1. Revolutionary War Notes

2. A Country Divided
2/5th - Patriots
Mostly in New England and VA

3. A Country Divided
1/5th- Loyalits= Tories
Mostly in NY and South

4. Colonies Divided Native Americans African Americans
Have to decide which side will treat them best if they win

5. Americans- Disadvantages
Had to start Army/Navy from Scratch
No formal government to make decisions
Scarce supplies: money, clothing, food, guns, ammo

6. Americans-Advantages
Better leadership-Washington
“Home Field Advantage”
Tactics/Strategy-guerilla warfare
Foreign Aid- France as an ally
Motivated to save own land

7. British Disadvantages
Far away from Britain, sending orders, getting news takes 2 months
Fought using old strategies-unwilling to change
Has a worldwide empire to worry about

8. British Advantages Best Army and Navy in the world
Also 30,000 hired mercenaries
Controlled major cities (NY and Boston)
Richest nation in the world
Strong and organized government

9. Early Strategies-American
Score early victories to show they were for real
Drum up support-gain more patriots
Gain foreign allies-France, Spain

10. Early Strategies-British
Occupy major coastal cities-take advantage of better Navy
Drum up Loyalist support
Crush the Continental Army before it has a chance to gain momentum

11. War in the North Patriots drive British from Boston, NYC
Britain gets serious about war, sends huge amount of troops, ships, supplies
Britain kicks patriots out of NYC
Begins a year of defeats for Washington and Continentals

12. Trenton
Dec. 25, 1776
Continentals are in bad shape after many losses, casualties, few supplies
Most soldiers enlistments ending
If Washington does not take immediate action the revolution is likely over

13. Trenton
Washington’s bold plan- cross Delaware River on Christmas night
Surprise attack on German Hessians
Result: 30 Hessians killed, 918 Captured
Result: Only 4 Colonists killed
Result: Many guns, ammo captured
Result: Major morale boost for Washington and Continental Army

14. Princeton
Jan. 3, 1777
Washington builds on success, attacks 1200 British and captures or kills 1/3
Only 40 Continental casualties

15. 3 Reasons Trenton and Princeton were major victories
1. Boosted Patriot morale
2. Britain left New Jersey- remains in Patriot hands the rest of the war
3. Continental Army gains much needed supplies and weapons

16. Saratoga
Oct. 17, 1777
Part of British Army went to Canada to attack from the North
They were to meet up with main British Army in NYC
The Continentals defeated the British in several battles around Saratoga

17. Saratoga British surrendered 5800 men, supplies
Is a major turning point in war towards a Patriot victory
France sees success, becomes an ally, sending troops and $$
Later Spain becomes ally also

18. Valley Forge
In late 1777, British force Continentals out of Philadelphia
They set up a winter camp at Valley Forge, PA
Awful conditions- few supplies, food, improper clothing for winter
1/4 died from starvation, cold, disease

20. Ch. 7 Sec. 2 Reading Quiz
1. In 1778 and 1779, the Patriots signed a treaty of Alliance with what two countries?
2. Name one hardship endured at Valley Forge.
3. What is a bayonet?
4. George Rogers Clark led the Patriots fighting in what region of the colonies?
5. Describe the contributions of John Paul Jones to the Patriot cause.
Extra Credit: What happened on New Year’s Day 1778 at Valley Forge?

21. American Armed Forces Continental Army Inexperienced 1 year enlistment
Later for whole war
231,771 total

22. Militia 164,087 Total 3,6,9 month enlistment close to home
Designed to protect local resources

23. African Americans Washington, Continental Congress opposed enlistment
5,000 troops

24. Women Martha Washington Molly Pitcher- Mary Hays
Usually had to fight in disguise

25. Spies
Worked for both sides
Often switched sides

26. Desertions Common- 18.2% of all troops Reasons: Homesick Money
Starvation
Punishment

27. Uniforms- Beginning
Farm clothes
Buckskins
Boots/shoes scarce

28. Uniforms-Officers/Regulars

29. Weapons-smoothbore muskets Flintlock firing mechanism

30. Muskets- range of 100 yards Bullets- poured from hot lead

31. Cannons- inaccurate, heavy, usually captured, tendency to explode

32. Rations
Scarce
Beef
Pork
Salt Fish
Bread
Rice
Beans
Milk

33. Army Pay Washington- $500/month Major Generals- $162/month
Privates- $6.67/month
Often didn’t arrive on time or sometimes at all- led to mutinies

34. Medical Care Individual doctors-soldiers paid Army Hospital
Lacked: medicine,
beds, blankets

35. American Navy Built from scratch- few in numbers
Bounties- 1/2 of profits from British warships
Helped greatly when France and Spain join the fight

36. Privateers
A privately owned ship that a wartime government gives permission to attack an enemy’s merchant ships
1,000 in Revolutionary war
Captured 606 British ships
Claimed $18,000,000 in goods
Accomplished most American victories at sea

38. British Armed Forces Organization Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery
Grenadiers, Light Artillery
Discipline Severe
Recruiting Problems

39. Weapons
Tower musket
3 shots a minute
Inaccurate
Bayonets

40. Supplies Knapsack Clothing Blanket Provisions for 4 days Share of Tent
60 rounds of gunpowder and bullets

41. Rations Food from Britain Inferior to Patriots
Delayed, slow deliveries
Often raided farms, homes to get food and live off of the land
Supported by loyalists

42. Navy Controlled seas Kept most American ports closed
Hard to recruit experienced sailors

43. War in the South- W. vs. T. Whigs: loyal to the Continental Congress
Tories: loyal to England- many in the South
Much violence between W. and T. in the South
British strategy- move war to the South where there were more loyalists, slaves (Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation), tire out Patriots
British Army was successful- captured Savannah and Charlestown

44. Camden- S.C. 1780- Worst American Defeat of war
British General Cornwallis defeats Patriot General Gates
British drew Patriots into a European style battle
1,000 Patriots killed
1,000 Captured

45. Swamp Fox- Altered Strategy
Francis Marion- led a small band patriots on horseback
Used guerrilla tactics
Cut British supply lines, communications
Nathaniel Greene replaces Gates
Americans lead British on chase all through South, wasting British time and money

46. War on Frontier George Rogers Clark- 24 yr old
Travels through PA, OH, IN, IL
Recruits soldiers along the way
Captures British forts at Kaskaskea, Vincennes
Gave a huge amount of land to the Americans

47. Final Battle Royal- Yorktown
Oct. 19, 1781
Cornwallis sets up a base on a peninsula at Yorktown, VA
Patriots+French surround British by land and sea- begin massive siege
Cornwallis surrenders 8,000 British troops- war effectively over
See animation from classzone.com

48. Casualties Inaccurate records 25,000 Patriots/10,000 British killed
6000+ wounded
Does not count those dying from disease, starvation, freezing

49. Financing the War Huge problem for Americans No money in treasury
No authority to tax
America left deeply in debt after war-
$27 million

50. Treaty of Paris- 1783 Britain acknowledges American independence
Boundaries: W. to Mississippi, N. to Canada, S. to Florida
Each side repays any war debts
British return captured slaves-reality

51. Fate of Loyalists Approx. 80,000 left America
4,000 African Americans went to Canada
Many lost land, money, property