Transcript American Revolution - Thomasville High School

American Revolution
Chapter 8
Essential Question?
• What options did the
American colonists use
to try and reconcile
with Great Britain?
2nd Continental Congress
• Meets in 1775
– Creates an army and
navy
– Asks colonies for funds
– Selects George
Washington as top
general of new
Continental Army.
George Washington
• Served in the British
Army in the 7 Years War.
• Led by example,
character
• Was not paid
• Southerner, leading a
mostly northern army.
• “1st in war, 1st in peace,
1st in the hearts of his
countrymen.”
Important Battles
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Lexington 1775
Concord
Ticonderoga
Bunker Hill
Quebec City
Long Island 1776
Trenton
Princeton
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Lake Champlain 1777
Brandywine
Germantown
Saratoga
Monmouth 1778
Charleston 1780
Cowpens
King’s Mountain
Guilford Court House
1781
• Yorktown
Bunker Hill
• GW’s 1st job, try to drive
redcoats out of Boston.
• Sets up army on a hill
overlooking Boston.
• British marched up hill
and were slaughtered
by colonists.
• Colonists retreat when
they run out of ammo.
• Very costly victory for
the British.
Olive Branch Petition
• 1775: Continental
Congress sends to King
• Colonists swear loyalty to
the crown, asked for a
truce, and free trading
rights.
• King refuses, states that
colonists are in treason
• Hires thousands of
German mercenary
soldiers to aid the
Redcoats (Hessians)
O’Canada
• Colonists attempt to
tear Canada away from
crown.
• Thought the FrenchCanadians would gladly
join them.
• No longer a defensive
war for colonists.
• Forces lead by Benedict
Arnold failed to capture
Quebec City
• Canadians wanted no
part of the 13 colonies
revolution.
Common Sense
• Most colonists were
loyal to King, just
wanted change/ to be
left alone.
• 1776: A Briton named
Thomas Paine wrote a
pamphlet called
Common Sense
• Stated that the colonists
were better off without
Britain.
• Revived the idea of a
republic
• Appealed to radical
Whig ideology – fear
abusive government!
• Appealed to colonists –
tradition of town
meetings, elections.
• Perfect timing!
Thomas Paine
Declaration of Independence
• Common Sense
influenced the
Continental Congress.
• In June, 1776,
representatives debated
on independence.
• Thomas Jefferson chosen
to draft DoI.
• Jefferson borrowed
heavily from
Enlightenment thinkers.
• Declaration of
Independence
– Natural Rights
– Social Contract Theory
– List of grievances against
King
• Possibly the most
influential document ever
• Adopted on July 2,
announced July 4th.
Declaration of Independence
Patriot of Loyalist?
• Loyalist = Tories
• Patriots = Whigs
• Many colonists were
apathetic
• Estimated that 16%
remained loyal.
• Most loyalists assumed
that Britain would crush
colonists and they would
be rewarded for sticking
with king.
• Some felt that religious
tolerance better with
Britain.
• Slaves offered freedom
for their service in Royal
army.
• Many southerners were
loyalists.
• Often split families apart.
GW on the Run
• British concentrated on
NY.
• Hoped to control
Hudson River and
separate New England
from other colonies.
• Battle of Long Island:
GW had to evacuate NY.
• British fail to pursue.
• GW sets up winter
camp at Valley Forge,
Penn.
• Wins battles of Trenton
and Princeton over long
cold winter.
• Soldiers suffer hunger,
and lack of clothing, but
GW keeps their moral
high.
Miracle on the Hudson
• British plan to take
Hudson =
– 1. Gen Burgoyne move
south from Canada
– 2. Gen Howe move north
from NY City.
Lake Champlain
• US Gen Benedict
Arnold builds a navy to
slow down British on
Lake Champlain.
• Arnold lost, but slowed
Burgoyne down.
• Howe did not move
north from NY, instead
went to attack
Philadelphia.
• Burgoyne attacked and
surrenders at Saratoga.
• British never take
Hudson River.
• Victory at Saratoga
convinced the French to
aid the US.
• Later Spain and The
Netherlands also aid US
Why France?
• Old enemy of Britain
• Strong Navy/ Army
• Wanted revenge for the 7
Years War
• Liberal population of
France admired the
revolutionary ideals of
US.
• Benjamin Franklin (US
minister to France)
adored there
Benedict Arnold
• US General
• Hero of Lake Champlain
• One of GW’s most
trusted officers
• Turns into a traitor
when he tries to help
British take West Point
on Hudson.
• Name synonymous with
betrayal
Southern Campaign
• Charleston taken in 1780
• British march north to NC,
then Virginia
• Cowpens and King’s
Mountain both US
victories
• Nathaniel Greene lost the
Battle of Guilford
Courthouse for US, but
managed to kill many
Redcoats.
John Paul Jones
Final Curtain
• Desperate for reinforcements, British Gen
Cornwallis marches toward the Chesapeake
Bay for a rendezvous with the British Navy.
• GW army pinned Cornwallis down on a
peninsula near Yorktown, VA.
• French navy blockades their escape by sea.
• Cornwallis surrenders in 1781.
• Last major battle of Revolution!!!
Treaty of Paris
• Britain still had plenty of troops, but most in
London were tired of war.
• John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay
were sent to negotiate peace with UK.
• Treaty of Paris, 1783.
– US gets independence.
– US gets all land east of Mississippi and south of
present day Canada (except Florida)
– Loyalists were not to be persecuted.
– British debts were to be paid.
Treaty of Paris
So What?
• The details of the Treaty of Paris would be
haggled over for another 30 years.
• US and Britain go back to war in 1812.
• US alliance very rocky at first, but states stick
together.
• US the first of many colonies that would
eventually successfully rebel against European
empires.
Essential Question?
• What options did the
American colonists use
to try and reconcile
with Great Britain?