1. Fighting for Independence
While the Decl.of Indep. Was not issued until 7/4/76, Brit and the colonies had been fighting since Lex & Concord in April 75.
King George III and the Brit did not expect a long battle. One strong swift blow would end the war. After all they were the strongest military in the world.

2. British Strengths and Weaknesses (favorite)
*Military was the strongest in the world
*50K Loyalists in America
*freedom to slaves who helped
*Native Americas
*Mercenaries/Hessians-foreign soldiers who fought for pay.
Weaknesses
War not that popular in Britain
Brit. Troops had to fight in foreign territory
War tactics not conventional
Loyalist-Colonists who supported the crown
Native Americans-many believed that an American victory would be detrimental to them. Some groups that helped them were the Cherokees, Shawness, and Mohawks & Iroquios
Weaknesses-Brit not happy they had to pay taxes for this war.
England had good soldiers and lots of money. But, they didn't care, and England was fighting several other wars at the same time

3. Americans Strengths & Weaknesses (underdogs)
*Home court advantage
*Guerrilla Warfare-hide behind trees & walls them ambush British
Weaknesses
*lacked supplies
*insufficient fighting force
*Hard to plan strategy with inconsistent fighting force
*CC lacked power to tax
GW exceptional leader
*no consistency with the troops, new ones arrive while vets leave. Never both at the same time
*Robert Morris Pennsylvania merchant pledged large sums of $ to the war effort

4. Leadership
George Washington was commander in chief of the Continental army during the American Revolution and first president of the United States ( )

5. British Strategy
In order to win the British had to convince the Americans the war was hopeless.
Gen Howe strategy had 2 parts
Build up huge military presence to intimidate the Americans
Invite delegates from CC to a peace congress

6. Fighting in the North
GW troops showed their inexperience by fleeing when the British arrived on Long Island fall 1776.
British moved slow allowing the colonists to escape to Manhattan Island.
Brit. Captured NYC – HQ for rest of the war.
Leaders forced to head to Philly
In the summer of 76 Howe concentrated on the MC where a large # of Loyalists lived. This theatre would feature a number of battles & some 32k Br troops vs. the inexperienced troops of GW.

7. Nathan Hale
Disguised as a teacher, American captain Nathan Hale was spent to spy on the British. He was caught and hanged. “I only regret that I have but only one life to lose for my country.
In 1776, Hale was sent to obtain information from behind enemy lines. In the midst of his return to the Continental Army, he was captured by the British and hanged as a spy, without a court martial. His last words are purported to be, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country," although historians feel that he probably did not say anything as memorable as that. Nevertheless, at the time, Hale was viewed as a martyr to the patriot cause, and his sacrifice strengthened the moral conviction of the American people.

8. Battles in New York Battle of Long Island
Battle of Long Island and the Retreat from Long Island

9. Thomas Paine-The Crisis
THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
The Crisis is a collection of articles written by Thomas Paine during the American Revolutionary War. In 1776 Paine wrote Common Sense, an extremely popular and successful pamphlet arguing for Independence from England. The essays collected here constitute Paine's ongoing support for an independent and self-governing America through the many severe crises of the Revolutionary War. General Washington found the first essay so inspiring, he ordered that it be read to the troops at Valley Forge.

10. Desperate times call for desperate measures…Battle of Trenton
GW plans unexpected winter attacks against the British at Trenton & Princeton, New Jersey.
Christmas night 1776 GW leaves his camp in Penn crosses the Delaware Rv. & surprises the enemy.
With his back up against the wall GW pulled out all the stops.
2,400 troops ferried across the D. river. Early the next morning they surprised the Hessians camped at Trenton. Nearly all the Hessian force was captured or killed. Colonist casualty on 5.

11. Battle of Trenton Surprise attack on Princeton.
Once again GW is successful.
GW leads troops on an exhausting march to p-ton. Terrible conditions for the troops no shoes, cold, wintry. British spot the colonists and attack, but the colonist drive them back inflicting large # of casualty

12. OK, Time Out
Review…
Losses-Long Island and NYC…British make NYC their HQ for remainder of war
Wins-Trenton and Princeton
Needed-increased organization of the Continental Army
A decisive victory to gain support from foreign powers

13. Battle of Bradywine
In a battle just outside Philadelphia on Sept 11, 77 Gen Howe defeats GW & captures Philadelphia. CC forced to flee the city.
Key-Howe was unable to capture the Continental Army
August 25, 1777, Gen. Howe moved his troops south by sea to threaten Philadelphia. He landed his troops on the west side of the Elk River. After a week of rest, Howe marched his troops north toward Philadelphia. George Washington responded by marching his army south through Philadelphia to meet Howe. After harassing Howe's advance for a few days, Washington placed his army behind Brandywine Creek. The creek was crossable only at a number of fords. At 4:00 AM on the 10th of September, while part of his army was engaged in a diversionary attack against Chads Ford, Howe took the bulk of his army on a long march through back roads to cross at Trimble and Jeffries Fords at the end of Washington's unanchored lines. Howe successfully crossed the fords and brought his troops to Osborne Hill, outflanking Washington's troops. The American troops redeployed, trying to block the British. At 4:00 PM, the British troops set off down the hill to the music of the British Grenadier. They marched through a hole in the American lines, but the Americans quickly converged on them. The battle raged for hours. Desperate hand to hand fighting ensued. By nightfall, Washington was forced to withdraw. The British had won the day, but Washington's army was still intact

14. Americans Regroup-Valley Forge
Brutal conditions did not stop GW from training the army. European military officers, Marquis de Lafayette from France and baron Friedriech von Steuben from Prussia, helped GW increase morale and improve discipline in the Continental Army
Valley Forge, 25 miles west of Philadelphia, was the campground of 11,000 troops of George Washington's Continental Army from Dec. 19, 1777, to June 19, Because of the suffering endured there by the hungry, poorly clothed, and badly housed troops, 2,500 of whom died during the harsh winter, Valley Forge came to symbolize the heroism of the American revolutionaries.
The soldiers represented every state in the new union. Some were still boys -- as young as others in their 50s and 60s. They were described as fair, pale, freckled, brown, swarthy and black. While the majority were white, the army included both Negroes and American Indians. Each man had few possessions and these he carried with him. His musket -- by far the most popular weapon -- a cartouche or cartridge box. If he had neither, the infantryman carried a powder horn, hunting bag and bullet pouch. His knapsack or haversack held his extra clothing (if he was fortunate enough to have any), a blanket, a plate and spoon, perhaps a knife, fork and tumbler. Canteens were often shared
Lafayette joined the ranks as a major general and was assigned to the staff of George Washington. He served with distinction, leading America forces to several victories. On a return visit to France in 1779 Lafayette persuaded the French government to send aid to the Americans

15. Back to the War…British Strategy turns the tide
King George III approves a plan developed by Gen. John Burgoyne to isolate New England from the other states The British however did not coordinate their efforts…
General John Burgoyne of the British Army. Burgoyne originally devised the plan to march on Albany from Canada, although he was thwarted by Gates and Arnold at Saratoga. Burgoyne typically traveled with 30 wagonloads of personal supplies during the war.

16. The TURNING POINT
Once again the momentum of the war shifted with the British victory at Brandywine Creek. The American had lost two major cities, spent the winter at Valley Forge. The colonists were in need of something BIG. It was to happen at Saratoga.

17. Battle of Saratoga British led by Gen Burgoyne
British strategy move south through NY in 3 separate columns & meet in Albany.
Initially things looked good for the British with victories

18. The Battle of Saratoga" September 19, 1777
Americans led by Gen Horatio Gates defeat Br. Gen Burgoyne after nearly a month a intense fighting in upstate New York.

19. British surrender at Saratoga October 17, 1777
This battle proved to the world that the fledgling American army was an effective fighting force capable of defeating the highly trained British forces in a major confrontation. As a result of this successful battle, the European powers, particularly the French, took interest in the cause of the Americans and began to support them.
The Surrender of Gen. Burgoyne at Saratoga, New

20. Review Time line *Battle of Long Island *Retreat from NY
*Battle of Trenton & Princeton (crossing the Delaware River)
*Battle of Bradywine Cr. CC flees Philly
*Winter at Valley Forge (low point)
*Battle of Saratoga

21. Review Who’s Who George Washington General Howe Nathanial Hale
Marquis de Lafayette
Gen Burgoyne
Horatio Gates

22. Where do we go from here? The Colonists have declared independence!
Momentum has shifted to the colonists with the victory at Saratoga!
How are the colonists going to finance the war?
Still plenty of fighting up ahead in the west and south.
There would not be peace until 1783.