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The Peace Treaty. In London, the defeat shocked the British so much so that they became willing to hold peace talks.
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In London, the defeat shocked the British so much so that they became willing to hold peace talks. • The talks began Paris in 1782. Congress sent Ben Franklin and John Adams, along with John Jay and Henry Laurens to work out a treaty. Because Britain was eager to end the war, the Americans got most of what they wanted. • Under the Treaty of Paris, the British recognized the United States as an independent nation that extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River. The northern border was the Great Lakes and the southern border stopped at Florida which belonged to Spain.
For their part, the Americans agreed to ask the state legislatures to pay Loyalists for property they had lost in the war. In the end, most states ignored Loyalist claims. • On April 15, 1783 Congress ratified or approved the Treaty of Paris. It was almost eight years to the day since the battles of Lexington and Concord. • Britain agreed to remove all of their soldiers from the United States, and the U.S. agreed not to ask for restitution. Although Spain and France were allies of the U.S. they had their own interests in N.A and didn’t want the U.S. to become too powerful.
Why the Americans Won • Geography placed an important role in the American victory. The British had to send soldiers and supplies to a war that was several thousand miles from home. They also had to fight an enemy that was spread over a wide area. For their part, the Americans were familiar with the local geography and knew the best routes and the best places to fight. • Help from other nations was crucial to the American cause. Spanish attacks along the Gulf and Missisp along with French money and military aid helped the Americans end the war conclusively.
The American’s patriotic spirit and fighting skills were another key to their victory. Despite early setbacks, the Patriots battled on. Over time, Washington’s inexperienced troops learned how to drill, march, and fight. Perhaps more important was that Washington himself grew in leadership and military skills throughout the conflict. • In December 1783, General Washington bid farewell to his officers. All along Washington’s route home to Virginia, crowds cheered their hero. The new nation faced difficult days ahead. In time, Americans would call on Washington to lead them again.
Role of Women • Women in the Revolutionary War took on many roles, some were traditional while others were unconventional and scandalous for the time. From supportive roles like nurses, cooks and maids to more direct roles such as secret soldiers and spies, women did more than their share to help win America’s independence.
Nurses • Although nurses were not used much during the early days of the war, they became more prevalent in 1777. According to the book, “The Revolutionary War,” many nurses were originally camp followers: wives, daughters and mothers of male soldiers who followed the army looking for food and protection because they were no longer able to support themselves after the men left for war • Despite the opportunity for food and pay, the women were reluctant to take these jobs since the mortality rate in hospitals for the sick as well as for caregivers was exceptionally high.
Seamstresses, Cooks, and Maids • Some of the most common roles for women in the Revolutionary War were cooks, maids, laundresses, water bearers and seamstresses for the army. This was the first time women held these jobs in the military since these positions were usually reserved for male soldiers. Much like the nursing positions, the American army often recruited the many female camp followers to fill these jobs. Since most of these women were poor wives, mothers and daughters who were accustomed to doing housework, they were well suited for the positions.
Soldiers • Although women were not allowed to join the military at the time, many women still served as secret soldiers during the Revolutionary War. These female soldiers usually disguised themselves as men by cutting their hair, binding their breasts with bandages and adopting masculine names. Their motivations for signing up vary but, since most of these women were young, unmarried and poor, many of them joined in order to earn money for their families as well as for the rare opportunity to fight for America’s independence.
Spies • Many women also served as spies during the American Revolution, although it is not known how many. According to the National Women’s History Museum website, most of these female spies worked as cooks and maids for the British and American military camps where they eavesdropped on conversations about troop movements, military plans, supply shortages and deliveries. Since the war was fought on farms, city streets and the front yards of many American’s homes, these spies easily carried the messages and supplies they gathered to neighboring houses and farms without detection.
These roles are just some of the many ways women participated in the Revolutionary War. Either as nurses, maids, spies or soldiers, these women stepped out of the safety and security of their traditional roles in society and risked their lives to serve their country. While some of them were recognized and rewarded for their sacrifices with military pensions and pay, many were not. A few of them, such as Deborah Sampson, even published memoirs about their activities during the war, yet most of these women’s stories remain untold.
African Americans in the Rev War • Some African Americans saw the Revolution not only as a fight for justice, but also their own liberty and freedom from slavery. Benjamin Quarles believed that the role of the African American in the American Revolution can be understood by "realizing that loyalty was not to a place or a person, but to a principle”. Regardless of where the loyalties of the African American lay, they made a contribution to the birth of the United States that is often disregarded. During the American Revolutionary War, African Americans served both the Continental Army and the British Army.
It is estimated that 5,000 African Americans served as soldiers for the Continental army, while more than 20,000 fought for the British cause. However, there is no documentary evidence that 5,000 African Americans fought in the Continental Army; indeed, that number has been found from the New England states alone. Estimates are difficult because most existing pension and service files do not mention race. • Some motives to joining the American forces may have been a desire for adventure, belief in the justice and the goals of the Revolution and the possibility of receiving a bounty. Monetary payments were given or promised to those who joined. They would often become free because of their contribution.
Many slaves who fought did receive their freedom, but many others did not after their owners reneged on their promise to free them for service in the military. • Black women, many of whom were slaves, served both the Americans and the British in the capacity of nurses, laundresses and cooks.
