The American Revolution

1. The American Revolution Unit 2, Lesson 3

2. Essential Idea • Though victory was unlikely, America won the Revolutionary War with key victories at the Battles of Saratoga, Kings Mountain, and Yorktown.

3. British Advantages • British Advantages: • Much larger population • Stronger government to conduct war • Stronger economy and more money • Strongest and most disciplined military in the world

4. British Disadvantages • British Disadvantages: • Overextended, trying to control too much of the world at once • English support for war was weak

5. British Disadvantages • Fighting offensive war, no “home field” advantage • America was a large area, hard to control

6. Colonial Advantages • Colonial Advantages: • Superior military leadership • Fighting defensive war, had “home field” • Patriots’ support was high, felt they were fighting for their rights

7. Colonial Advantages • Guerrilla warfare- sometimes fought with hidden ambushes, not lining uplike the British • France eventually helped America • Did not have to win, just outlast Britain until they were tired of the war

8. Colonial Disadvantages • Much weaker, less organized military • Weak government and economy that struggled to support military • On paper, Britain should have won

9. Fighting in the North • Battle of Long Island: • Washington’s army was defeated and forced to retreat • British General William Howe captured New York City • The Continental Army’s morale was low and Washington needed a way to boost it

10. Washington Crosses the Delaware • On Christmas of 1776, Washington led troops secretly across the Delaware River into New Jersey

11. Boosted Morale • Washington won two victories in the Battles of Trenton and Princeton • Washington Crosses the Delaware • Washington’s leadership kept morale up (for now) and kept soldiers from quitting

12. Britain’s Strategy to Win the War • Initial British strategy: • Cut New England off from the rest of the colonies • Troops under John Burgoyne in British-owned Canada would move south • Troops under Howe in New York City would move north to meet Burgoyne • They would meet in Albany and then invade New England • Why New England? • Most colonists and Patriots that wanted independence lived here and would be isolated • The Northern Strategy • Why it failed: • Howe decided to capture Philadelphia instead • Burgoyne was stopped at the Battle of Saratoga

13. Britain Takes Philadelphia • Howe in Philadelphia: • Howe’s troops moved to Philadelphia to capture the Congress • Howe thought the revolution would fall apart without its government • Washington failed to stop Howe, but the Congress escaped and survived • Howe occupied Philadelphia and took the winter off to enjoy the city

14. Winter Sets In • Washington in Valley Forge: • Endured the harsh winter outside Philadelphia in Valley Forge

15. Valley Forge • Washington and other officers drilled and disciplined the soldiers to boost morale • After the winter, Washington’s men were stronger and able to win the Battle of Yorktown • Valley Forge

16. Battle of Saratoga • Battle of Saratoga: • This battle was the turning point in the North • American forces stopped Burgoyne, ending Britain’s campaign to cut off New England • This helped convince France to join America against Britain, providing vital help • Battle of Saratoga

17. Fighting in the South • Britain’s New Strategy: • Focus on controlling the South, where most loyalists were • Britain wanted to at least keep the Southand maybe use it to invade the North

18. Charles Town (Charleston) • Fighting in the Carolinas: • Britain captured Charleston and brutally invaded South Carolina • British General Charles Cornwallis was put in charge of conquering the Carolinas’ countryside • British troops freed many slaves, making the South unstable • Britain Invades the South

19. Battle of Kings Mountain • Battle of Kings Mountain • This battle was the turning point in the South • Patriots (the “overmountain men”) marched out of the Appalachian Mountains to stop the British at Kings Mountain • This stopped the British invasion of North Carolina and boosted southern Patriots

20. The “Fighting Quaker” • Nathanael Greene: • American General Nathanael Greene wanted to turn southern support against Britain • Greene baited Cornwallis’ troops to chase his men across the countryside using “hit and run” attacks • Low on supplies, Cornwallis’ troops plundered southern homes

21. Britain Loses the Southern Population • Greene lost every battle, but won because he turned the South against Britain and wore out Cornwallis’ troops • Britain only controlled a few major cities in the South but could not control the vast countryside in between • America’s Southern Strategy: Lose Battles but Win the War

22. Battle of Yorktown • Cornwallis marched to Yorktown, on the coast of Virginia, to wait for resupply from the British navy • Cornwallis assumed Britain’s strong navy still controlled the ocean • Washington rushed his army south to capture the land around Yorktown • The French navy captured the coast at Yorktown, preventing Cornwallis’ resupply and escape

23. Cornwallis Surrenders • Surrounded, Cornwallis and his 8,000 troops surrendered • The Battle of Yorktown caused Britain to declare the war over

25. Treaty of Paris (1783) • The War Ends • Treaty: • Treaty of Paris of 1783 • Terms: • Ended the American Revolution • Britain recognized the United States as a new nation • Battle of Yorktown and Independence • The United States owned land all the way west to the Mississippi River