1. The American Revolution

2.  Patriots- colonist who favored independence from England  The British were forced to fight over a large area of the colonies  Continental Army- led by Washington and more than 100,000 served  Militias- armed groups consisted of men from local communities

4.  Rates of desertion were very high in the militia’s when facing battle but were effective in guerilla warfare  Continental Army's long struggle is what won independence for the colonies  Congress offered bounties, wages and promises of free land for those who enlisted in the army  Throughout the war their were shortages of food, clothes and pay for the army and mutinies were common

6.  Communities seized control of the local government  Women assumed the roles of the men while they were off at war  Women did travel with the armies and served as wives, cooks, nurses, launders and prostitutes  Stories of “Molly Pitcher” who took her dead husbands place at the cannon were common

8.  Not everyone was for independence and many sat on the fence  1/5 th to 1/3 rd remained loyalists and were called Tories  Most Loyalist were either recent immigrants or strongly reliant on the crown  In NY the Loyalists were nearly a majority (Georgia also was loyal)

9.  Patriots passed state treason acts that made it illegal to write against the war  Tarring and feathering was common towards Loyalists  Benedict Arnold was a Patriot in the early stages of the war but switched sides in 1779 and became a spy for the British  Patriots uncovered his plot to betray the strategic post of West Point and he went to the British and became a general

12.  British relied on the Loyalist to suppress the Revolutionary War  More than 80,000 Loyalist fled America after the war and most settled in Canada  British offered Congress a chance to negotiate in 1776 and demanded the repeal of the D of I but were denied  Christmas 1776- Washington led 2,400 men across the Delaware and attacked the British as Trenton

14.  The army was able to defeat the British in NYC which greatly increased the morale of the troops  Battle of Saratoga was a key victory for the colonist and the French & Spanish both recognized their independence  British won many of the battles but were unable to gain complete control  GB also occupied NYC and Philadelphia at times during the war

15.  During the early years of the war loans from France and Spain supported the war effort  B. Franklin was sent to France as a diplomat to create an alliance with the French against the British  Treaty of Alliance between the U.S. and France would take effect if war occurred between France and GB

16.  Fighting between France and England broke out in June of 1778  Spain sought to regain Florida and expand their influence in the Mississippi  Spring of 1778 the British attempt a peace negotiations with the Continental Congress but the colonist wanted withdrawal of British troops and independence

17.  Both sides of the conflict solicited help from the Indians  The tribes that did engage in the fighting often supported the British  Indians did not like the Americans and feared their encroachment on their land

18.  The most important fighting occurred in the South  British tried to retake the land and give it back to the Loyalists  Battles over Camden and Charleston (SC) were important but losses  Thousands of slaves joined the British cause in hopes of freedom

20.  French and Americans surrounded (land & sea) Cornwallis at Yorktown and laid siege to the city  October 1781 Cornwallis surrendered and the war was over  Americans demoralized and outlasted the British until they finally gave up

22.  1 st written form of govt. for the U.S. with a national govt. and limited powers  Colonists gave the states lots of power to prevent the abuse of a central govt.  A of C- national assembly, president (1 year term), votes by simple majority and major decisions needed 9 votes

24.  Congress conducted foreign affairs, war, treaties and maintenance of armed forces  Created a postal system  Govt. could not tax but divided the debt amongst the states  All 13 states had to agree to any amendments  Issue over western land dragged on the process until Maryland signed on

25.  Congress financed the war through loans and created paper currency  Congress tried to raise taxes on the states to retire their currency but the states refused  States printed their own money which led to runaway inflation  Bank of North America led by Robert Morris was chartered by Congress

26.  Confidence in the bank grew and eventually they were able to pay on the national debt ($30 million)  Peace talks began in 1782 and the Americans demanded independence and withdrawal of British troops  Franklin, Jay and Adams negotiated a peace in Nov. 1782 w/o the assistance from the French  France was furious but made a peace agreement with GB to avoid a US/GB alliance

27.  Continental Army remained in effect until the peace agreement in 1783  Officers of the army petitioned Congress to have their pensions be converted to a bonus equal to 5 yrs. pay which Cong. rejected  With the urging of Washington Congress later agreed to the bonus’s

28.  During the war thousands of people still migrated westward  The governing of the western territory became a major issue  Land Ordinance Act 1785- created the grid system that made public land available  Congress auctioned off land at no less than $1 an acre

29.  System of government for territories NW of Ohio  Established the criteria for the admission of future states  Banned slavery in this region  States needed a Constitution and a certain population  NW Ordinance most significant law created under the A of C.

31.  One of the first issues was the setting up of appropriate govt.’s for the new states  Americans wanted to make sure people had a voice in their govt.  1776-1780- states adopted new Constitutions which where shaped by debates among radicals, conservatives, democrats and Whigs

32.  Pennsylvania (radical), Maryland (Conservative), NY (in the middle)  Virginia Declaration of Rights 1776- written by George Mason proclaimed that all men are created free and equal  8 state constitutions had some formal declaration or rights  Free speech, assembly and redress of grievances were also included  All were precedents for the Bill of Rights

33.  Free white males were the only ones allowed to vote and many states required voters to own property  T. Jefferson reformed inheritance law and ended primogeniture  Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom- written by Jefferson est. religious freedom in Virginia  Many slaves fled the south while others were recaptured and forced back into slavery

34.  There was a small movement towards emancipation for the slaves throughout the states  1804- every state in the North had either abolished or started the emancipation process for the slaves  Equality and freedom for all really meant white property owning males

35.  The Americans won the war for independence by dragging the war on  Articles was the 1 st form of govt. but really limited in power  Issue of Rev. War debt lingered throughout the post war years