Post on 29-Jan-2016
transcript
The American RevolutionThe American Revolution
The Early Years of the War (7-1)
Americans Divided
“… roughly 20 to 30 percent of Americans were Loyalists, roughly 40 to 45 percent were Patriots, and the rest remained neutral.”
Text:Chart:
Whatever the exact numbers,
most Americans did not
support the Revolution.
Iroquois League… Split up as tribes chose sides; some British, others American
Like theIndians…
Free and enslaved Africansfaced a difficult decision andfought bravely on both sides
Like whiteAmericans…
Creating an Army
George Washington
Commander of the Continental Army
George Washingtonat Princeton
Charles Willson Peale
BritishArroganceBritish
ArroganceFighting
for a CauseFighting
for a Cause
GeographyGeography
AmericanAdvantagesAmerican
Advantages
Knowledge of the Land
Distance from Britain
Vast Size of the Land
Liberty, Freedom, Independence …They’re not just words.
King and Parliament do
not believe Americans are willing to suffer
Washington’s Strategy to Win…
SurvivSurvive!e!
Creating an Army
Creating an Army
Mary Ludwig Hays McCauleyAKA: Molly Pitcher
Took over loading the cannon at the Battle of Monmouth
after her husband was wounded
Deborah Sampson GannettAKA: Robert Shurtleff
Pretended to be a man in order to fight
Struggle for the Middle States
Sir William Howe
Commander of British troops in America
British Strategy #1:Capture the
Big Cities
View of Continental Army:They won’t fight –
unwilling to endure hardships
Struggle for the Middle States
Long Island
Hudson RiverNathan Hale
Hanged as a spy when the British captured New York City
I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.
Struggle for the Middle States
The PlanThe PlanThomas Paine
• Author of The Crisis• Used to motivate Washington’s troops
Struggle for the Middle States
Washington Crossing the DelawareEmmanuel Leutze
Struggle for the Middle States
Washington neededa victory before the
end of 1776 …or he was goingto lose his army
The victories at Trenton and Princeton:• Showed that the Continental Army was still strong and could win battles• It also led his soldiers to re-enlist and kept the war going
British Strategy #2:
GentlemanJohnny Burgoyne
Commander of British troops in Canada
Divide and Conquer
• separate New England from the other Colonies• capture Hudson River Valley
Britain’s Strategy
The PlanThe Plan
Howe
Burgoyne
St. Leger
Britain’s StrategyFort Ticonderoga
Difficulties along the way:
1. Americans block the roads
2. Have to cross swampy land
3. Need to build bridges and roads
AND…….
Howe decides to go after Washington
and capture Philadelphia
“Success be ever with you…”
Battle of Brandywine leads to Howe occupying
Philadelphia
Battles Along the Mohawk
Chief Joseph Brant
a.k.a. Thayendanegea
•Sister, Molly, married to British official
•Convert of the church of England
•Fought with St. Leger in the Mohawk River Valley at Ft. Stanwix
British upheld Iroquois land
rights
Battles Along the Mohawk
• Benedict Arnold– Used Loyalist and
Iroquois decoys to spread rumors
• St. Leger– Feared being
outnumbered– Fast retreat and leave
behind supplies
Fort Stanwix
Who is left to rendez-vous with
Burgoyne???
Saratoga: A Turning Point
• Burgoyne is running out of supplies– Failed raiding party to VT– Battle of Bennington– Moving slowly towards
Albany
• American fortifications on Bemis Heights
• Burgoyne attacks!!! (Has he lost his mind?!?)
Who do his troops encounter?!?
Continental Army unit led by Horatio Gates
The Battles of Saratoga
Despite heavy casualties, the
British hold their position
The Battles of Saratoga
• Benedict Arnold– Leads more charges
against the British– Mercenaries begin to fall
back– Shot in the leg
• Burgoyne forced to retreat
What are the consequences?
1. Benedict Arnold marries a loyalist and doesn’t feel he is given credit for his heroism- becomes a traitor
2. Caused European nations to believe Americans could win the war
Battles of Saratoga
• SUMMARY