The American Revolution

The American Revolution

I. The year 1774 A. In SC: 1. The Commons House of Assembly=dissolved after Wilkes Controversy 2. The General Meeting: a. Elected representatives who formed their own govt. in SC in opposition to the Royal Governor b. The General meeting sent delegates to the 1 st Continental Congreess

I. The year 1774 B. The 1 st Continental Congress 1. Met to protest the Coercive Acts 2. delegates met in Philly, PA 3. 12/13 Colonies sent delegates (Not GA) 4. decision: Stop all trade with Britain until acts are removed 5. SC was the only colony that was allowed to trade (RICE) 6. delegates agreed to meet again in 1 year if things didn t improve

II. The year 1775 A. Lexington and Concord 1. British soldiers planned to march from BOSTON through LEXINGTON to CONCORD confiscate weapons 2. British and Patriot forces exchanged gunfire at LEXINGTON MA. 3. British and Patriots fought again that afternoon at Concord MA. 4. As British returned to BOSTON, they were fired at by patriot MINUTE MEN using hit and run fighting 5. Patriot militia SURROUNDED BOSTON, entrapping the brits inside for the next several months.

II. The year 1775 B. IN SC: 1. PROVENCIAL CONGRESS replaced the GENERAL MEETING to oppose brit. a. Lowcountry had majority of representation b. Prov. Cong. Created 3 regiments of SC militia c. Prov. Congr. Oversaw collection of weapons d. Prov. Congr. Oversaw interception of letters to Brit. Govt. 2. The Royal Governor a. Lord William Campbell was the LAST ROYAL GOV r of SC b. He was forced out of Charleston

II. The year 1775 3. Breakdown of Patriots and Loyalists in SC a. 1/3 of SC were Patriots who supported independence b. 1/3 of SC were LOYALISTS who didn t support indep. c. 1/3 of SC did not take a clear side (or took both!) d. Most LOYALISTS lived in Charleston and Backcountry 4. Why be a patriot in SC? a. Anger over taxation with out representation b. Anger over british tyranny and Desire for a return to self government

II. The year 1775 5. Why be a loyalist in SC? a. SC s biggest costumer was Britain! b. Britain offered protection from other enemies c. Many in the backcountry saw the Lowcountry Govt. as a bigger threat than the British Govt! e. Many in the backcountry had received big land grants from the king (Germans in the townships) d. Its dangerous to fight the strongest military in the world!

II. The year 1775 6. First battle in SC: a. Patriots and Loyalists fought at NINETY SIX, SC b. Patriots and loyalsts fought at CANEBRAKES in G-ville! 7. SC s new Constitution: a. GENERAL ASSEMBLY replaced Prov. Congress. b. Created the office of President of SC! (John Rutledge) c. Church of England no longer got tax money. d. This constit. DID NOT recognize SC as indep from Britain

III. The Year 1776 A. In SC: 1. Battle of Sullivans Island (June 28, 1776) a. British invaded CHAS. (9 warships, 2,500 soldiers) b. A small palmetto log fort on sullivans island protected CHAS c. William Moultie and his small militia successfully defended the fort and drove off the brits!! d. The brits would not try to attack SC again for 3 more years

III. The year 1776 B. 2 nd Continental Congress 1. met after Lexington/concord. a. created CONTINENTAL ARMY b. George Washington = Commander of Army 2. On July 4 th, 1776, the DEC OF INDEP was signed by cont. congress a. SC signers: Thomas Lynch, Edward Rutledge, Arthur Middleton, and Thomas Heyward b. SC signers protested orginal wording which called slavery a cruel war against human nature. That part got dropped. c. Preamble, declaration of rights, list of grievances, formal separation

IV. The War in the North B. Battle of Breeds Hill 1. Brits charge at Patriots ontop of Breeds Hill 2. Brits take the hill but loose many soldiers (pyrric victory) 3. Colonies are declared to be in OPEN REBELLION! as result

IV. The War in the North C. Arrival of Washington 1. he takes command of patriot militia outside boston 2. he gets cannons and drives brits out of boston D. Battle of New York City 1. Brits drive Washington out of NYC 2. Washington retreats across the Delaware river E. Battle of Trenton and Princeton 1. Washington RECROSSES Del. Riv. to Surprise Brits on Chr. Eve! 2. patriots win 2 small battles at TRENTON and Princeton NJ 3. These battles BOOST PATRIOT MORALE! F. Both Armies encamp for the winter of 1777 1. Brits= NYC 2. Americans= Morristown NJ

IV. The War in the North F. A new British Plan! 1. Send 2 armies to attack Albany NY a. army #1= march south from Canada b. Army #2= march north from NYC c. Both armies would meet at Albany and cut off New England! 2. The Brit. Army from NYC took over PHILLY instead!! (oops!) 3. This mistake allowed patriots to defeat Brits at BATTLE OF SARATOGA a. This stopped the british plan! b. This boosted patriot morale! c. This got the French to join americans!

IV. The War in the North G. Stalemate in the North 1. British army in Philly returns to NYC 2. Washington s Continentals keep watch over british 3. Neither side is able to gain an upper hand for rest of war

V. The War in the South A. A changing British plan: 1. Because the war in the North is Stalemated, the British focus on the South 2. REASONS: a. Loyalist support is stronger in South b. The Southern Colonies are RICH!! 3. Plan: a. re-take Southern Colonies 1 at a time b. eventually, Southern Brit. Army will connect the Brit army in NYC

V. The War in the South B. The Fall of Savannah GA 1. Savannah GA fell easily to Brits in 1778 2. most of GA was re-claimed by brits C. Siege of Charleston 1. Overall British General, Henry Clinton, led army from NYC to SC and cut off Charleston from the rear. 2. General of South. Cont. Army: Benjamin Lincoln 3. Charleston fell to Brits in 1779 after a 5 week siege

V. The War in the South D. Results of Charleston s Fall: 1. Brits Captured ENTIRE SOUTHERN CONT. ARMY!! 2. Brits Captured Plantation, Supplies, Money, Etc. 3. militia volunteers were offered PAROLE (told not to fight brits) 4. Charleston became the Southern HQ for brit. Army 5. Henry Clinton returned to NYC and appointed CHARLES CORNWALLIS as COMMANDER OF SOUTHERN BRITISH ARMY 6. Brits establish forts in backcountry of SC

V. The War in the South E. Buford s Massacre: 1. After fall of CHAS, brits sent BANASTRE TARLESTON to chase down ABRAHAM BUFORD who led a small patriot force 2. BANASTRE TARLETON: a. Commander of Tarleton s Legion fast, hard hitting cavalry soldiers (Dragoons) b. His men wore Green Jackets 3. Tarleton s men caught and defeated Buford s Men 4. Tarleton gave NO Quarter (mercy) to surrendering patriots 5. Patriot Battle Cry: REMEMBER TARLETON S QUARTER!!!

V. The War in the South F. Battle of Camden 1. After the fall of CHAS, Congress sends ANOTHER force of Cont. Army soldiers into SC under HORATIO GATES a. Gates = hero of Saratoga b. Washington and Gates= not buddies!! 2. Gates and Cornwallis armies ran into each other at CAMDEN SC! 3. How did gates organize his army for battle? a. militia on his left: They fled the battlefield! b. Continental on his right: They fought well but got surrounded by brits 4. GATES FLED THE BATTLEFIELD! (ran all the way to NC)

V. The war in the South G. Partisan Warfare in SC!! 1. What is a partisan? a. Organized resistance against an occupying army b. Usually not connected to a regular army force 2. Why did Partisan warfare develop in SC? a. The Continental army had defeated b. Outrage over waxhaws massacre/other british brutality c. The Brits changed the terms of the Militia Parole- now they had to fight to support the Brits!

V. The War in the South 3. Guerilla Warfare a. Hit-run tactics, learned from indian fighting b. Fighting the British in open battle was ineffective c. Surprise, ambushes of british supply lines, camps, etc 4. BRUTAL! a. Rejected standard rules of warfare b. Often, very personal hatred led to brutal fighting on both sides! c. No accountability to a higher officers who might limit brutality

V. The War in the South 5. Francis Marion (The Swamp Fox) a. Served as a cont. army officer before fall of CHAS- escaped before fall! b. Used knowledge of SC lowcountry swamps to his advantage c. Tarleton called him the Fox for his elusive tactics 6. Thomas Sumter (gamecock) a. Served in Cont. army before fall of CHAS. b. Commander of all SC militia forces c. His reckless fighting style earned him nickname of GAMECOCK 7. Andrew Pickens (Wizard Owl) a. From Upstate of SC- often fought Cherokee b. Signed parole but came out to fight after terms were changed c. Famously fought at Cowpens and Pyles Massacre

V. The war in the South 5. Trusted network of informants/spys assisted partisan forces a. Martha Bratton b. Dicey Langston c. Rebecca Motte d. Jane Black Thomas e. Emily Geiger 6. Effect of Partisan Warfare: a. Most battle were small skirmishes not always decisive but slowed the british effort b. The slowing effort bought time for a new continental army to arrive

V. The War in the South H. Battle of Kings Mountain 1. After victory at Camden, Cornwallis moved his army into NC a. He put PATRICK FERGUSON in charge of a loyalist army to cover the left flank (side) of the main army b. Ferguson challenged patriots in mtns of NC, TN, VA to support the brits or die! c. These overmountain men travelled BY FOOT over mtns to attack Ferguson 2. The Overmountain men caught Ferguson s army at Kings Mountain SCa. They surrounded the hill and used their hunting skills to win b. This was the FIRST BIG VICTORY SINCE THE FALL OF CHARLESTON!! c. Many call this the turning point of the war! d. Cornwallis has to retreat back into SC!

V. The War in the South I. NATHANAEL GREENE takes command of the Southern Cont. Army 1. News of the Victory at Kings Mountain encouraged congress! 2. Congress took Washington s advise by sending Gen. Nathanael Greene into SC a. He took over an army that was starving and half naked. b. He was expert and re-equipping his new army 3. Just before crossing into SC, he split his army: a. He took half the army into PeeDee Region b. He sent the other half into upstate under DANIEL MORGAN

V. War in the South J. Battle of Cowpens 1. Morgans army was being chased by Banastre Tarleton 2. Morgan turned to face Tarleton at The Cowpens 3. The battle Plan: a. 1st line: sharpshooters take 1-2 aimed shots, then fall back to 2 nd line b. 2 nd Line: Pickens Militia- fire 1-2 volleys, retreat behind 3 rd line c. 3 rd Line: Continental Regulars: stand and fight d. Reserve: Continental Dragoon horsemen

V. War in the South 4. The battle: a. Sharpshooters up front picked off brit officers and fell back b. Militia fired their volleys and retreated off to the Left c. Cont. Dragoons covered militia retreat on the left d. Cont. regulars mistook a command and began ORDERLY retreat e. This caused brits to charge Conts. g. Conts. Turned and fired point blank at Brits! h. BUT THAT MILITIA THOUGH!! They reformed on the American right! i. Brits were Totally surrounded and Tarleton Fled! 5. After the battle, Greene recombined his forces and Retreated into NC

V. War in the South K. Battle of Guilford Courthouse 1. Cornwallis army chased Greene up into NC, towards VA 2. Greene turned his army to face the Brits at GUILFORD COURTHOUSE a. Greene organized his army similarly to Cowpens b. The brit won battle, but at too high a cost (pyrric victory) 3. Greene retreated BACK INTO SC to challenge remaining brits 4. Cornwallis had lost so many, he couldn t chase Greene s army a. He went to Willmington NC b. He then went to YORKTOWN VA

V. War in the South L. YORKTOWN 1. Washington s army went south to Yorktown without Clinton Noticing! 2. Washinton was joined by a large FRENCH ARMY!! 3. FRENCH NAVY SHIPS went to Yorktown to block brits in! 4. after an american SEIGE, the British force at Yorktown SURRENDERED!! M. MEANWHILE IN SOUTH CAROLINA..(What has Greene been doing???) 1. Following Guilford Ct. House, Greene came to SC (there were still brits in SC) 2. He laid siege to British Fort at Ninety Six, SC a. Siege was NOT successful- However. b. Brits abandoned fort right after siege 3. British won another PYRRIC VICTORY at Eutaw Springs, SC- brits withdraw to CHAS 4. DEC. 14 1782- BRITS EVACUATE CHARLESTON SC!!!

Siege of Ninety-Six

VI. The END OF THE WAR A. After the Surrender at Yorktown and the Evac. Of Chas, British asked for peace B. Treaty of Paris of 1783: 1. USA was officially recognized as its own country 2. USA GOT LAND: a. From Great Lakes to North. Border of Florida b. From Atlantic Ocean to Miss. River 3. British troops had to leave (they didn t right away) 4. Americans agreed to pay all pre-war debts owed to british merchants