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Colonists fight the British Navy
War at Sea Colonists fight the British Navy
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Warm Up Questions Why did the colonists need to challenge Britain’s control of the sea? How are they going to challenge the British, without their own navy?
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War at Sea The fighting was not only on land
The colonists needed to fight a naval battle Why? British blockades No trade--Britain controlled all routes Limited aid from foreign countries How did they get a navy??
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Privateer Colonists used privateers to fight naval battles
Privately owned ship that a wartime government grants permission to attack an enemy’s ships They would capture a ship, sell its cargo, and split the profits Desire for money and patriotism motivated the privateers During the war, they captured hundreds of British ships British merchants wanted the war to end Loosing money!!!
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John Paul Jones Most famous privateer, and naval hero
B. John Jones: 7/6/1747 in Scotland D. 7/18/1792 Son of a gardener At age of 12, entered the British merchant marines 1769--Received his first command 1773--Killed a crewman who was attempting a mutiny Rather than stand trial, he fled to North America British now considered him a pirate
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John Paul Jones
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John Paul Jones cont.. Concealed identity by adding “Jones” to his last name 1775--Went to Philadelphia; given a lieutenant’s rank in the Continental Navy Helped from members in congress 1776--Captian of the Providence Destroyed British ships in Nova Scotia Captured 16 British ships 1777--Captain of the Ranger Sailed to France: Terrorized the coasts of England and Scotland Destroyed many British vessels
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John Paul Jones cont… 1779--France honored him with a ship
Named the ship: Bonhomme Richard Good Man Richard in honor of Benjamin Franklin Patrolled the English coast and given command of a combined American and French fleet Sept. 23, approached a British convey led by the warship Serapis
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Bonhomme Richard vs. Serapis
Sept. 23, 1779 the two ships began fighting Jones rammed the Serapis, and the ships became locked together Two warships fired at each other Jones’s ship was damaged, on fire, and sinking The British captain demanded he surrender Jones replied, “I have not yet begun to fight!” The battle went on for over three hours!!! Finally, the Serapis’ main mast cracked and fell The Captain of the Serapis surrendered The Bonhomme Richard was so damaged, that it sunk John Paul Jones and his crew sailed away in the Serapis
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Bonhomme Richard
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Serapis
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Bonhomme vs. Serapis
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Bonhomme vs. Serapis
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Bonhomme vs. Serapis
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John Paul Jones cont… Became known as the Father of the American Navy
Congress thanked him and promised him command of a new ship called America This fell through, and he became a naval advisor He never again held a major American command at sea 1788--Sailed for Russian Empress Catherine the Great July 18, 1792 died of pneumonia and buried in Paris His body was buried in an unmarked grave 1905--Teddy Roosevelt sent expedition to find his body Brought it back to the United States: Buried in Annapolis, U.S. Naval Academy
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John Paul Jones’ Tomb
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