THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Transcription

1 THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

2 DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES Loyalists They call me a brainless Tory; but tell me, which is better: to be ruled by one tyrant three thousand miles away, or by three thousand tyrants not one mile away? Whenever a people prevent the execution of laws or destroy the property of individuals there is an end of all order and government. Patriots Shall a body of men in great Britain who know nothing of us invest themselves with a power to command our lives and properties? If our trade be taxed, why not our lands, or produce. In short, everything we possess? They tax us without having legal representation.

3 THE CONTINENTAL ARMY Commander: George Washington Initially formed from state militias Untrained, part-time emergency fighters Called for volunteers (1-year service) As a result, his army never exceeded 17,000 men Unprepared Lacked blankets, shoes, food, and even guns and ammo Wives accompanied soldiers Cooked, did laundry, and acted as nurses

4 THE BRITISH ARMY Well-trained and experienced Soldiers enlisted for life Many were unenthusiastic about fighting colonists Britain hired German mercenaries (professional soldiers who fight for a foreign country)

5 THE BRITISH STRATEGY Control coastal cities Their navy could land troops and supplies Seize the Hudson river valley and capture New York Cut New England off from the other states Would serve as a sort of home base for operations They successfully forced the Patriots to retreat from New York in 1776 Washington: I think the game is pretty nearly up.

6 THE BRITISH STRATEGY

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8 PATRIOT VICTORY AT TRENTON Trenton (1776): Patriots surprise attacked the Hessians (German mercenaries who were still resting from Christmas) Patriot victory Captured supplies and took over 900 prisoners Improved the army s morale and encouraged people to enlist

9 THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY The British would send three armies General John Burgoyne Lt. Colonel Barry St. Leger General Howe Arrived late due to Patriot sympathizers Heard rumor that Benedict Arnold s army was HUGE, so he retreated Decided to capture Philadelphia instead at least he was successful Patriot sympathizers (regular citizens!) slowed the British at every turn Cut down trees Burned crops Drove off cattle

10 LEADERS OF THE REVOLUTION Nicknamed Gentleman Johnny for his love of throwing huge parties John Burgoyne (British) In the last year of the war, Arnold defected (switched sides) Benedict Arnold (American)

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12 SARATOGA (1777): THE TURNING POINT Burgoyne, left to attack by himself, was running out of supplies He reached Saratoga to find heavy fortifications (military structure designed for defense) Benedict Arnold s army repeatedly charged he British Burgoyne was eventually surrounded He surrendered Saratoga was the first sign that the Patriots might win the war

13 SURRENDER AT SARATOGA

14 OTHERS JOIN THE PATRIOT EFFORT After Saratoga, others decided to ally with the Patriots France Spain They were still bitter over losing their colonies to the British They were persuaded by their close ally France African Americans Other foreigners (i.e. the Dutch) As a result, the British had to spread out their army throughout the world to protect themselves

15 DEFENDING THE EMPIRE

16 MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE 19-year-old aristocrat (a nobleman) Made a commander by Washington Convinced the French king to send a 6,000-man army to America Popular amongst his soldiers Used his own money to buy clothing for his troops Nicknamed the soldier s friend

17 VALLEY FORGE (1777) Washington s army ran low on supplies 3,700 lacked shoes or warm clothing 5,000 were too sick to fight About 25% of the army died from smallpox and typhoid Shipments meant for soldiers were often stolen by government employees Local farmers aligned with loyalists and wouldn t sell food to the army More than 2,000 deserted Frostbite and gangrene led to many amputations

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20 VALLEY FORGE Unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place this Army must inevitably starve, dissolve, or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the best manner they can. To see men without clothes without blankets to lie on, without shoes without a house or hut to cover them, till they could be built, and submitting to it without a murmur is a proof patience and obedience which, in my opinion, can scarce be paralleled. General George Washington

21 FIGHTING ON THE FRONTIER The frontier (a region that forms the border of settled territory) The British held forts A group of frontiersmen began capturing these forts As a result, the British (again) had to divide their forces to protect yet another area

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23 FIGHTING ON WATER The British (world s largest navy) controlled the Atlantic Ocean American privateers (a privately owned ship given permission to attack an enemy s merchant ships) began raiding and robbing British ships Disrupted trade Rallied Americans Gave Americans much needed supplies

24 THE FINAL YEARS The dead lay in heaps on all sides, while the groans of the wounded were heard in every direction. I could not help turning away from the scene before me with horror and, though exulting in victory, could not refrain from shedding tears.

25 THE BRITISH CHANGE THEIR STRATEGY General Cornwallis Focus on the South More loyalists Slaves were offered freedom Success at first Captured Savannah, Georgia Trapped Americans in Charles Town (Charleston) Forced the newly created southern army to retreat Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia

26 GUERRILLA WARFARE Guerrilla warfare: a form of warfare in which a small group of men (usually civilians) uses strategies such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, and hit-andrun tactics against a much larger, less mobile army The Patriots wanted to do as little fighting as possible and force the British to wear themselves out

27 THE END OF THE WAR Why is this a bad idea? Cornwallis set up his base at Yorktown, located on a peninsula in Chesapeake Bay The French navy blocked the Chesapeake Bay The British couldn t receive supplies or escape The Patriots and French armies arrived Cornwallis was trapped He surrendered on October 19, 1781 It is all over! the British Prime Minister

28 THE END OF THE WAR There was as much sorrow as joy We had lived together as a family of brothers for several years had shared with each other the hardships, dangers, and sufferings incident to a soldier s life; had sympathized with each other in trouble and sickness; and now we were to be parted forever. Through almost every possible suffering and discouragement for the space of eight long years was little short of a miracle. George Washington

29 ACTIVITY: HOW THE AMERICANS WON Students will use the chart on page 218 to complete a handout.

30 ACTIVITY: BATTLES OF THE REVOLUTION Lexington & Concord Bunker Hill Trenton Saratoga Valley Forge Charles Town Yorktown