1. 7.3 The path to victory

2. Savannah and Charles Town
British believed that most Southerners were Loyalists
December 1778, the British captured the port of Savannah, Georgia
They trapped American forces in Charles Town
The city’s defenders surrendered
Worst American defeat of the war

3. Defeat at Camden
Congress assigned General Horatio Gates- the victor at Saratoga- to form a new Southern army
August 18, 1779 Gates’ army ran into British troops outside Camden
Gates put the inexperienced militia along part of the frontline instead of behind the veterans

4. The Swamp Fox and Guerrilla Fighting
Francis Marion, also known as “Swamp Fox”
Fighting from a base in the swamps, Marion’s men cut the British supply line that led inland and north from Charles Town
Marion used methods guerrilla fighting.

5. The Tide Turns
After Gates' defeat at Camden, Washington put a new general, Nathanael Greene, in charge of the Southern Army
The American forces let the British chase them around the countryside and wear themselves out
As the fighting dragged on into its sixth year, opposition to the war grew in Britain

6. The End of the War
In 1781, the British general Cornwallis set up his base at Yorktown
In August 1781, a large French fleet arrived from the West Indies and blocked Chesapeake Bay
Prevented the British from receiving supplies and from escaping
Also allowed Washington to come from the North and trap Cornwallis on the peninsula

7. Battle of Yorktown
American and French troops bombarded Yorktown with cannon fire
Cornwallis had no way out
On October 19th, 1781, he surrendered his force of about 8000
Although some fighting continued, Yorktown was the last major battle of the war

8. 7.4 The Legacy of the war

9. Why the Americans Won Better Leadership
British-overconfident, poor decisions
Foreign Aid
Britain’s rivals helped America (France)
Knowledge of the Land
Americans knew the land and used that knowledge well
Motivation
Lives, property and liberty were at stake.

10. Treaty of Paris of 1783 The United States was independent
Its boundaries- Mississippi River on the west, Canada on the north, and Spanish Florida on the south
Each side would repay debts it owed to others
The British would return captives.
Congress would recommend that the states return any property they had seized from loyalists

11. Costs of the War Americans 25,700 died 1,400 remained missing
8,200 wounded
British- about 10,000 military deaths
Between 60,000 and 100,000 Loyalists left the United States

12. Issues After the War A change in ideas about government
Republicanism- this idea stated that instead of a king, the people would rule
Conflict between slavery and the ideal of liberty