1. The American Revolution notes
Essential Question:
How did the American colonists defeat the British during the Revolutionary War?
CPUSH Agenda for Unit 2.6:
The American Revolution notes

2. Quick Review: How did we get to this point?

3. By 1750, the American colonists were loyal British citizens with autonomous, self-governing colonial assemblies and a thriving trade connection with England
Second Continental Congress (1775)
Proclamation of 1763
Lexington and Concord (1775)
The policy of salutary neglect ended as Britain imposed greater political authority over the colonies, raised new taxes to pay off war debts, and refused to allow colonists representation in Parliament
First Continental Congress (1774)
Sons of Liberty formed
Intolerable Acts (1774)
Townshend Acts (1767)
Paine’s Common Sense (1776)
Boston Tea Party (1773)
Turning Point! England defeated France in the French and Indian War ( )
Stamp Act (1765)
Boston Massacre (1770)
Declaration of Independence (1776)
Revolutionary War ( )
1750
1755
1760
1765
1770
1775
1780
1785

4. By 1776, American colonists were divided into 3 groups
Loyalists wanted to remain British colonies
Neutrals were undecided about which side to choose
Patriots supported separation from Britain (independence)

5. “No taxation without representation”
Proclamation of 1763
Britain ended salutary neglect & began to assume ultimate authority over ALL colonial laws & taxes
32b - explain colonial responses to British actions such as the Proclamation of 1763, the Stamp Act, the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the Intolerable Acts as seen by the Sons and Daughters of Liberty, and the Committees of Correspondence
Stamp Act—colonies must pay a tax on all paper products like cards and newspapers
Townshend Acts—”indirect” tax on lead, paper, glass, tea

6. The “Sons of Liberty” urged colonial resistance to the Stamp Act using violence, if necessary
Colonists formed the First Continental Congress to help Americans in Boston; Formed Committees of Correspondence to increase communication among Americans
32b - explain colonial responses to British actions such as the Proclamation of 1763, the Stamp Act, the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the Intolerable Acts as seen by the Sons and Daughters of Liberty, and the Committees of Correspondence
Britain passed the Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts) to punish colonists

7. The American Revolution was inspired by the Enlightenment
John Locke—all men are born with natural rights & citizens can revolt from tyrannical gov’ts
Montesquieu—separation of powers; checks & balances
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense urged colonial independence
Rousseau believed that citizens have a social contract with their gov’t

8. Thomas Jefferson of Virginia was the principal author
By July 1776, enough Americans were “patriots” that members of the Second Continental Congress formed the Committee of 5 to draft a Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson of Virginia was the principal author
All men are born with “natural rights” of life, liberty, & property
Citizens can break their social contract with their gov’t when their gov’t becomes tyrannical
It was based on the “enlightened” ideas of John Locke & explained why the colonists were rebelling

9. Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776)
Committee to draft the Declaration: Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, & Roger Sherman

10. Examining Excerpts from the Declaration of Independence: Match each quotation in the chart with its appropriate interpretation in the slides that follow

11. A
If a government cannot protect the people, then the people should create a new government that can protect them

12. All people have natural rightsB
All people have natural rights

13. We should explain why we are declaring independence

14. Government power comes from the peopleD
Government power comes from the people

15. King George III has abused his power

16. These are the reasons we believe that the king has abused his powersF
These are the reasons we believe that the king has abused his powers

17. G
Because of the king’s abusive actions, we are declaring our independence as a new nation

18. H
We have explained to the king why we are unhappy but he has ignored us and has continued to hurt us

19. Decoding the Declaration of Independence
We should explain why we are declaring independence
All people have natural rights
Government power comes from the people
If a gov’t cannot protect people, then the people should create a new gov’t that can
King George III has abused his power
These are the reasons we believe that the king has abused his powers
We have explained to the king why we are unhappy but he has ignored us and hurt us
Because of the king’s abusive actions, we are declaring our independence as a new nation

20. The Declaration of Independence & Influences from the Enlightenment
Dec of Ind video from America: Story of Us (4.00) via youtube.com

21. The American Revolution notes
Essential Question:
How did the American colonists defeat the British during the Revolutionary War?
CPUSH Agenda for Unit 2.6:
The American Revolution notes

22. Use the data to prove or disprove the hypothesis

23. Formation of a Continental Army under George Washington
The Declaration of Independence was a formal demand for separation, but the Revolutionary War had already begun in 1775
Lexington & Concord
Formation of a Continental Army under George Washington
Americans were divided among Patriots, Loyalists, & Neutrals

24. Patriots vs. Loyalists Where were the Loyalists?
Why were Loyalists near cities?
Why are Indians loyalists?

25. Quick Class Discussion
What was the biggest advantage the American colonists had during the Revolutionary War?
What was the biggest advantage that Great Britain had during the Revolutionary War?
Based on this chart, who should win the war?

26. British Advantages
When the war began, the British had a clear military advantage:
400% larger & more experienced army
More money
The world’s most dominant navy
Manufacturing to make war supplies

27. American Advantages But, the American colonists had:
Knowledge of the terrain
A commitment to win the war
Short supply lines to their soldiers
A defensive strategy to outlast the British

28. He had to build a professional army & coordinate the militias
As leader of the Continental Army, George Washington was the symbol of the American cause
He had to build a professional army & coordinate the militias
Encouraged common citizens & volunteer soldiers to support the war even when the British seemed destined to win during the early years of the revolution

29. Taught military tactics and drills
Baron von Steuben is credited with being the father of the American military
Taught military tactics and drills
Created a special group of 120 men who would then teach other soldiers what they had learned

30. American Military: Continental Army, Colonial Militias, & Civilians

31. Differing Military Strategies
The Americans
General Washington
The British
General Gage
Divide & Conquer
Use Loyalists, seize property, encourage slave revolts
Split the Northern & Southern colonies
Blockade ports to prevent trade
Outlast the British
Defend colonial lands & drag out the war
Guerilla tactics
Make an alliance with France

32. The American Revolution began at Lexington & Concord

33. The Americans led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold and the Green Mountain Boys captured Fort Ticonderoga in 1775

34. The Battle of Bunker Hill (1775)was the first major battle and showed that Americans had potential to win

35. British victories from 1776-1777 made an American victory look impossible

36. British Seizure & Burning of New York, 1776
Britain captured ½ of the American troops and forced them onto prison ships

37. On Christmas Eve 1776, Washington gave Americans hope by crossing the Delaware River & surprising British& Hessian troops in Trenton, NJ

38. Crossing the Delaware in route to a surprise attack at Trenton & Princeton, 1776
The Battle of Trenton was the first much needed victory in the Revolution

39. “We must all hang together or we will surely hang separately”
From the beginning of the war, American diplomats, led by Benjamin Franklin, tried to form an alliance with the French
The French gov’t was willing, but needed to see that the Americans had a chance to win
The French agreed to join the American cause after the Battle of Saratoga in 1777
“We must all hang together or we will surely hang separately”

40. The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point because France joined the Americans as an ally

41. The “turning point” of the Revolution: The Battle of Saratoga, 1777
American General Horatio Gates used a strategic position of canons atop a ridge to defeat the British
Gates would later challenge Washington for leadership of the Continental Army
Horatio Gates

42. The “turning point” of the Revolution: The Battle of Saratoga, 1777
After Saratoga, French general Marquis de Lafayette helped train American troops while the French navy helped neutralize the British advantage off the coast
When French troops arrived in the spring 1778, the tide of the war shifted in favor of the Americans
Marquis de Lafayette

43. Valley Forge was the low point of the Revolution for the Americans
During the winter of , Continental Army troops nearly starved at Valley Forge, PA but Washington & Lafayette inspired & trained the troops to continue the fight
Washington: the story of us video (2.19)
Valley Forge was the low point of the Revolution for the Americans

44. Near Starvation at Valley Forge, PA in 1778

45. In the South, after Savannah and Charlestown were captured, American General Nathanael Green helped defend major cities from British General Charles Cornwallis

46. From , both sides traded victories, but the war finally came to a conclusion at the Battle of Yorktown
General Cornwallis went to Virginia to await supplies and reinforcements

47. The Battle of Yorktown Video
By 1781, Washington trapped the army of British General Cornwallis between the Continental Army & the French navy
America the Story of Us video on Yorktown (3.00)

48. Cornwallis’ surrender was the “day the world turned upside down”
The Battle of Yorktown
General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington in 1781, ending the American Revolution
Why the Americans won the Revolutionary War: America Story of Us video (3.20)
Cornwallis’ surrender was the “day the world turned upside down”

49. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 ended the American Revolution
The treaty gave America:
Full independence
All territory east of Mississippi River, between Canada & Florida
The removal of the British army from U.S. claims in America

50. North America 1754
North America 1763
North America 1783

51. Reviewing the American Revolution
Work with a partner to complete the Revolutionary War Timeline:
Step 1: Match the “word bank” numbers in the correct boxes on the second row of the timeline
Step 2: Write a sentence that answers the question in the top row of the timeline
Be prepared to share your answers