The American Revolution

The Birth of the United States The American Revolution

The colonists, who were used to salutary neglect and very little interference by the British, grew unhappy with active British involvement. The colonists saw Proclamation of 1763 as limiting their freedom and perceived the British sending 10,000 troops as a police force rather the colonies rather than protect them. They also resented the navigation and sugar acts as unjust taxes Unhappy Colonists

The Stamp Act was passed in 1765 and required colonists to buy a stamp for every legal document including newspapers, licenses, pamphlets, play cards and dice. The colonists also had to pay the tax with British currency, not the commonly used colonial money. Main purpose was to raise money for the British. Stamp Act

Colonists were furious over the tax. Sons of Liberty- a group founded by Sam Adams to protest and resist British taxes and policies. Colonial Merchants boycotted British goods until The Stamp act was repealed Virginia Legislature also voiced opposition with Patrick Henry- ‘no taxation without representation.” Protest of the Stamp Act

Protests of the Stamp Act Cont. Stamp Act Congress – Nine of the colonies came together to disapprove of the Stamp Act. In order to show express their thoughts to the king they issued the Declaration of rights and grievances. The colonists’ actions worked and Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766

Determined to assert their power over the colonies and to raise revenue, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts,which placed import tariffs or duties on tea, paper, glass and paint. Once again colonists were outraged and resolved to boycott British goods. In 1768 The British seized a ship of John Hancock. John Hancock – a wealthy colonist from Boston who was anti British. As a result riots broke out and the British sent 2,000 more troops to Boston MORE Taxes and protests

Boston Massacre • March 5, 1770 Colonists were taunting British soldiers, Some one threw a snowball at them and a British soldier fell. • His gun went off and the other Brits fired thinking they were fired upon. The “Massacre” killed five men and others were wounded. • Crispus Attucks black colonist who was killed in the conflict. • Sam Adams and other Patriots (agitators) were eager to call the event a massacre and stir up public outrage afterwards

Boston Tea Party • Boston Tea Party – 1773 Members of the Sons of Liberty, dressed as Mohawk Indians, boarded British tea ships in the Boston Harbor and threw 342 chests of tea into the harbor. They were expressing anger Parliament allowing a British tea company to sell tea without paying the taxes that colonists had to.

The last Straw • Determined to punish the colonists and force them to submit to British authority, King George urged parliament to pass the Intolerable Acts • The Intolerable Acts- (Coercive Acts)- • 1. Closed the port of Boston until payment was made for tea • 2. British officials would be tried in England rather than America • 3. (Quartering Act) British troops to be quartered in any town in Mass. Including private homes • Quebec Act- extended the Canadian province of Quebec south to the Ohio River • Uniting of the Colonists- • First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia in Sept. 1774 • It defends colonial rights and supports protests

Declaration of Rights and Grievances • The First Cont. Congress – sent this document to King George, which Denounced every revenue raising act taken by British since French & Indian War. • The Congress also supported fighting back against the British, should they use force.

Setting the Stage for the first battle • After the first continental congress, towns started organizing militia and preparing for military conflict • Secretly stockpiled weapons and ammunition. • Minutemen- civilian soldiers who if called would defend their colonial towns

Lexington & Concord • In April 1775 British General Gage sent a detachment to Concord to find and destroy hidden colonial weapons. • On the night of April 18 Paul Revere rode to warn that “The British are Coming” • April 19 When the British troops marched through Lexington going to Concord, a colonial militia was waiting for them. The fighting was short with 8 minutemen and British were killed. • The British then marched on to Concord, where 3 to 4,000 waited for them behind trees and stone walls. • Several British soldiers were killed and wounded as they limped back to Boston.

Second Continental Congress After Lexington and Concord, colonial leaders met and convened the Second Continental Congress in May 1775. Members debated a course of action, as King George III prepared to send more troops to squash what he saw as a outright rebellion. While no consensus was reached, the congress did two significant acts Recognize the colonial militia around Boston as the Continental Army Appoint 43-year-old French and Indian veteran George Washington as Commander of the army.

The Battle of Bunker Hill • Before Washington could get to his new army, General Gage who was in charge of the British forces in Boston, attacked Colonial forces dug in at Breed’s Hill • On June 17, 1775 Over 2,000 British troops attempted to take the hill by marching up it and against colonial fire • The British lost over 1,000 troops, but still took the hill because colonists ran out of ammo.

Common Sense • Thomas Paine, a British immigrant to the American colonies wrote a pamphlet in 1776 called Common Sense. • The “book” expressed that it was common sense for a independent American nation to be created because of all the wrongs done to its people by the King. • It was a powerful force in convincing many colonists that the time for action was at hand

In 1776 1/3 the population were Patriots, 1/3 were loyalists, and 1/3 were undecided Patriot – Colonists who supported Independence ex: Sam Adams, John Hancock Loyalist – Colonists who opposed Independence and supported the King. Patriots and loyalists

Declaration of Independence • In June of 1776 a young Virginian lawyer, Thomas Jefferson, was appointed to draft a formal Declaration of Independence • It was to reflect the ideas of the 2nd Cont. Congress

The Declaration of Independence cont. • July 4, 1776 The Second Continental Congress adopted the document and a new nation was formed • The Document stated “ We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal, they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” and in order to preserve these rights the colonies had to create their own nation.

After the British evacuated Boston, 30,000 troops attacked New York. Washington and the Cont. Army tried to defend the city but lost the battle and suffered many casualties The army retreated from the British losing battle after battle The Continental Army was undertrained and had few resources to work with. The Early stages of the war

Strengths and weaknesses • British Strengths • Strong well trained army and Navy • Strong central govt. with a lot of resources • Support of loyalists and Natives • British Weaknesses • Soldiers fighting far from Britain • Troops unfamiliar with land • Weak military leaders • Sympathy of some British politicians for the American cause • Colonial Strengths • Familiarity of home ground • Leadership of George Washington • Inspiring cause of independence • Colonial Weaknesses • Untrained and undisciplined soldiers • Shortage of Food and ammo • Almost no Navy • No central govt. to raise money, etc.

Important Early victories • Washington needed something positive to keep men in the army and morale high enough to fight. • Battle of Trenton - On Christmas night (1776), Washington crossed the icy Delaware river and routed the hung-over British Hessian forces - Germans hired by British to fight for them. • Battle of Princeton – eight days later Washington attacked and took the town of Princeton from 1200 british troops

Washington’s victories gave both troops and people hope that the cause for independence could be won. It caused many soldiers to reenlist It boosted the morale of troops Importance of Early victories

In 1777 the British took the capital city of Philadelphia and the Cont. congress fled the city. • General Horatio Gates’ defeated British General Burgoyne at Saratoga as his forces were trying to march south from Canada to New York. • Saratoga was one of the most important victories of the war for two reasons • It changed British strategy from keeping or sending forces to the interior • France agreed to support the new nation and their war effort against the British Sartatoga

Valley Forge • In the hard winter of 1777 and 1778 Washington’s army camped at Valley Forge outside of Pennsylvania. • The winter was especially tough on the underdressed, underfed, and unsheltered troops. • Soldiers suffered from frostbite and many died. • In all over 2000 troops died from the elements at Valley Forge

Map of early battles

Foreign Military advisors • Friedrich Von Steubon – A Prussian Captain who helped Washington train militia • Marquis de Lafayette - a French General who joined Washington’s army at Valley Forge and was influential in mediating French support

The British move south • In 1778 Britain changed their strategy and moved the war to the south, hoping to rally loyalist support. • General Corwallis – commanded the British army in the south. • Corwallis and Br. Forces took Charlestown, an important southern city in South Carolina, in 1780. • Captured over 5,000 American troops • Cornwallis also won a big victory at Camden.

The Decisive Battle • In 1780 French forces arrived, including 6,000 troops and two French fleets • French and American forces combined and surrounded the British forces on the Yorktown Peninsula • Battle of Yorktown 1781– French fleet defeated the British at sea and prevented an escape as American and French forces defeated Cornwallis’ forces and they had to surrender. • It turned out to be the last major battle of the war.

The Treaty of Paris • In 1782 Britain, France, Spain and America started peace talks • John Adams, Ben Franklin, and John Jay negotiated the American cause. • In 1783 the Treaty of Paris • officially confirmed American Independence • set the boundaries of the new nation from the Atlantic to the Mississippi River

Opener • State Trivia – How many states have 4 letters? • List them • In-Class Schedule • Alabama county map test • Notes sl. 1-6 • Founding Fathers video segment 1 • Homework Day 1

Opener • Our properties within our own territories [should not] be taxed or regulated by any power on earth but our own." -- Thomas Jefferson, 1774 • In-Class Schedule • Notes Sl 8-12 • Tea Party P. Source Reading • Pay stub analysis • Homework • Section 2 Vocab Day 2

Opener • DQ Were the patriots right in revolting against the British? • In-Class Schedule • Notes sl 13 – 18 • DOI Worksheet (analysis) • Truth Detective • Segment 2 Founding Fathers • Homework • Section 3 Vocab Day 3

Opener • Brain Teaser - What is the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space; The beginning of every end, and the end of every race? • In-Class Schedule • Join or Die pol. Cartoon w.s. • British Acts pol. Cartoon • Patriot / Loyalist pamplet • Homework • Finish projects if needed Day 4

Opener • Quote -"One of the most essential branches of English liberty is the freedom of one's house. A man's house is his castle." -- James Otis, 1761 • In-Class Schedule • Notes Sl. 19-22 • Revolutionary War battle map • Vocab Quiz? • Segment 3 Founding Fathers • Homework Day 5

Opener • City Trivia What city on Lake Michigan is the Windy City? • In-Class Schedule • Notes SL 23- 29 • Show battle scenes from The Patriot • Siege of Work town handout • Homework • Section 4 Vocab Day 6

Opener • Personal Reflection “I may not ever make it famous, but I’ll never bring it shame” • Dirks Bentley • In-Class Schedule • J-town to Y- town Timeline • Cause and Effect W.S. • Homework Day 7

Opener • DQ- What was the most revolutionary aspect of the American Revolution? • In-Class Schedule • Rev. Battles Map test • Segment 4 Founding Fathers • Homework Day 8

Opener • Quote “Freedom is the Almighty God’s gift to every man and woman” • George W. Bush • In-Class Schedule • Ch. 4 Test • Homework Day 9

The American Revolution