Oct. 4 & 5What you need:• Spirals, document

packets, film notes page

Agenda:• A few notes about

the Revolution (spiral)

• Liberty! (documentary) (film notes)

• “Common Sense” (doc packet)

• HW: 2.4 and Reading Guide

Objectives:1. Understand and

conceptualize the sequence and relevance of Revolutionary War events.

2. Analyze “Common Sense” and identify the philosophical influence of Thomas Paine’s writing on the creation of a new U.S. government

REVOLUTION

Tea An unpopular monopoly on tea, leads to the

Boston Tea Party in December 1773 Britain responds with the intolerable acts,

aimed at punishing Boston by closing the port with 3,000 troops and putting Massachusetts government under direct control of the Crown

Colonists around Boston begin amassing food, ammunition and weapons.

Some weapons and gun powder are stored in Concord

War begins 700 British troops march on Concord in April

1775 to seize militia weapons stored there. Along the way, a small group of town militia

gather in the town square of Lexington and are scattered after an exchange of gunfire, eight colonists are killed

The British reach Concord (where most of the weapons had already been moved)

British fight a retreat back to Boston, losing about 80 soldiers to about 50 colonials

So now what? More than 90 state and town declarations call for

independence – states send militias to surround Boston

The Continental Congress meets in May 1775 and debates what to do – most delegates hope the King will intercede against Parliament

June 1775 – Battle of Bunker Hill (1,000 British killed, 500 colonial), Washington given the leadership of a new, national army

August 1775 – King declares the colonial militias to be committing treason

March 1776 – British evacuate Boston

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

See Thomas Paine ppt 1776, precursor to the Declaration

Declaration July 1776 -- Declaration of Independence

is signed by all delegates Preamble – ties the revolution to a

philosophical belief in individual liberty List of Grievances – injuries done to the

colonists that justify the revolution “we mutually pledge to each other our

lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”

A statement of unity! (?)

Setbacks Washington suffers a disastrous defeat in

August 1776 attempting to defend New York and the revolutionary army barely escapes

His army dwindles down to 5,000 (from about 20,000) because of desertions and state militias finishing their one-year terms

A raid that Christmas on German mercenaries rallies revolutionary morale

Strategy British – use British troops, German

mercenaries, and Native tribes (mostly on the frontier) to win battles, control the major cities, use loyalists to win back popular support (estimated at between 15 and 20 percent of the population)

American – gain foreign assistance, control the countryside, fight the British but avoid battles where the army could be destroyed

Valley Forge

•Following a failed attempt at defending Philadelphia, Washington winters his army of 12,000 men in a Pennsylvania valley in 1777•The states refuse to provide the needed food, clothing, and medical care for the army•Roughly 2,000 men die and thousands more are too sick to fight

The FrenchFrance supported the revolution and joined

an alliance with the revolutionaries in 1778

Troops, arms and warships flow to the colonies

French and the Dutch make substantial loans to the revolutionary government

Battle of Yorktown September 1781, French

nautical forces defeat a British fleet, cutting off a British force of 7,200 men (under Cornwallis) ability to retreat by sea.

French general Rochambeau and Washington lead a Franco-American force of 17,000 men to surround and attack Yorktown in early October.

For several days, the French and Americans bombard the British defenses. Cornwallis surrenders his army of 7,000 men on October.

War ends England declares end to War February

1783 Newburgh conspiracy March 1783 Treaty of Paris signed in Sept 1783 Washington resigns his commission

December 1783 Roughly 60,000 Loyalists leave (most go

to Canada) but most (about 450,000) stay in the United States

Articles of Confederation:1777-1787