AMERICAN REVOLUTION

AMERICAN REVOLUTION

A. American Revolution1. Colonists take arms in Mass 1. minutemen –be ready to fight in a minute 2. Gen. Thomas Gage, Br leader., sent troops to take over Mass. Armory (where weapons were stored in Concord) a. attempted to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock b. Dr. Samuel Prescott set up warning signal at Boston’s Old North Church (one if by land, two if by sea) 1. Paul Revere and William Dawes get signal- LAND- go to warn militia

MINUTEMEN

The Minutemen

were men who would be ready to

fight the British in a

minute.

Paul Revere was a silversmith

and an avowed patriot. He and William Dawes were the two riders who set off from Old

North Church to warn the militia that the British were coming. (though they never said those words!)

3. Battles at Lexington and Concord 1775 a. Brits defeat militia at Lexington, but turned back at Concord- Marked start of Revolutionary War2. Second Continental Congress Philadelphia 1775 a. Continental Army –led by George Washington- b. Olive Branch Petition –letter sent to king stating they were still loyal to him-wanted peacec. British Army –led by Thomas Gage 1. hired Hessians –professional German soldiers 2. assets: Strong army, better navy

Archibald MacNeal Willard’sfamous painting, “Spirit of 76”wasoriginally known as “Yankee Doodle”based on the British soldiers mockingthe American colonist soldiers during the French and Indian War.

George Washington

HESSIAN SOLDIERS

d. Declaration of Independence 1. Thomas Paine –wrote Common Sense a. told the colonists to use common sense and become independent 2. Richard Henry Lee – VA delegate- introduced a resolution(formal statement of opinion)- that called for declaration of independence a. Committee: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston 1. Jefferson chosen to write it 2. signed on July 4, 1776- John Hancock

Second Continental CongressThomas Paine

Richard Henry Lee

Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman, Ben Franklin, Robert Livingston, and John Adams.

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE COMMITTEE

3. Parts of the Declaration of Independence a. Preamble –introduction that explains WHY they want to break from England b. Natural Rights- lists the rights of the citizens: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and that all men are created equal c. Grievances (formal complaints) -lists the colonists’ complaints against the British government-called the King “unfit ruler” d. Independence- declares colonies “free and independent states” and they would fight to defend their nation

1. Creates a divided nation a. Loyalists –supported ties with Great Britain 1. Tories –Loyalists who concentrated on preparing for the fight b. Patriots –favored separation from Great Britain4. Key Events of War a.. Fort Ticonderoga 1775 on Lake Champlain, NY 1. Ethan Allen, VT. blacksmith led his Green Mountain Boys a. They win- get 50 cannons-bring them back to Boston

FORT TICONDEROGA Ethan Allen led the Green Mountain Boys at Ft. Ticonderoga.

BENEDICT ARNOLD LED HIS BOSTONTROOPS at Ft. Ticonderoga.

b. Battle of Breed’s (Bunker) Hill 1775 (Boston) 1. Br. Gen. Thomas Gage – set up cannons high on a hill 2. American Colonel William Prescott –set up on Breed and Bunker Hills- American retreat-no ammo a. moral victory since they stood up to the British armyd. Battle of Trenton 1776 1. Washington retreats to New Jersey after NY defeat a. crossed the Delaware River into PA b. Nathan Hale, American spy- was caught in NY. 1.Sentenced to death, he said the famous words: “I only regret I have but one life to lose for my country.”

CANNONS at DORCHESTER HEIGHTS

BUNKER HILL WILLIAM HOWEAm.COL. WILLIAM PRESCOTT

Br. GEN. WILLIAM HOWE

NATHAN HALE’SFAMOUS WORDSWHEN HE WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SPYING ON THE BRITISH:“I only regret I have but one life to lose for my country.”

2. Washington, depressed after New York losses a. planned to attack British Hessian camp in Trenton. b. 12/25/76, Washington surprised the British by crossing the Delaware at night-captured the sleeping Hessians-brings up morale againe. Battle of Princeton 1777 1. Gen. Howe orders Gen. Charles Cornwallis to chase Washington and his troops, but Washington defeats them at Princeton

f. Battle of Saratoga 1777 1. Gen. John Burgoyne (British) sent to control the Hudson River in New York, which would cutoff New England from other colonies a. plan failed because the three British commanders did not communicate with each other 1. Howe decides to take over Philadelphia b. Burgoyne meets up with Americans at Saratoga- forced to surrender

g. Winter at Valley Forge 1777 1. Washington’s army forced to winter in Valley Forge a. bitter cold, poor conditions, lice, bare-feet- almost ruined Continental Army b. helped by Americans who brought suppliesh. Help from Europe 1. France- Treaty of Alliance with Fr. King Louis 16th

a. Marquis de Lafayette–young Fr. General fought for free b. French became allies (friends) of Patriots 2. Poland

a. Thaddeus Kosciuszko- Polish engineer taught them how to build forts and trenches

WINTER AT VALLEY FORGE Washington and LaFayette

b. Casimir Pulaski –trained and organized first American cavalry (horse soldiers) 3. Prussia a. Baron Friederich von Steuben –spent winter at Valley Forge -taught the soldiers how to fight as a uniti. War on Western Front 1778-79 a. British and Native Americans attack settlers in the Ohio Valley 1. George Rogers Clark, leads volunteers on raid against British using the Miami tribe a. He is successful, and British troops surrender

Thaddeus Kosciuszko Casimir Pulaski Baron Friederich von Steuben

Marquis deLafayette

Europeans who helped the Americans during the war.

j. War at Sea 1. Continental Navy 1775 had few ships a. relied on privateers –armed private ships 2. John Paul Jones –captain of The Bonhomme Richard attacked the British warship, Serapis a. Jones’ ship hit by cannonball, so British tell him to surrender 1. replies “ I have not yet begun to fight.” 2. board the Serapis, engage in hand-to-hand battle, and win. c. Jones becomes known as “The Father of the American Navy”)

3. John Barry – Irish Philadelphian naval officer who won many naval engagements for the Americans (Commodore Barry Bridge)

k. War in the South 1. Savannah, Georgia- fell to British in 1777 2. Battle of Charleston 1780 –fell to British a. Brits led by Lord Charles Cornwallis a. both losses discouraged Washington 3. Southern Patriot raiders attempt to get back South- Guerilla warfare-fighters in small bands using hit and run tactics a. Nathaniel Greene- considered to be Washington’s best general- instrumental in battering British troops in South

George Rogers Clark John Barry John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones, Father of the

American Navy

John BarryPhiladelphia’s Naval

officer.

George Rogers Clark defeat the British in

the Ohio Valley

John Paul Jones John Barry Serapis

4.Benedict Arnold a. caught spying for the British b. tried to turn over fort at West Point to British -letter intercepted c. he joins British Armyl. African Americans in the War 1. Continental Army discharged all African-Am -slave owners did not want slaves armed a. British capitalize on this and offers them freedom to fight for them- over 1,000 join up b. Continental Army changed policy- allowed them

to fight whether they were free or enslaved

Crispus Attucks – first person killed in the Revolutionary War

m. Women in the War 1. Molly Pitcher-fought by her husband’s side, and brought water pitchers to men a. received a pension (payment) for military service 2. Other women worked the farms, businesses, or followed their husbands to the camps n. Victory at Yorktown (James River and Chesapeake Bay VA) 1. British leader: General Cornwallis 2. American leader: George Washington

Molly Pitcher

Admiral Francois deGrasse

General Jean de Rochambeau

17th October 1781: The surrender of British forces by Major General Charles O'Hara at Yorktown, Virginia assuring the defeat of the British cause in America. George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette watch as Major General Benjamin Lincoln accepts the surrender.

3. French Naval leader: Admiral Francois deGrasse 4. French Army leader: General Jean de Rochambeau a. French Navy blocked port/ armies trapped Br. troops5. British surrender-Cornwallis refuses to show up o. Treaty of Paris 1783 a. John Jay, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams, Americans, meet with British b. Compromise (agreement acceptable to both sides) c. Terms: 1. England recognizes Americans’ independence 2. Boundaries set for territories in the United Statesd. IMPACT of Revolution- catalyst for Fr. Revolution

in 1789