The Early Years of the War

I. Americans Divided

A. What sacrifices would you have to make to win your freedom?-1. 20-30% were loyalists2. 40-45% were patriots3. The rest were neutral

B. Slaves were divided-?C. Native Americans were divided-?D. Some families would also be divided-?

II. Creating an Army

A. What problems might come up in raising an Army-?1. The Continental Army never

numbered more than 20,000- men didn’t stay in long

B. The soldiers never had enough supplies-

C. Women helped whenever they could-

III. Struggle for the Middle Colonies

A. One goal for the British was to control coastal cities-

B. British hired Mercenaries from Germany-Hessians

C. The fight moved to New York

IV. American Crisis

A. Thomas Paine published a series of pamphlets called “The American Crisis” to raise soldiers spirits

V. Back Across the Delaware

A. December 25, 1776 Washington’s troops rowed across the Delaware to N.J. and marched to Trenton

B. They caught the Hessians sleeping and defeated their force

C. Washington won another victory at Princeton 8 days later

VI. Britain’s StrategyA. Take the Hudson River

Valley- cut New England off from the other colonies (divide and conquer)1. Americans drove off cattle

and took any kind of supplies so the British could not use them

2. The British Split forces3. Howe invaded Pennsylvania

(Sep 1777) and defeated Washington but failed to capture him

VII. Battles Along the Mohawk

A. British forces struggled to defeat Ft. Stanwix in the Mohawk River Valley of N.Y.1. British had Native Allies led by Mohawk chief Joseph

Brant (Thayendanegea)2. American General Benedict Arnold sent some

Iroquois (American Allies) to spread a rumor to the British that he had a massive force on the way to help at Stanwix

3. The British retreated so quickly that they left cannons, tents, and supplies behind

B. Britain's plan failed due to their inability to follow it

VIII. Saratoga

A. The British sent out raiding parties looking for supplies and encountered American troops, the British were defeated in this encounter

B. The British continued to move towards Albany and ran into General Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold (American Generals)1. Gates had built up Fortifications before the British

had arrived2. Charge after charge Americans turned back the

British advancesC. Americans win the Battles of Saratoga

IX. Effects of SaratogaA. Benedict Arnold married a woman

who was a loyalistB. Over time Arnold felt that he had

not been rewarded enough for his actions at Saratoga1. He betrayed his army and agreed to

turn over an American fort to the British

2. His plot was discovered before it could be carried out

3. He escaped to EnglandC. Winning Saratoga showed

Europeans that Americans might actually win the war