The American Revolution: 1775-1781

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Britain Americans

Advantages ? ?

Disadvantages ? ?

Opposing Sides

By mid August of 1776, 32,000 British troops had arrived

Controlled by William HoweContinental Army=230,000

Rarely had more than 20,000 at a time

Opposing Sides

Paying for the war became a problem for colonies

Continental Congress couldn’t taxRobert Morris helped fund the Cont. Army

Setup loans and helped establish the Bank of North America to help finance the military

Military Strategies

Attrition [the Brits had a long supply line].Guerilla tactics [fight an insurgent war you don’t have to win a battle, just wear the British down]Make an alliance with one of Britain’s enemies.

The American

The BritishBreak the colonies in half by getting between the No. & the So.Blockade the ports to prevent the flow of goods and supplies from an ally.“Divide and Conquer” use the Loyalists.

Phase I: The Northern Campaign[1775-1776]

Crown Point

Capturing of Fort Ticonderoga

Fort Ticonderoga 1775

Fort Ticonderoga

Battle of Quebec 1775

Phase II:NY & PA[1777-1778]

The Northern Campaign[1777-1778]

Britain wanted to take New York City to crush the will of the colonial rebelsContinental Congress asked George Washington to defend NYC

Troops were inexperienced so the British easily took NYC

Washington and his troops retreated Nathan Hale=U.S. spy was captured and hanged “ I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country”

British established NYC as their headquarters for the rest of the war

New York City in Flames(1776)

Crossing the DelawareBattle of White Plains

Washington is forced to retreat againBritish heads toward Philadelphia/ instead of following retreating colonial forces

Washington reaches Penn.=British had stopped their advance and est. winter quarters in N.J. On Dec. 25, 1776, Washington led 2,400 troops across the icy Delaware River

Won two small victories at Trenton and Princeton

SETTLED IN HILLS OF N.J. FOR WINTER

Battle of White Plains

Washington Crossing the Delaware

Painted by Emanuel Leutze, 1851

Battle of Trenton

Battle of Princeton

Philadelphia FallsGen. John Burgoyne devised a three-pronged attack of New York (March 1777)

Attack NY from the North, South, and West

Wasn’t carried out

In Spring of 1777, Gen. Howe took 13,000 troops and attacked Philadelphia from the South (Maryland)

Defeated Washington at the Battle of Brandywine Creek

Captured PhiladelphiaContinental Congress escaped and Howe failed to destroy C.A.

Retreated to VALLEY FORGE

Battle of Brandywine Creek

Valley Forge

Valley ForgeBitter cold and food shortages killed nearly 2,500 men

Two European military officers joined Washington and helped improve discipline and boost morale

1. Marquis de Lafayette (France)2. Baron Friedrich von Steuben

(Prussia)

France Enters the WarGen. Burgoyne in June of 1777, attacks New York from the North (Quebec) with 8,000 troops

800 British troops and 1,000 Iroquois attacked Albany from the east=defeated by Benedict Arnold

He won a few early victories but were unable to defeat Americans in upper NY

With his supplies dwindling and him being unable to defeat the militia Surrendered at SaratogaTurning point of the WAR!!!!!!

Saratoga: “Turning Point” of the War?

A modern-day re-enactment

Saratoga

War in the WestIn 1778, George Rogers Clark took 175 troops down the Ohio River and captured several towns

Gave Americans control of the region

Various Indian Groups joined w/ British and fought against the Americans

Most suffered defeats and had villages and towns destroyed

France Enters the WarFrance and Spain had been sending weapons to the AmericansU.S. now wanted troops from France

French didn’t want to get involved until they new the Americans could winBattle of Saratoga Victory=French alliance w/ U.S.

Feb.6, 1778, U.S. signed two treaties1st France recognizes U.S. as an independent nation2nd Alliance b/w France and U.S.

War at SeaAmerican ships attacked British merchant ships=disrupt trade

Congress issued letters of marque=licenses to private ships authorizing them to attack merchant ships (Brit.)Seized millions of dollars of cargo

Most famous naval battle= John Paul Jones Bonhomme Richard vs. Serapis and Countess of Scarbrough, Sept. 1779

Jones “I have not yet begun to fight.”3hrs of fighting=British surrendered

Bonhomme Richard vs. Serapis and Countess of Scarbrough, Sept. 1779

Bonhomme Richard vs. Serapis and Countess of Scarbrough, Sept.

John Paul Jones“I have not yet begun to fight.”

Phase III: The Southern Strategy [1780-1781]

Britain’s “Southern Strategy”Britain thought that there were

more Loyalists in the South.Southern resources were more valuable/worth preserving.The British win a number of small victories, but cannot pacify the countryside [similar to U. S. failures in Vietnam!]Good US General:Nathanial Greene

The Southern CampaignBritish defeat at Saratoga=Gen. Howe resigned

Replaced by Sir Henry Clinton

In Dec. 1778, British captured Savannah, GAGen. Clinton the attacks Charles Town, SC

About 14,000 troops surround the cityOn May 12, 1780, Americans surrendered5,500 Americans captured=biggest defeat

The Southern CampaignUpset the “over-the-mountain” men, put together a militia

Battle of Kings MountainDefeated Ferguson and destroyed his armyTurning point of Southern Campaign

Gen. Nathaniel GreeneHoped to wear down British while militia destroyed supply lines

Carried out hit-in-run raids against British camps and supply wagonsFrancis Marion “Swamp Fox”=leader of most famous militia

Nathaniel Greene

Battle of King’s Mountain

The Southern CampaignIn Spring of 1781, Gen. Cornwallis decided to invade VA

Linked up w/ Benedict Arnold’s (traitor) forcesBegan to conquer VA

In June 1781, Americans led by Gen. Anthony Wayne forced Cornwallis to retreat to Yorktown

Cornwallis wanted to protect supplies and maintain communications by sea

The Southern CampaignWashington and Rochambeau rushed to VA

French fleet was arriving from the Caribbean

On Sept. 28, 1781, American and French forces surrounded Yorktown

On Oct. 14 Alexander Hamilton captured key British defenses

On Oct. 19, 1781, Gen. Cornwallis and 8,000 British troops surrenderedEND OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

The Battle of Yorktown (1781)

Count de Rochambeau

AdmiralDe Grasse

The Battle of Yorktown (1781)

Cornwallis’ Surrender at Yorktown:

Painted by John Trumbull, 1797“The World Turned Upside

Down!”

Reasons for American Success

Americans were more motivatedBritish were overconfidentTime was on the side of the AmericansAmericans fought along side the British's most hated rival the French

North America After theTreaty of Paris, 1783

The American Revolution: 1775-1781

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