Chap 7 American History

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Chp 7, The American Revolution

Describe the actions taken by the First continental Congress

Evaluate how the fighting at Lexington and Concord affected the colonies

conflict with Great Britain

Analyze the accomplishments of the Second Continental Congress

Explain the ways that geography influenced the early battles of the war

September 1774-First Continental Congress

Philadelphia, 56 delegates, Georgia did not send representatives

1. Continue to boycott British Goods

2. Colonial militias should be prepared for war

3. 10 resolutions to be presented to the King, Declaration of Rights

“Life, Liberty, and Property

4. Meet again in May, 1775 if the King did not agree

“THE SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD”

Minutemen-local militia’s reading to fight on a minutes notice-Boston Area

Thomas Gage-Military governor and commander-Massachusettes

Goal-Gage wanted to capture and destroy Minutemen’s arsenal at Concord-20 miles west of Boston.

APRIL 18, 1775-PAUL REVERE AND WILLIAM DAWES RACED THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE ALERTING THE MILITIA THAT THE BRITISH WERE COMING

Morning of April 19, 1775, 70 militia met the more heavily armed and larger British troops at the Lexington Village Green.

“Don’t fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, let it begin here”

Someone fired a shot, either the British or Militia –”Shot heard round the world”

8 militia KIA, 10 WIA.

In Concord British Troops found few arms and set fire to buildings. Militia charged forward forcing British Retreat. As BT retreated CM turned to guerilla warfare. Sniping at BT from behind trees and cover. BT-250 casualties. REDCOATS made easy targets

What led to the fighting at Lexington and Concord, and how did it affect the colonies conflict with Great Britain?

The British wanted to disarm the minutemen. The battles were the start of open warfare with the British

Minute Man Monument at Lexington Green"By The Rude Bridge That Arched The Flood, Their Flag to April's Breeze Unfurled, Here Once The Embattled Farmers Stood, And Fired The Shot Heard Round The World."

The Second Continental Congress

May 1775-reps from 12 colonies met in Philly.

1. Not to break away from Great Britain

2. Creation of the Continental Army for Defense

a. George Washington as commander

July 5, 1775-Olive Branch Petition-Last ditch effort by 2nd Cont. Cong. To avoid war.

Was rejected by King George III.

Early Battles:

1. Fort Ticonderoga-Northern New York-guarded access to Lake Champlain.

Results-Colonists took Ticonderoga and captured weapons and cannon

led by Col. Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen.

2. Siege of Boston-Militia was laying siege, heard of suspected attempted by BT to take Boston. Began building defensive positions on Breed’s Hill and Bunker Hill overlooking Boston. “do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes” effort to conserve precious ammo.

colonists held until ran out of powder and ammo. Over 1000 BT KIA, 400 CM KIA

THE BATTLE OF BREED’S HILL AND BUNKER HILL SHOWED THAT THE COLONISTS COULD HOLD THEIR OWN VS. THE BRITISH.

General Washington arrived and took over the siege from Dorchester Heights. Had the cannons from Ticonderoga brought in.

Boston fell to CT in March 1776.

Causes of the Revolution

Sugar act

Stamp act

Declaratory acts

Intolerable acts

Tensions in Boston

British plans to seize arms

Fighting at Lex and Concord

Kings rejection of the “Olive Branch Petition”

Section 2-Declaring Independence

January 9, 1776 47-page pamphlet began circulating-Written by Thomas Paine

COMMON SENSE

1. ARGUED FOR THE BREAKING OF TIES WITH GREAT BRITAIN

2. WROTE AS A COMMON PERSON, THAT EVERYONE COULD UNDERSTAND

3. STATED THAT MONARCHY WAS UNFAIR.

4. PEOPLE NOT KINGS AND QUEENS SHOULD MAKE THE LAWS

5. DEMANDED COLONIAL INDEPENDENCE

RESULTS-CHANGED PEOPLES VIEW OF THE WORLD AND THE IDEA OF INDEPENDENCE GAINED MORE SUPPORT.

DECLARING INDEPENDENCE

COMMITTEE TO CONSTRUCT THE DECL. OF INDEP.

JOHN ADAMS, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, THOMAS JEFFERSON, ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON, AND ROGER SHERMAN.

WHO WAS THE MAIN AUTHOR OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE?

THOMAS JEFFERSON

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

THREE MAIN IDEAS

1. ALL MEN POSSESS UNALIENABLE RIGHTS: LIFE-LIBERTY-PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS “came from Locke’s ideas during the Enlightenment”

2. KING GEORGE III HAD VIOLATED THE COLONISTS’ RIGHTS.

A. PASSING UNFAIR LAWS

B. INTERFERING WITH COLONIAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

C. TAXING COLONISTS’ WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT

D. PRESENCE OF BRITISH ARMY

3. ARGUED THAT THE COLONIES HAD THE RIGHT TO BREAK AWAY FROM GREAT BRITAIN.

A. GREAT BRITAIN HAD BROKEN THE SOCIAL CONTRACT.

ON JULY 4, 1776, CONT. CONG. APPROVED THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

CHOOSING SIDES

PATRIOT OR LOYALIST “TORIE”

“IS LIFE SO DEAR OR PEACE SO SWEET AS TO BE PURCHASED AT THE PRICE OF CHAINS AND SLAVERY? FORBID IT, ALMIGHT GOD! I KNOW NOW WHAT COURSE OTHERS MAY TAKE; BUT AS FOR ME, GIVE ME LIBERTY, OR GIVE ME DEATH!”

WHO SAID THIS? WHERE DID HE SAY IT? AND WHAT WAS ITS PURPOSE?

WHY DID SOME COLONISTS’ CHOOSE TO REMAIN LOYAL TO BRITAIN?

WHAT THE DECLARATION DID NOT DO:

1. RIGHTS OF WOMEN

2. RIGHTS OF ENSLAVED AFRICAN AMERICANS

JEFFERSON HAD INCLUDED A PASSAGE AGAINST THE SLAVE TRADE, SOUTHERN COLONIES DEMANDED THE PASSAGE BE REMOVED

SECTION 3- DARK HOURS FOR THE REVOLUTION

BRITAIN HAD MORE MONEY AND RESOURCES

BRITAIN HAD A MORE POWERFUL MILITARY

BRITISH SOLDIERS WERE WELL TRAINED PROFESSIONALS

BRITAIN HAD THE NAVY, COLONISTS’ DID NOT

BRITAIN HAD TO DEAL WITH HOSTILE CITIZENS

HAD TO SHIP SUPPLIES ACROSS THE ATLANTIC

THE COLONISTS’ WERE FIGHTING FOR A CAUSE WHEREAS THE BRITISH WERE FIGHTING FOR THE KING. MANY BRITISH SOLDIERS WERE MERCENARIES.

ISSUE OF THE SLAVES: SHOULD THE MILITIA ALLOW SLAVES TO FIGHT?

NOVEMBER 7, 1775- LORD DUNMORE’S PROCLAMATION:

WHO OFFERED THIS PROCLAMATION? WHAT WAS ITS PURPOSE?

LORD DUNMORE, GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA, OFFERED FREEDOM TO ANY SLAVE WHO CHOSE TO SERVE FOR THE BRITISH,

RESULTS: THE CONTINENTAL ARMY BEGAN ALLOWING FREE AFRICAN AMERICANS TO ENLSIT.

OTHER SOURCES OF HELP

BRITAIN HAD THE ASSISTANCE OF THE MOHAWK AND IROQUOIS.

AMERICAN COLONISTS WANTED THE INDIANS TO REMAIN NEUTRAL.

WOMEN RAN THE FARMS, ACTED AS MESSENGERS AND SPIES, NURSES, RAISED MONEY FOR SUPPLIES, MADE UNIFORMS

NOTABLE WOMEN: DEBORAH SAMPSON-MARY LUDWIG HAYS “MOLLY PITCHER.”

BRITISH VICTORIES:

NOVEMBER 1775-PATRIOT TROOPS TOOK ST. JOHNS CANADA AND MONTREAL.

LOST THE BATTLE OF QUEBEC, LED BY GENERALS MONTGOMERY AND ARNOLD

NEW YORK FELL TO THE BRITISH

HOWE SET FOR REVENGE TO SIEZE BOSTON.

SECTION 4, THE PATRIOTS GAIN NEW HOPE

VICTORY IN NEW JERSEY

GENERAL HOWE, BT, GAVE HIS TROOPS WINTER OFF IN NEW YORK, LEFT NEW JERSEY DEFENDED BY HESSIAN (GERMAN) MERCENARIES

ALLOWED WASHINGTON TO REINFORCE

THOMAS PAINE “CRISIS” PAPERS-”THESE ARE THE TIMES THAT TRY MEN’S SOULS”

What was the purpose of this statement?

Urged Patriots to stay loyal to their cause.

Battle of Trenton

Notes:

Battle of Princeton

Notes:

Turning point at Saratoga:

Battle of Brandywine Creek

Battle of Saratoga

Foreign Allies

France and Spain-

Spain-Bernardo de Galvez

France-Marquis de Lafayette

Winter at Valley Forge

December 1777, winter of ’77/’78 1/5th of all soldiers died of disease and malnutrition

Feb 1778-Prussian Officer-Baron Friedrich von Steuben brought in discipline, drill and ceremony and turned the Colonial Army into a well trained army.

The war at seat

1776 Continental Navy had 8 ships.

John Paul Jones: Sept 23, 1779 Jones’ ship the Bonhomme Richard was severely damaged by the British Serapis when asked to surrender Jones Replied “I have not yet begun to fight”. British ships surrendered 2 hours later

Flag flown by John Paul Jones;

Section 5: Independence!

War in the West:

George Rogers Clark: frontiersman that led the fight on the western frontier

His actions kept the British from gaining strength in the west.

War in the South

After Saratoga, British moved to take Southern Colonies:

Captured Savannah, Georgia with the aid of a newly freed slave: Quamino Dolly

Charleston, South Carolina

British fought a battle of attrition: they destroyed crops, homes and supplies as they marched through the south.

Battle of Camden Yards:

Severe American Defeat: Results—Lost the Army of the South

Patriots turned to guerilla warfare in the South led by the Swamp Fox-Francis Marion.

Victory at Yorktown

Early 1781-Benedict Arnold turned traitor.

General Charles Cornwallis held Yorktown, Virginia. Problem was a peninsula between the Chesapeake Bay and the James and York River. Was to attack the Patriot forces of Marquis de Lafayette.

Washington and Comte de Rochambeau along with the French fleet moved south and surrounded Cornwallis. At the Battle of Yorktown, patriots wore down British Troops. Cornwallis suurendered

The Treaty of Paris

After the British defeat at Yorktown only a few small battles followed

Two years passed before the Treaty of Paris of 1783 was accepted..

1. Great Britain would recognize the independence of the United States

2. Set the new borders. Great Lakes on the North and Mississippi River on the West

3. The 31st parallel of latitude was the southern border

4. American rights to settle and trade west of the original thirteen colonies