The Revolutionary War

1. The Revolutionary War • The British – • Well equipped • Disciplined Army • Powerful Navy • Outside Help – Native Americans, Loyalists, Hessians, other Mercenaries

2. Loyalist Strongholds

3. The Revolutionary War The Americans – • Geographical Advantage • Determined to win • New fighting tactics • Inexperienced, poor supplies, disorganized military

4. Washington’s Headaches • Only 1/3 of the colonists were in favor of a war for independence [the other third were Loyalists, and the final third were neutral]. • State/colony loyalties. • Congress couldn’t tax to raise money for the Continental Army. • Poor training [until the arrival of Baron von Steuben.

5. American Hardships • Congress lacked the power to raise money so supplies were limited. • British blockade disrupted trade causing shortages. • Inflation – too much money chasing too few goods. • Profiteering. • American army was demoralized after three years of losing.

6. Exports & Imports: 1768-1783

7. The Revolutionary War • Major Battles – • Bunker Hill (1775) • Long Island (1776) • Trenton (1776) – “The Crossing” • Princeton (1776) • Saratoga (1777) – Turning Point of the War • American Victories in the West & South – • Clark wins battles in Illinois and Indiana. • Tories defeated at Kings Mountain. • Cornwallis defeated at the Battle of Cowpens. • Cornwallis defeated at Yorktown to end the war.

8. Phase I: The Northern Campaign[1775-1776]

9. Bunker Hill (June, 1775) The British suffered over 40% casualties.

10. Phase II: NY & PA[1777-1778]

11. New York City in Flames(1776)

12. Washington Crossing the Delaware Painted by Emanuel Leutze, 1851

13. Saratoga: Turning Point of the War A modern-day re-enactment

14. Phase III: The Southern Strategy [1780-1781]

15. Britain’s “Southern Strategy” • Britain thought that there were more Loyalists in the South. • Southern resources were more valuable/worth preserving. • The British win a number of small victories, but cannot pacify the countryside [similar to U. S. failures in Vietnam!]

16. The Battle of Yorktown (1781) Count de Rochambeau AdmiralDe Grasse

17. Cornwallis’ Surrender at Yorktown: Painted by John Trumbull, 1797

18. North America After theTreaty of Paris, 1783

19. The Treaty of Paris 1783 • Great Britain recognizes the United States of America. • Northern border was set along the Great Lakes to the Mississippi. • Mississippi was the boundary between the U.S. and Spain. • Mississippi was open to American and British citizens • Florida returned to Spain and Southern border was set. • Great Britain agrees to remove troops from U.S. territory. • Rights and property to be restored to American Loyalists.

20. Effects of the American Revolution • Great Britain recognizes the United States as an independent nation. • Ideas of liberty and equality inspire nations around the world. • Native Americans are pushed further west and face additional conflicts. • Ideas of freedom and natural rights inspire some to begin opposing slavery. • Traditional ideas about women and their role in society are challenged.