American Revolution

1775-1783

• First Battle – Lexington and Concord, Mass. – April 19, 1775

• “Shot Heard Round The World”

• British army against Militia (Minutemen) Mecklenburg Resolves – May 31, 1775

declared that British rule in the colonies was ended

• Second Continental Congress – May-June, 1775 – Philadelphia

A. Created a Continental ArmyB. Chose George Washington to commandC. Olive Branch Petition

The Coming Revolution

Second Continental Congress

Battle of Lexington

Bunker Hill

War in North Carolina 1775-1776

Opposing Sides• 1. Patriots – in favor of independence,

many former Regulators• 2. Loyalists/Tories – wanted to remain

part of England - political elite, recent immigrants

• 3. Population is One/Third Patriot, One/Third Loyalist, One/Third Neutral at start of war – majority has become Patriot by end of war

• Halifax Resolves – April 12, 1776 –– document that makes NC the first colony to

officially support independence

Some Trivia:

Two dates on North Carolina’s state flagMay 20, 1775=Mecklenburg ResolvesApril 12, 1776=Halifax Resolves

Declaring Independence• Common Sense – published January 9, 1776• Thomas Paine• B. First written work to state that the colonies

should be independent• Declaration of Independence• A. Approved by Second Continental Congress on

July 4th, 1776—signed by John Hancock President of the 2nd Continental Congress

• B. Not signed until August 2nd, 1776• C. Contained three main ideas• 1. All men possess Unalienable Rights• 2. England had violated the colonists’ rights• 3. Colonies had the right to break away from England

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

• 4.   People have “certain unalienable rights” (rights that can not be taken away)– a.   Life – b.  Liberty– c.    Pursuit of happiness

• 5.   People establish government to protect those rights.

• 6.   Government derives power from the people.• 7.   People have a right and a duty to change a

government that violates their rights.

Declaration of Independence

Picture of the Original Document

• D. Written by Thomas Jefferson – originally contained a clause outlawing slavery – southerners would not approve

• E. Declaration of Independence did not address the rights of slaves or women – New England states abolished slavery on their own by 1784

• Signers from NC – William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

• Signers of the Declaration of Independence were committing treason and it was punishable by death

Thomas Jefferson

Signing of Declaration of Independence

Molly Pitcher

Attakullakulla

Advantages

• British• Professional leaders• Best army in world• Best navy in world• More financial

resources

Americans

Fighting for a cause (Independence)

Support of the people

Fighting on their own land

• A. 1775-1776 – British win most battles• B. Low point of war for Patriots – early winter of

1776• 1. Battle of Trenton – December 25, 1776• 2. Hessians – German mercenaries• C. Turning point of war in Northern colonies was

the Battle of Saratoga – October 17, 1777• 1. Defeated British plan to split the colonies in

half• 2. France and Spain join the Patriots against

England

War in the North

Washington crossing the Delaware

Battle of Trenton

Battle of Saratoga

1. 3 types of troops: Continental Army, militia, partisans or “irregulars”

2. Valley Forge – Winter of 1777-78 – Americans did not have enough food, clothing, or shelter. They had also not been paid for months. 2000 died. Ages ran from 12 to 60 – Friedrich Von Steuben

3. Alliance with France in 1778 • Marquis De Lafayette • sent supplies, money, troops, navy

Valley Forge

Marquis De Lafayette

Steuben trains the Americans

War in the South After Saratoga (turning point of the war), British

focus on the southern colonies – most loyalists in South

• A. British are successful at first, winning most southern battles

• B. Patriots had to resort to Guerilla warfare – hit and run, (terrorist-style) – Francis Marion (used as

model for “The Patriot”) – Partisans• C. Nathanael Greene became commander of

Continental Army in the South• D. British were commanded by Charles

Cornwallis – decide to move north through North Carolina to meet main British army in the North.

• Battle of Guilford Courthouse – March 15, 1781 – Greene goes to NC and waits for Cornwallis at

Guilford County Courthouse (now Greensboro)– British win, but are badly weakened—1/4 of

British troops dead or badly wounded

End of War• Cornwallis is surrounded by American and

French armies and French navy at Yorktown, Virginia

• British surrender on October 20, 1781 – last major battle of war

• Some trivia: The British army band played “The World Turned Upside Down”

• British decided war was not worth the cost

• Treaty of Paris is signed in 1783 – America gets independence

Francis Marion – The Swamp Fox

Kings Mountain

Charles Cornwallis

Nathanael Greene

British surrender at Yorktown