the war
“Loyalists” support for Britain
Lack of a navy of any kind

8. Supporting the War Effort
Many Americans supported the war effort.
Soldiers made the greatest contribution to the war effort
More than 230,000 soldiers served in the Continental Army.
145,000 enlisted in local militias.

9. Supporting the War Effort
The typical soldier was young, often younger then 16.
The army offered low pay, harsh conditions, and death
The Continental Army had a hard time keeping soldiers.
Yet men enlisted to fight for independence and their homes.

10. Supporting the War Effort
African Americans
First banned from serving
The British promised freedom to any slave who fought on their side
In response, the Continental Army began to allow free African Americans to serve.

11. Supporting the War Effort
Women
Ran farms and businesses
Helped by raising money for supplies or by making clothing
Served as messengers, nurses, and spies
Some dressed as men and fought such as Molly Pitcher and Deborah Sampson.

12. Defeats and Victories
As the Revolution gathered steam it became more deadly.
Many Patriot leaders favor a defensive war because their supplies would last longer.
At first the Patriots suffered a number of defeats, but overtime they began to win impressive victories.

14. Canada
Some patriots thought British-controlled Canada should be the “14th colony.”
Captured Montreal November 1775.
American forces attacked Quebec under Benedict Arnold.
Attack failed, and hopes of taking Canada faded.

15. New York British fleet arrives June 1776
Washington’s 23,000 militiamen opposed by 32,000 better-equipped British soldiers under General Howe.

16. New York
In the Battle of Long Island, General Howe defeats Washington and pushes him out of New York.
Washington’s forces is pushed into New Jersey.

17. “Battle of Long Island”

18. Nathan Hale: A Spy
A young officer named Nathan Hale, went behind British lines to gather information.
He was captured by the British, with documents found in the sole of his shoe.
Before he was hanged, he declared, “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”

19. New Jersey In November 1776, Washington had only 6,000 soldiers.
Soldiers were threatening to leave once their contract expired at the end of the year.
Howe left German mercenaries, foreign soldiers who fought for pay, called Hessians in New Jersey.

20. New Jersey
On December 7th, Washington retreated pass the Delaware River.
He now only had 2,000 troops.
Washington took a gamble to save his army, he would launch a surprise attack on the Hessians at Trenton.

21. New Jersey Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas night.
Patriots attacked the mercenaries as they slept.
Battle of Trenton won by Americans on December 26, 1776.

23. New Jersey
General Cornwallis tried to attack Washington on January 2, 1777.
Washington and his army attacked the British from behind and defeated the British at the Battle of Princeton January 2, 1777.
Soldiers were encouraged to reenlist with these victories and the Revolution was saved.

24. Battle of Saratoga British upset by two quick defeats in New Jersey.
British General John Burgoyne planned to seize Hudson River Valley to cut off New England from the other colonies.

25. Gen. John Burgoyne

26. Battle of Saratoga
British army is crushed by Patriot forces under General Horatio Gates on October 17, 1777.

27. Battle of Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga in New York was the turning point of the Revolutionary War because the Patriots gained the support of France and Spain.

29. Help from Europe
French and Spanish had lost large expanses of land in North America to the British.
Both countries happy to see trouble for Britain in the American colonies.
After the Battle of Saratoga, France, Spain, and Holland joined the fight on the side of the Patriots.

30. Help from Europe Independent Soldiers
Marquis de Lafayette a French nobleman believed in the ideas of the American Revolution
supplied money and military skills.
Baron Freidrich von Steuben came from Prussia to help train the Continental Army.

31. Help from Europe France Officially joined Patriot forces in May 1778
Signed treaty of support

32. Help from Europe France
France agreed to provide monetary aid once they believed the Patriots could win.
Increased level of supplies and agreed to provide soldiers and ships

33. Help from Europe Spain Joined war in 1779
Spain wished to regain Florida from the British

34. Help from Europe
Spain
Bernardo de Gálvez, governor of Spanish Louisiana, was a patriot ally who seized British posts in the Southeast.

35. Congress & “Inflation”

36. Valley Forge
Washington and 12,000 men settled for the winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, during 1777–78.
The winter at Valley Forge tested the strength of Patriot troops.

37. Valley Forge
The Continental Army at Valley Forge lacked protection and was low on supplies.

38. Valley Forge
Troops suffered through the brutal winter and shortages of food, clothing, and shelter.
Continental Army survived, but 2,000 died of disease and malnutrition.

39. The War Continues At Sea
The Continental Navy could not fight large battles because it was to small.
Sunk hundreds of individual British ships
John Paul Jones was commander of victorious Bonhomme Richard. This former British outlaw became an American naval hero.

40. “Bonhomme Richard”

41. The War Continues In the West
George Rogers Clark captured British trading village of Kaskaskia, Illinois, in 1778.
Clark’s forces won Battle of Vincennes in 1779.

43. Patriot Recruitment Posters
Create a recruitment poster to encourage me to enlist in the Continental Army.
Posters should explain
The benefits of enlisting
The advantages the Patriots have (page 127)
Why we are fighting in this war

44. Questions pages
Why did the Continental Army begin allowing free African Americans to serve?
In what ways did women help the Patriot cause?
What two early battles did the Patriots lose?
Who were the Hessians?
Why was the Battle of Saratoga the turning point in the war?
Why did the Marquis de Lafayette join the Patriots
What was Valley Forge?
Who was the American Commander at the Battle of Vincennes