America Secedes from the Empire

1775-1783

I. Congress Drafts George Washington

May 1775 all colonies meet 2nd Continental Congress

No well defined sentiment for independence

Adopted measures to raise money for army and navy, sent list of grievances to George III

Most important action was selecting George Washington as military commander (moral force, great military mind)

Selection largely political , from VA, most revolutionaries from New England area

Military Strategies

The Americans

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 British

Break 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.

II. Bunker Hill and Hessian Hirelings, Abortive Conquest of Canada

Americans fighting war, but not declaring independence for 15 month period ( April 1775- July 1776)

1775 Americans capture Ft. Ticonderoga, get gunpowder and cannons

June 1775 Bunker Hill American hold off British attack until gunpowder runs out

August 1775 King George formally proclaims colonies were in rebellion, begins to hire German (Hessian) troops, Americans were guilty of treason

Fall 1775 British capture Falmouth, Maine, Americans plan attack on Canada, they are not successful

III. Thomas Paine Preaches Common Sense

1776- Thomas Paine published the pamphlet Common Sense, urged colonials to stop war of inconsistency, stop pretending loyalty, and just fight.

Nowhere in the universe did a smaller body control a larger one, it was unnatural for tiny Britain to control gigantic America.

He called King George III “the Royal Brute of Great Britain.”

V. Paine and the Idea of Republicanism

Idea that there should be a “republic” where representative senators, governors, and judges should have their power from the consent of the people (POWER FLOWS FROM PEOPLE TO THE GOV’T)

Ideas with Biblical imagery, familiar to common folk. Rejecting monarchy and empire and embrace an

independent republic fell on receptive ears in America, ideas already existed. The New Englanders already practiced this type of

government in their town meetings. Some patriots, favored a republic ruled by a “natural

aristocracy” (John Adams), thought too much liberty would destroy social order (runaway republicanism)

VI. Jefferson’s “Explanation” of Independence

2nd Continental Congress gradually moved toward a clean break with Britain.

June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee urged for complete independence, adopted on July 2, 1776.

Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson to write Declaration of Independence. Contained a list of grievances against King George III explaining why the

colonies had the right to revolt. His “explanation” of independence also upheld the “natural rights” of

humankind (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness). Congress approved it on July 2nd, but because of editing and final approval, it

was not completely approved until July 4th, 1776.

VII. Patriots and Loyalists

War within a war, not all colonials were united. Patriots, who supported rebellion and were called

“Whigs.” Loyalists, who supported the king and who often

went tobattle against fellow Americans, also called “Tories.”

Moderates in the middle and those who didn’t care either way. These people were constantly being asked to join one side or another.

British proved that they could only control Tory areas, because when Redcoats packed up and left other areas, the rebels would regain control

Patriots good at political reeducation, agents of revolutionary ideas

VII. Patriots and Loyalists

Typical Loyalist (Tory) Generally conservatives,

educated, older, war divided families

Loyalists were most numerous where the Anglican Church was strongest (the South).

Loyalists were less numerous in New England, where Presbyterianism and Congregationalism flourished.

Loyalists were more numerous in the aristocratic areas such as Charleston, SC

VII. Patriots and Loyalists

Typical Patriot The Patriots were generally the

younger generation (Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry)

From places where self-government was strong and mercantilism weak or contested

The Patriot militias constantly harassed small British detachments.

Patriots typically didn’t belong to the Anglican Church (Church of England) but were Congregational, Presbyterian, Baptist, or Methodist.

There were also “profiteers” who sold to the highest bidder, selling to the British and ignoring starving, freezing soldiers (i.e. George Washington at Valley Forge).

VIII. The Loyalist Exodus

After the Declaration of Independence, Loyalists and Patriots sharply divided

Patriots often confiscated Loyalist property to resell it (an easy way to raise money)

Loyalists attacked and harassed, no reign of terror like France or Russia

50,000 Loyalists served the British in one way or another (fighting, spying, etc…), British did not make enough use of them

Phase I: The Northern Campaign [1775-1776]

Bunker Hill (June, 1775)

The British suffered over 40% casualties.

Phase II:

NY & PA[1777-1778]

Washington Crossing the Delaware

Saratoga: “Turning Point” of the War?

Britain’s Southern Strategy

Britain thought that there were more Loyalists in the South.

Southerners not as vocal in support of Revolution, thought it might inspire slave revolt

Southern resources more valuable/worth preserving.

British win small victories, but cannot pacify the countryside [similar to U. S. failures in Vietnam!]

Georgia 1778-1779, Charleston, SC 1780

Carolinas, Patriots bitterly fought their Loyalist neighbors.

1781, rebel victories King’s Mountain, Cowpens in NC

Quaker- reared Gen. Nathanael Greene strategy of delay. Retreating and losing battles but

winning campaigns, clear the British out of most of Georgia and South Carolina.

XII. The Land and Sea Frontier

1777 -the “bloody year” on the frontier Most Indians supported Britain, believed they

would stop American expansion into the West Mohawk chief Joseph Brant, recently converted to

Anglicanism, and his men attacked the backcountry of Pennsylvania & New York defeated 1779.

1784, pro-British Iroquois signed the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, the first treaty between the U.S. and an Indian nation.

Indians ceded most of their land. Pioneers continued to move west 1778-1779 George Rogers Clark, captured

British forts American navy never really hurt the British

warships, but it did destroy British merchant shipping, carried the war into the waters around the British Isles.

Privateers captured ships forced them to sail in convoys.

IX. REVOLUTION IN DIPLOMACY?

France wanted revenge on Britain, secretly supplied the Americans throughout much of the war.

Continental Congress sent delegates to France; delegates were guided by a “Model Treaty” sought no political/military connections, only commercial ones.

Ben Franklin, American diplomat to France, exemplified a raw new America

After Saratoga (1777), the British offered the Americans a measure that gave them home rule—everything they wanted except independence.

IX. REVOLUTION IN DIPLOMACY?

After Saratoga, France enters war against Britain. If Britain regained control, might then try to capture

the French West Indies for compensation Did not want to risk a stronger Britain with its

reunited colonies. France, 1778, offered a treaty of alliance, offering

Americaeverything that Britain had offered, plus recognition of independence.

The Americans accepted agreement with caution, France was pro-Catholic, but since the Americans needed help, they’d take it.

Official recognition of American independence by European power

1779 Other European powers (Armed Neutrality) join war against Britain, can’t handle them all

XI. Blow and Counterblow

Britain, decided to evacuate Philadelphia, concentrate forces in New York, Washington bottled up British in NY

1780 –French reinforcements arrive in Rhode Island.

Feeling unappreciated and lured by British gold, Gen. Benedict Arnold turned traitor by plotting with the British to sell out West Point.

When the plot was discovered, he fled with the British.

XIII. Yorktown and the Final Curtain

1780-1781 inflation continued to soar, government was virtually bankrupt, could not repay debts

In the Chesapeake Cornwallis was blundering into a trap

Retreating to Chesapeake Bay Cornwallis instead was trapped by Washington’s army, Rochambeau’s French army, and the French navy

King George wanted to continue the war, fighting continued for about a year after Yorktown mostly in the south

Patriot/ Loyalist fighting Washington had to keep army

happy, unified for next year after war

XIV. Peace at Paris

Brits were weary of the war, suffered heavily Ben Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay met in Paris for a peace deal. Jay suspected France would try to keep the U.S. cooped up east of the

Alleghenies and keep America weak. Jay, thinking that France would betray American ambition to Spain, secretly

made separate overtures to London (against instructions from Congress) Came to terms quickly with the British, who were eager to entice one of their

enemies from the alliance. The Treaty of Paris of 1783

Britain formally recognized U.S. granted generous boundaries, Mississippi River to thewest, Great Lakes on the north, Spanish Florida on the South.

Yankees retained a share in fisheries off Newfoundland. Americans couldn’t persecute Loyalists, though, and Congress could only

recommend legislature that would return or pay for confiscated Loyalist land.

Did not keep obligation to Loyalists