The American Revolution

1. The American Revolution Unit One Part Three

2. The Olive Branch Petition • July 1775 • Purpose: • Restore previous “harmony” • Reaction • King rejects petition • Declares open rebellion in colonies • Orders blockade • “Hessian flies” • German mercenaries

3. The Fourteenth Colony • The invasion of Canada • Liberate the restive French? • Offensive war—2,000 patriots invade • French hold off colonists • Quebec Act pays off • The beginning of 1776 featured the British leaving NE • Miscellaneous skirmishes • Norfolk and Falmouth • British torch towns

4. Common Sense • Thomas Paine—1776 • Radical British immigrant • Champions republicanism • Minus the monarch • Argues independence will allow free trade and foreign aid • 100,000 copies sold in the first few months • Popularizes the notion of independence

5. “In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense: and have no other preliminaries to settle with the reader, than that he will divest himself of prejudice and prepossession, and suffer his reason and his feelings to determine for themselves that he will put on, or rather that he will not put off, the true character of a man, and generously enlarge his views beyond the present day.” ~Thomas Paine

6. The Declaration of Independence • Richard Henry Lee—07 June 1776 • “these United colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states.” • Passed on 02 July 1776 • The Explanation of Independence • Based largely on the ideas of John Locke • Social contract • Written by Thomas Jefferson (Franklin and John Adams) • Formal split with Britain

7. The Declaration of Independence • Richard Henry Lee—07 June 1776 • “these United colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states.” • Passed on 02 July 1776 • The Explanation of Independence • Based largely on the ideas of John Locke • Social contract • Written by Thomas Jefferson (Franklin and John Adams) • Formal split with Britain

8. Patriots • Patriots (Whigs) • Opposed the king • Demographics • Younger • Concentrated in NE • Strong self-government • Mercantilism was weak • Congregationalists • Presbyterians • Had to win the hearts and minds of the people • “Political education” • Armed with ideas

9. Loyalists • Loyalists (Tories) • Sided with the king • Had a stake in the empire • Older • Educated and wealthy • Employed • Anglican • Concentrated in: NYC, Charleston, Quaker PA, NJ • Ardent Loyalists: • 50,000 serve • Spies, native inciters, keeping Patriots at Bay, etc.

10. Loyalist Persecution • Pre-Declaration • Mild persecution • Tar and feathering • Some brutality • Post-Declaration • Loyalists=traitors • Imprisoned • Hanged • No “reign of terror” Property confiscated • Loyalist exodus • 80,000 fled or driven out

11. Disaster in the Middle Colonies • British regroup at NY • General Howe: • 500 ships + 35,000 men • Washington • 18,000 men • Summer and fall (1776) • Battle of Long Island • Colonists barely retreat to Manhattan—north to NJ then west to PA • Howe does not pursue

13. Hope for the Patriots • Winter of 1776 • Battle of Trenton (turning point) • December 26, 1776 • Washington crossed the Delaware • Surprises hung over Hessians at Trenton, NJ • Captured 1,ooo men—commandeered canons • Battle of Princeton • Defeated a smaller British detachment • First major victories of the war for Patriots!

15. John Burgoyne and Saratoga • Hudson River Valley Campaign • Goal: sever NE from rest of colonies • Burgoyne/St. Leger/Howe • Benedict Arnold—heroics and Fort Ticonderoga • Lake Champlain—supply lines • British pushed back to Montreal • 1777—British blunders • Burgoyne invades NY—cumbersome (7,000 men) • Militia flock to harass Burgoyne • Howe invades PA • Tries to engage Washington and eliminate his army

17. Outcomes • Washington to Philadelphia • Brandywine Creek • Germantown • “Philadelphia captured Howe” • Washington retreats to Valley Forge • Saratoga (turning point) • Burgoyne surrounded without reinforcements • Surrenders to General Horatio Gates: • 17 October 1777 • Victory at Saratoga convinces French to join war!

18. Scanty Supplies, Training, and Profiteers • Cost of home defense: • Equipment • French Alliance • Continental Congress • Clothes and shoes • Uniform raggedness • Valley Forge • Food shortages • Military training • Baron von Steuben • Drilled and trained troops at Valley Forge • Profiteers • Price gougers

19. Diplomacy in Revolution • Novus ordoseculorum • “a new order of the ages” • Influenced by enlightened thought • no political or military connections • Only commercial • No more colonies or mercantilism • The meaning of Saratoga • British offer home rule • French try to disassemble an empire • Ben Franklin plays on French fears • Treaty • Self interest over idealism

20. African-Americans • Fought for both sides during the war: • Northern blacks (mostly free): • 5,000 enlisted and fought with the patriots • Southern blacks (enslaved): • Dunmore’s Proclamation • Slaves that fight for crown get emancipation • Plantation flight • En masse • 14,000 black loyalists leave after war

21. The Revolution as a World War

22. Uncertainties & the Southern Campaign • Unity questioned • French alliance—former enemies: some violence • Benedict Arnold—West Point scandal (1780) • £ 6,300 and officer’s commission • Plot foiled—Arnold’s reputation shattered • The war moves south • Goal: British wanted to roll up the colonies • Sacked GA (1778-79) • Sacked Charleston, SC (1780) • 5,000 men—400 cannons

23. Struggles in the South • Warfare intensifies • Patriots vs. Loyalists—coldblooded tactics • Execution after surrender • Carolina Campaign • General Nathaniel Greene—Patriot • “Fighting Quaker” • Leads Patriots • General Cornwallis—British • Attempts to organize loyalists in the interior • Critical Battles • King’s Mountain • Cowpens • Greene forces Cornwallis to flee Camp 96 • North to Virginia

25. Land Frontier and Sea Frontier • Land • Native alliance • Split Iroquois • Joseph Brant—believes British will check expansion • Conducts bloody raids on the frontier—“hair buyers” • Treaty of Fort Stanwix—cedes native territory (1784) • George Rogers Clark • Seized British forts as far west as Illinois • Sea • Informal Patriot Navy • John Paul Jones • Privateers—legalized piracy • Wrecked British merchant ships

26. Yorktown • General Cornwallis • Retreats to Yorktown for supplies and reinforcements • Faith in British navy • French and American forces • Admiral de Grasse • Sails to the Chesapeake • Blockades the British • Washington and Rochambeau • Lay siege to Yorktown • Cornwallis surrenders (7,000 men) • Battle continues • 32,000 British troops remain

28. Treaty of Paris 1783 • American delegation • Ben Franklin, John Adams and John Jay • Instructed to cooperate with French • French desired a weak U.S. • Jay proposes a secret treaty with Britain • Attempts to secure U.S. land claims • Treaty of Paris: • British • Recognized independence • Generous boundaries • West—Mississippi River: North—Great Lakes • United States • Restrict further persecution of loyalists* • Return of property • Not block repayment of debts* *not followed

30. Bibliography David Kennedy, Lizabeth Cohen & Thomas Bailey, The American Pageant, Thirteenth Edition (Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006).