American Revolution 1776-1781

1. American Revolution 1776-1781 Conflict between Great Britain and the American Colonies grew over issues of taxation, representation, and liberty Significance today: American Revolution is turning point in humanity’s fight for freedom

2. Was the American Revolution Inevitable??

3. Defeating the French cost Britain lots of dough $$$$$$$ • Colonists should have to pay some of the costs • New Ideas • Republicanism-all citizens subordinate their selfish interests for the good of all (opposed to hierarchy) • Liberal ideas – against arbitrary authority v. elected representatives • Distance weakens authority

4. Stamp Act Every legal document, license, newspaper, pamphlet, almanac, playing cards, dice, all had to have a “stamp”, a tax Colonial Response secret resistance group, “Sons of Liberty” organized. They harassed British officials Colonial Assemblies protested Townshend Acts Indirect tax put on all imported goods coming into the colonies Colonial Response: Boycott of British goods, tea included

5. Tension Mounts • Boston Massacre • 5 Americans killed in a skirmish with Red Coats • King George wants to have soldiers come to England for Trial. • Assemblies of MA set up Committee of Correspondence to communicate to other colonies

6. Boston Tea Party • British East India Company nearly bankrupt. It had 17 million pounds of tea. Prime Minister North allowed it to sell tea really cheap. • Colonists could have just bought cheaper tea…instead they protest violently. Boston rebels dump tea from 3 British ships into Boston Harbor.

7. How many strikes did the British have against them so far??? 1.Navigation Acts 2. Sugar Act 3. Beginning of the Quartering Act 4. Stamp Act 5. Townshend Acts What was the Colonial Reaction??? 1.Smuggling 2.Boycotting 3.Sons of Liberty 4.Daughtersof Liberty 5.Boston Massacre ---propaganda machine

8. The Intolerable Acts (1774) • Shut down Boston Harbor because colonists refused to pay for damages British Response 2.Quartering Act: became even more strict authorizing British commanders to house soldiers in vacant private homes 3. General Thomas Gage: commander in chief of British forces in North America was appointed governor of Massachusetts Lord North 4. General Gage placed Boston under Martial Law - British military takes over the town

9. Committees of Correspondence Purpose warn neighboring colonies about incidents with Britain  broaden the resistance movement  Massachusetts and Virginia assemblies set it up  Communication network linking leaders in nearly all the colonies

10. First Continental Congress (1774) • 56delegates meet in Philadelphia Agenda  How to respond to the Intolerable Acts? • Supported protests in Boston - if British used force, the colonists should fight back. • Colonies began preparing for a fight by: • Minutemen- civilian soldiers • Stock weapons and gunpowder

11. Gage heard about colonial preparations He sent men to Concord to check things out The Road to Lexington and Concord • British soldiers reported: stock of weapons and that Samuel Adams and John Hancock were staying nearby • British marched his soldiers to Lexington and Concord • He wanted them to take any weapons and destroy them

12. The British Are Coming . . . Paul Revere makes his midnight ride to warn the minutemen of approaching British soldiers.

13. The Shot Heard ’Round the World! Lexington & Concord – April 18,1775 • The British reached Lexington and saw 70 minutemen in lines • someone fired, British soldiers fired • 8 minutemen died and 10 wounded • Only 1 British soldier was injured • The battle lasted 15 minutes • British marched to Concord but did not find any weapons • They began marching back to Boston • 3,000- 4,000 militia guerilla tactics • The remaining British soldiers marched back to Boston, humiliated

14. During the battles of Lexington and Concord, 73 British soldiers had been killed and 174 wounded; 26 were missing. Lord Percy, who led the British back into Boston after the defeat suffered at Concord, wrote back to London, "Whoever looks upon them [the Rebels] as an irregular mob will be much mistaken."

15. Was the American Revolution Inevitable?? Ideas Help Start a Revolution

16. The Second Continental Congress(1775) • May, 1775, men convened in Philadelphia to decide what to do next. • John Adams was a fierce Patriot. He wanted each colony to set up its own government. • Congress to declare the colonies independence. • Continental Army, George Washington was put in charge. • Congress authorized the printing of money to pay troops. • Congress organized a committee to deal with foreign relations.

17. Attempt at Peace • Colonies were ready for war but wanted peace. • July, 1775: Congress sent the King the Olive Branch Petition. • King George rejected this peaceful attempt. • He stated colonies were in rebellion; urged Parliament to order a naval blockade of the coastline. Olive Branch Petition

18. Thomas Paine: Common Sense • 50-page pamphlet attacked King George. • Paine declared colonists need to claim their freedom. • Independence was every American’s destiny. • Only Independence would give Americans the chance to create a better society- one free from tyranny, with equal social and economic opportunities for all. • 150,000 copies sold

19. Declaration of Independence (1776) • Proposed by Virginian delegates • Voted unanimously on July 2, 1776 • Author: Thomas Jefferson • He was chosen because of his knowledge and skill of writing. • Natural Rights based on the Enlightenment movement. “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776!

20. Independence Hall

21. New National Symbols

22. Americans Chose Sides • Rule of 1/3 • Patriots: farmers, artisans, merchants, and landowners. • Patriots made up lots of the population. • African Americans fought on both, British=promised freedom. • Native Americans supported the British because they thought colonial settlers were a bigger threat to their lands. • Loyalists: royal jobs ( judges, councilors, or governors), ordinary people, people who assumed British would win

23. Misnamed: Breed’s Hill, North of Boston. General Gage decided to attack colonial militia on a hill near of Bunker Hill. Nearly 2,300 British soldiers. British attack up hill. Colonists held their fire until the last minute. They ran low of ammunition after 3 attacks. British are successful. Colonists lost 450 men, British over 1,000. Deadliest battle of the War. Battle at Bunker Hill

24. American strengths Fighting for home Great leadership, Washington Fighting for a cause American Weakness Soldiers untrained Shortages of food and equip Poor navy No central government British Strengths Strong army and navy Strong central govt and $ Support of loyalists and N.A. British Weaknesses Far from home base Troops unfamiliar with terrain Weak military leaders Military Strengths and Weaknesses

25. 3/76 Patriots-pushed out of New York. Leave in the dead of night under the cover of fog 8/76 Patriots defeated in New York after heavy losses (23,000 down to 8000) 12/26/76 Battle of Trenton- Morale victory. Resilience and Unity, part of the American character

26. Spring 77 Washington attempts to defend Philadelphia (capital). Brits win Saratoga General Burgoyne=plans to isolate New England. Starts off in Canada with an army of 8000. Gets bogged down American Victory Turning point in war French decide to send help to get even with British for French and Indian War

27. Valley Forge winter 77/78 Take months for French aid to arrive Washington’s army wintered at Valley Forge Disease, cold, starvation Washington begged Congress for funds Friedrich von Stueuben- Prussian officer trained American army Marquis de Lafayette-19 French nobleman. Joins W. at Valley Forge. Becomes great general for American cause

28. British change plans and go south 1778-81 Take Savannah Georgia, Charles Town and Camden S.C. Loyalists needed to help. Just talked the talk Slaves of patriots flocked to loyalist side Attempted to take more but stopped by Green, Lafayette, von Steuben= retreats to Yorktown VA to rest

29. French and American Army of 17,000 surround British (General Cornwallis) at Yorktown. British can’t be rescued by sea because a French fleet is blocking the entrance to the Bay. Shell the British in a month long siege British surrender 10/17/1781 1783 Treaty of Paris=confirms US independence and set boundaries (Atlantic to Mississippi River and Canada to Florida) British Surrender At Yorktown

30. Equalitarian society-idea that ability, effort, and virtue defined one’s worth Ever since it has influenced revolutions around world The War becomes a symbol of liberty