Chapter 4The War for Independence

The Boston MassacrePresence of British soldiers (“redcoats”) in Boston caused hostility

More competition for jobs between colonists and poorly paid soldiers looking for work in shipyards during off-duty hours

March 5, 1770 a fistfight broke out over jobs That night, a mob gathered outside the Customs House and taunted guards

When Crispus Attucks and serveral dockhands showed up an armed fight erupted leaving him and 4 others dead

Sam Adams and other colonial agitators labeled it the Boston Massacre

Presented as a British attack on defenseless citizens

High Tensions in Massachusetts

Tensions relaxed for 2 years until 1772 when Rhode Island colonists attacked a British ship that was patrolling the coast for smugglers

The ship accidentally ran aground near Providence so the colonists boarded the ship and burned it

King George named a special commission to find the suspects and bring them to England for trial

The plan to haul Americans to England caused widespread alarm

Massachusetts and Virginia set up committees of correspondence to communicate with other colonies about various threats to American liberties

Committees formed a communication network linking leaders in all the colonies

Boston Tea PartyBritish East India Company held official monopoly on tea imports

Hit hard by the colonial boycotts and nearing bankruptcy

To save the company they devised the Tea Act:Granted the company right to sell tea to the colonies free of the taxes colonial tea seller had to pay

This would cut colonial merchants out of the trade and the East India Tea Co. could sell directly to consumers for less

They hoped colonists would buy the cheaper tea but instead they protested violently

Boston Tea PartyOn the evening of December 16, 1773 a large group of Boston rebels disguised themselves as Native Americans

Took action against three British tea ships anchored in the harbor

Dumped 18,000 pounds of tea into the Boston Harbor

The Intolerable ActsKing George III was furious by the destruction of British property

1774 Parliament responded with a series of measures the colonists called The Intolerable Acts

Law shut down Boston Harbor because colonists refused to pay for damaged tea

Quartering Act authorized British commanders to house soldiers in vacant private homes and other buildings

Boston placed under martial law- rule imposed by military force

Committees of correspondence moved into action and set up the First Continental Congress in 1774 in Philadelphia

Drew up declaration of colonial rights

Agreed to meet again in 1775 if their demands weren’t met

Fighting Erupts at Lexington and Concord

After the First Continental Congress many towns stepped up military preparations

Minutemen (civilian soldiers) began to quietly stockpile firearms and gunpowder

British General Thomas Gage became concerned about reports of large amounts of arms and munitions hidden outside of Boston

In March 1775 he sent agents towards Concord (outside of Boston) to investigate

Agents returned with detailed maps of where the weapons were possibly being held

Also reported that Sam Adams and John Hancock were staying in Lexington- 5mi east of Concord

Fighting Erupts at Lexington and Concord

Gage drew up orders to march to Concord where they were would seize and destroy all munitions they could find

Minutemen were aware the British troops would be coming due to confidential informants but didn’t know where or when

Paul Revere was sent to warn Adams and Hancock as well as townspeople along the way

On the night of April 18 Revere and 2 others set off on horse to spread the word

Guns and church bells further spread the message

Revere eventually reached and warned Adams and Hancock but soon after he was captured by British troops

British quickly released him so General Gage and troops could quickly move after realizing their cover was blown

The Second Continental Congress

May 1775- met in Philadelphia to debate their next move

John Adams suggests a radical plan: each colony set up their own gov’t and Congress would declare the colonies independent

Also stated that the minutemen should become the Continental Army and a general should be named to lead them

Debate continued into June but the Congress did decide to recognize the Continental Army and assigned George Washington to the position of general

The Congress also authorized the printing of money to pay the troops and organized a committee to deal with foreign nations

Battle of Bunker Hill Stuck in Boston, General Gage decided to attack minutemen stationed on Breed’s Hill

On June 17, 1775 Gage sent out 2,400 troops to march up the hill

Colonists began shooting down at the British With their thick wool uniforms and heavy packs the British eventually had to retreat

The British regrouped and came back for a second and third attack

The third attack was successful but only because the colonists ran low on ammunition

In the end: the colonists lost 450 men but the British suffered 1,000 causalities

The misnamed Battle of Bunker Hill would prove to be the deadliest battle of the war

Olive Branch PetitionJuly 8, 1775 the Second Continental Congress sent King George III an Olive Branch Petition

It urged a return to “the former harmony” between Britain and the colonies

King George rejected the petition and issued a proclamation:

Stated that the colonies were in rebellion

Urged Parliament to blockade the American coast with naval ships

Common SenseCommon Sense was written by colonist Thomas Paine but published anonymously

The 50-page pamphlet attacked King George III and declared that the time had come for colonists to proclaim and independent republic

Argued independence would allow America to freely trade with other nations and give Americans the chance to create a better society- free of tyranny

Sold nearly 500,000 copies and was seen as positive

Declaration of Independence

Congress created committee to draft declaration

Thomas Jefferson picked to write due to strong writing skills

July 4, 1776: Congress approved draft & John Hancock first to sign

Declaration considered revolutionary because no gov’t had been founded on principles of human liberty and consent of the governed

Inspired by John Locke

Jefferson declared that governments derive their power from the people (“consent of the governed”)

Parts of the DeclarationPart 1 (Intro)

Statement of purpose and basic human rights

Part 2 (Middle)Specific complaints against George IIIEach describes violation of political, economic and civil liberties

Part 3 (Conclusion)States determination to break from Great Britain Note how efforts for a peaceful solution had failed so no choice but to declare freedom

Americans Choose Sides

Loyalists

Remained loyal to England

Reasons people stayed loyal:

Felt a special tie to the king

Thought the British were going to win the war

Thought the king could protect their rights better than the new colonial governments

Patriots

Most followers supported because they saw economic opportunities in an independent America

Made up ½ of the population

Embraced various types of people

United States MilitaryStrengths

Familiar with territory

Leadership of George Washington and other leaders

Inspiring cause of independence

Weaknesses

Most soldiers untrained and undisciplined

Shortage of food and ammunition

Inferior navy

No central government to enforce wartime policies

Great Britain MilitaryStrengths

Strong and well-trained army and navy

Strong central government with available funds

Support of colonial Loyalists and Native Americans

Weaknesses

Large distance separating Britain from battlefields

Troops unfamiliar with terrain

Weak military leaders

Sympathy of certain British politicians for the American cause

Colonial Life During the Revolution

Congress ran out of hard money (gold and silver) so it borrowed money by selling bonds to American investors and foreign governments

Printed paper money BUT as they printed more and more its value plunged causing rising prices

Known as inflation

With the British navy blocking the coast, Americans had to smuggle weapons from Europe

Colonial Life During the Revolution

Some gov’t officials began profiteering: selling scarce goods for a profit

Corrupt merchants hoarded goods or sold defective merchandise

Demands of war also affected familiesWives of soldiers had to manage farms, shops, businesses and households

Some women participated in the war effort by mending clothes for soldiers, cooking food and making ammunition from their household silver

Colonial Life During the Revolution

Women even fought on the front lines Ludwig Hayes McCauly took her husband’s place at cannon when he was wounded

About 5,000 African Americans served in the Continental Army

Courage and loyalty impressed white Americans

European AlliesFebruary 1787 Prussian (German) captain Friedrich von Steuben volunteered his services to General Washington

Taught the army basic military strategies-field maneuvers and fire and reload quickly

French military leader Marquis de Lafayette also offered his assistance

Asked for French reinforcements in 1779 and led troops in Virginia for the last years of the war

Location of Yorktown

War Becomes a Symbol of Liberty

Revolutionary ideals set a new course for American society

During the war class differences between rich and poor began to blur together

Changes created a rise in egalitarianism: belief in the equality of all people

Brought about new idea: wealthy or family alone does not define your wealthy- also ability, virtue and effort

Egalitarianism only applied to white males- not women or African Americans