Transcript America Secedes From the Empire

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Chapter 8
 2nd
Continental Congress met in Phila in May 1775
and this time all 13 colonies were represented.
 The attendees were split among 2 groups; the
Separatists and the Reconciliationists (the
majority).
 There was still no strong, defined sentiment for
independence- merely a desire to continue fighting
in hope that the king and Parliament would
consent to a redress of grievances.
More
appeals to the British were
spurned.
The Congress took measures to raise
money for creation of a Continental
Army and Navy.




Congress, in perhaps their most important action, selected
George Washington to head the army besieging Boston.
Washington was not a popular choice.
o Never ranked above colonel
o Largest command was only 1,200 troops
o Actually lost more battles than he won
Washington had strong character and leadership.
His selection was largely political because people were
starting to distrust the large New England army around
Boston.
The
14 month war (April 1775 to July
1776) was very inconsistent; The
colonists were reaffirming their loyalty
to the king and wishing to patch up
their differences, but at the same time,
they were raising armies and shooting
down His Majesty’s soldiers.
Battles
increased as warfare picked up
the tempo
o May 1775, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold
secured a store of gunpowder at Ticonderoga
and Crown Point (upstate NY).
o June 1775, colonists seized Bunker Hill (actually
it was Breed’s Hill). 1,500 Americans
slaughtered 3,000 British as they tried to attack
up the hill.
 July
1775, the CC adopted the Olive Branch
Petition (derogatory name given by John
Adams), which professed American loyalty to
the crown and begged the king to prevent
future hostilities.
 The slaughter at Bunker Hill slammed the
door on all hope of reconciliation as far as
King George III was concerned.
 George
hired thousands of German troops to help
crush the rebellion.
 The 6 German prince hired needed the money
(one, reportedly had 74 kids); George III needed
the men.
 This shocked the colonists, who felt this was a
“family” quarrel.
 The Hessians were more interested in what they
could get if they won than fighting.
Autumn
of 1775, the rebels undertook
a 2 pronged invasion of Canada.
2 officers, Richard Montgomery and
Benedict Arnold, were sent with militia
and Continental troops from the newly
formed Continental Army.
 2,000
troops marched northward, which was
important; until this point, the colonists claimed
they were merely fighting defensively; this was an
undisguised offensive warfare.
 Montgomery pushed up Lake Champlain and
captured Montreal. He was joined by Benedict
Arnold’s regiment.
 An assault on Quebec was launched on Dec. 31,
1775 and was defeated by the British.
o Montgomery was killed and Arnold was shot and wounded.
 January
1776 Norfolk, VA is burned by the
British.
 February 1776 in the south, 1,500 Loyalists
were defeated at Moore’s Creek Bridge in N.C.
(rebels loosened planks/greased the bridge so
the Loyalists fell into the river and rebels
opened fired).
 March 1776 the British were finally forced out
of Boston (Evacuation Day is still annually
celebrated)
In January 1776, the pamphlet “Common Sense” by
Thomas Paine is published.
 He arrives in America from Britain and finishes the
pamphlet.
 He said things that weren’t new, but he wrote them in a
way that appealed to the middle and lower classes.
 He wanted each colony to declare their independence,
and when they do, they should form a Republican
government and become a model for the rest of the
world.

Paine
asserts that America has a
special role in the world.
“Common Sense” is written in a way
that openly mocks the British.
Within months 120,000 copies were
sold for very cheap (another way that
the information can get to the masses
in America).
 Paine
called for a new kind of political society, a
republic, where power flowed from the people
themselves, not from a corrupt despotic monarch.
 Paine wrote “Common Sense” in biblical language
that appealed to common folk.
 The American colonists interpreted the vengeful
acts (or Acts) of the previous decade as part of a
monarchical conspiracy to strip them of their
liberties as British subjects.
 Most
Americans considered citizen “virtue”
fundamental to any successful republican
government.
 The collective good of “the people” mattered more
than the private rights and interests of individuals.
 Not everyone agreed with Paine. Some favored a
republic ruled by a “natural aristocracy” or talent.
 They felt republicanism was an end to hereditary
aristocracy, not all social aristocracy.
 On
June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of VA says
that, “these United Colonies are, and of right ought
to be, free and independent states.”
 The passing of Lee’s resolution was the formal
“declaration” of independence by the American
colonies, and technically this was all that was
needed to cut the British tie.
 John Adams wrote confidently that ever thereafter,
July 2 would be celebrated annually with fireworks.
A
more formal statement of separation was
needed; and writing the at draft fell on the
shoulders of 33 year old Thomas Jefferson.
 From June 16- June 27, Jefferson worked on the
draft of the Declaration of Independence.
 He turns it over to the other members of the
Declaration committee (John Adams, Ben Franklin,
etc.) who change it, then it is handed over to the
CC, who makes more changes.
 In
all, 86 changes are made to the draft.
Jefferson is no happy about this.
 On July 2, CC is ready to vote. 12 of 13
colonies vote (No New York). 12 colonies
unanimously declare independence.
 2 days later on July 4th, they are still making
changes to Jefferson’s draft.
 So
actually, July 2nd is the day when we
declared Independence, it was adopted on
July 4th.
 Jefferson, in effect, acted like a prosecuting
attorney, and he took certain liberties with
historical truth (ex. “All men created equal”,
but he owned slaves.)
A
war of liberation, a war to gain independence.
 A frontier conflict between Americans and Indians.
 A civil war between Americans and the Loyalists.
 The British colonies saw this revolution as a
domino theory; after the Americans wanted
independence, then the Canadian would want it,
then the British Isles, right on down the line.
 As long as the Continental Army was in existence,
the Revolution would continue (this was never
given the priority it should have been given).
 Colonials
loyal to the king (Loyalists) fought
the American rebels (Patriots), while the
rebels also fought the British redcoats.
 Loyalists were also known as “Tories” and
the Patriots were called “Whigs”.
 There was an old saying among the Whigs,
“A Tory is a thing whose head is in England,
and its body in America, and it its neck ought
to be stretched.”
 The
Revolution was largely a minority
movement with many colonists remaining
indifferent or neutral.
 The Loyalists numbered around 16% of the
American people.
 Often families were split (ex. Ben Franklin
and his illegitimate son William Franklin, who
was a Loyalist).

Many people of education and wealth, of culture and
caution, remained loyal because they thought any
change would be for the worse (people knew where
their daily bread came from).
 Loyalists tended to be members of the Anglican Church
(except in VA).
 Loyalists were strong in NY (aristocrats), Charleston,
and Quaker PA and weak in New England.
 Rebels were strong where Presbyterian and
Congregationalism flourished.
 After
the Declaration of Independence, the rebels
considered the Loyalists, not themselves, to be the
traitors.
 The Loyalists that stayed in the colonies (several
hundred thousand or so, were allowed to stay) and
their homes were confiscated and sold to finance
the war.
 Approximately 50,000 Loyalists bore arms for the
British and served as spies.
 The
1st stage of the war ends in July 1776 as
the British have largely been forced out of
the U.S.
 The British evacuated Boston in March of
1776 and head to the New York/Canada
area to resupply and reinforce the army.
 The CC wants to build up the Continental
Army (they get it up to 20,000, but 8,000
didn’t have weapons).
 August
21-22, 1776 30,000 British (9,000
Hessians) enter the Port of New York.
 The plan is to divide New York in piece meal
fashion, which they feel is possible because;
o Port is accessible for troops
o Strong Loyalist support in New York (23,000).
o Allow the British to seize the Hudson River
o Big mistake was that they didn’t feel they needed to
conquer the Continental Army.
 General
William Howe quickly defeats the raw
American army and instead of following them to
crush them, he famously decides to pursue (Battle
of Long Island).
 As he waits to starve the colonists out, a Nor'easter
kicks up and provides needed cover for the rebels.
 He asks Washington to surrender. Washington says
he will think about it as his army is escaping to
Manhattan Island and across the Hudson into New
Jersey.
 Had
Howe tried to cut the Continental Army
off on Manhattan Island, he could have put
down the Revolution.
 Washington crosses the Delaware River at
Trenton (12/26/76), surprises and captures
thousands of Hessians as they sleep off
their Christmas celebration.
 Thought
he should could starve the Continental
Army out.
 Said he didn’t have enough cavalry (remembered
what happened at Breed’s Hill).
 Took a new mistress who was the wife of a
subordinate and he was more interested in her
than the War.
 Howe wanted to concentrate on Fort Lee and Fort
Washington because they had fewer troops and
more supplies.
 In
1777, the British strategy was to sever
New England from the rest of the country.
 The main invading force, was under the
actor-playwright-gambler-soldier John
(Gentleman Johnny) Burgoyne.
 Burgoyne would push down from Canada
and link up near Albany with Howe’s army,
which was moving north.
 They
were met by Benedict Arnold who fought
valiantly, but ultimately lost.
 Arnold, however, bought the Continental Army more
time as his battle forced Burgoyne to spend the
winter in Canada.
 Slowly, Burgoyne descended south thinking he
would soon meet up with Howe.
 Howe decided to move south into Philly (his idea of
the U.S. capital) and defeat Washington head-tohead.
 This
would allow Burgoyne to move through
the northeast freely.
 Washington was defeated, but his army
retired for the winter at Valley Forge (20
miles northeast of Philly) while Howe enjoyed
the Philly nightlife.
 Prussian drillmaster Baron von Steuben
whipped the Continentals into shape at
Valley Forge.
 Burgoyne
was slowly moving and getting
bogged down by American militiamen in the
northeast, and ultimately he was forced to
surrender at Saratoga on October 17, 1777.
 This was one of the most decisive battles of
both American and world history.
 The
Americans stood for revolutionary
political ideas at home, they also harbored
revolutionary ideas about international
affairs.
o Wanted an end to colonialism and mercantilism
o Supported free trade and freedom of the seas.
 In
1776, the CC drafted a Model Treaty for
American diplomats going to rouse French
support.
 John
Adams, one of the chief authors,
described the basic principles;
o No political connection
o No military connection
o Only commercial connection
 This
was important because it echoed the
new school of thought that military conflict
could be abandoned in favor of the mutual
trust of commercial interests.
 On
February 6, 1778, France offered the
Americans a treaty of alliance; but the
Americans may have gotten more than they
bargained for.
 Both sides bound themselves to wage war until
the U.S. had fully secured its freedom and until
both agreed to terms with the common enemy.
 The American Revolution was now a world war.
 Spain
entered the fray against Britain in
1779, as did Holland.
 In 1780 Catherine the Great of Russia
organized the Armed Neutrality, which lined
up the remaining European neutrals in an
attitude of passive hostility toward Britain.
 The war was now being fought in South
America, the Caribbean, and Asia.
 The
Americans did not gain their
independence until the conflict erupted into
a multi power world war that was too big for
Britain to handle.
 The main aid given by the French (other than
money, guns, soldiers) was the powerful
navy, which helped change the British war
strategy. The British could no longer count
on blockading the East Coast.
By 1780, the French arrived and the Americans were
suspicious of their new allies (a few minor skirmishes
broke out between the new allies).
 Later in 1780 General Benedict Arnold turned traitor.
 He felt his genius was not being used to its potential
and he plotted with the British to sellout a key
stronghold at West Point for 6,300 pounds sterling and
an officers’ commission.
 At the last moment, the plot was detected and Arnold
fled with the British.

 The
Indian allies of King George III were on the
western frontier trying to protect their land.
 The thought was that if the British were
victorious they would restrain American
expansion into the West.
 In 1784 the pro-British Iroquois were forced to
sign the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, the first treaty
between the U.S. and an Indian nation.
 Settlers
were moving westward into Kentucky
o Lexington was named after the battle
o Louisville was named after the new ally King Louis XVI
 Even
though the Americans had a small navy led by
Scotsman John Paul Jones, the privateer ships
were much more damaging.
 Privateers were privately owned armed shipslegalized pirates- authorized by Congress to prey on
enemy shipping.
1780-1781
was a dark time in the war.
o Inflation was on the rise
o The government declared that it would only
repay debts at 2.5 cents on the dollar.
British
Gen. Cornwallis had fallen back
to Yorktown in the Chesapeake Bay
awaiting reinforcements and supplies.
French Admiral de Grasse blockaded Cornwallis by sea
as Washington’s army marched 300 miles from New
York to Chesapeake Bay along with French General
Comte de Rochambeau.
 On October 19, 1781 Cornwallis, completely cornered,
surrendered his entire force of 7,000 men.
 Theoretically, this should not have been a big deal
since the British still had 52,000 troops in the U.S.
 Lord North thought the war was over, but King George
wanted to keep fighting.

 After
Yorktown, the war went on for more than a
year.
 Despite King George, many Britons were ready for
the fighting to end.
 The British faced defeat in India and the West
Indies (land that the French had promised to give
to Spain for their help).
 Lord North’s ministry collapsed in 1782 and it was
replaced by a Whig monarchy.
 Ben
Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay
were sent to Paris for peace negotiations.
 Congress told them not to make any
separate peace treaties than the one they
were to sign to end the war and to consult
with the French.
 These men knew that Congress was weak
and heavily guided by the French.
 The
French wanted to keep the colonists bottled
east of the Allegheny Mountains to promote French
interests without allowing the Americans to
become too powerful.
 Jay knew that the French had to repay the Spanish
(Gibraltar) and he astutely knew they couldn’t
satisfy both the Americans and the Spanish.
 Jay thought the French were going to betray
America, so he broke his orders and quickly signed
a treaty with England.
 By
the Treaty of Paris of 1783;
o American independence was recognized by the
British
o British secede all land south of Canada, west of
Appalachian Mountains, and east of the Mississippi.
 American
concessions;
o Loyalists were not to be further persecuted
o Congress was to recommend to the state legislatures
that confiscated Loyalist property was to be restored.
o The colonists were to repay British creditors.
 Future
harmony was hampered when neither
of these were paid attention to by the
Americans.
 British defeat actually paid dividends as they
were bled dry by the war.
 Getting out when they did allowed them to
build their army and navy in order to defeat
Napoleon.
 Why
were the British so generous to the U.S.?
o Britain was trying to seduce the Americans from their
alliance to the French.
o The new Whig ministry was more friendly to the
Americans than were the Tories.
 The
Americans gained, the British were
battered and beaten, and the French savored
sweet revenge, but headed down the slippery
slope toward bankruptcy and revolution.