Chapter 7The American Revolutionary War

Introduction

• In this chapter you will learn about the American Revolution.

• Our key things for this chapter are • Key People• The four major battles • The treaty that ended the war• The strengths and weaknesses of both sides, and• How the colonists managed to win the war.

Big Ideas

• Section 1• Desires for more rights and liberties can

lead to a fight for independence.• How are those same rights and liberties

protected today?

• Section 2• When a group declares independence,

other nations may choose to help them achieve their goals.• How did the new United States build

relationships with other nations?

Big Ideas

• Section 3 • Revolutions inspire other groups and people

to stand up and fight for their rights.• What did the British do in the South • How effective was that strategy? Why?

• Section 4• Once a new nation is free, it often faces many

challenges.• How did the issues of slavery and religious

freedom relate to those challenges?• What other challenges were faced?

“Join or Die” Albany Plan of Union – written/drawn by Benjamin Franklin – first formal proposal to unite the colonies.

Join or Die

Lexington and Concord(April 1775)

• Remember, as a response to the Intolerable Acts the colonists held the 1st Continental Congress where they decided to train militias in case they had to fight.

• These colonial soldiers were often called “minute men” because they could be ready to fight in 60 seconds.

• Sam Adams was watching British troop movements and was able to warn the people in Lexington and Concord that troops were on their way.

• When the troops reached Lexington they found almost 100 militia men waiting for them.

• The British commander ordered the militia to drop their weapons but someone fired and soon 8 Americans had been killed (B).

Lexington and Concord Cont.

• The soldiers then moved to Concord to take over a munitions depot and destroy colonial supplies.

• There they met up with another colonial militia and a battle broke out.

• The British were forced to retreat and were under fire all the way back to Boston (A).

• These were the first battles of the American Revolution though no war had been declared nor had independence been claimed.

• The shot that started the skirmish in Lexington will forever be known as the “shot heard round the world”.

Lexington and Concord

The Battle of Bunker Hill(June 1775)

• As tensions increased in Boston the colonial militia, now led by George Washington, seized Bunker Hill and Breeds Hill outside Boston.

• The militia had fortified their positions but the British attacked anyway.

• “Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes”…

• British troops were forced back but charged again and eventually forced the colonial militia to retreat.

• The British technically won the battle but suffered HUGE losses. This was considered a moral victory for the colonists because we really gave the British a run for their money here…

Battle of Bunker Hill

Winter at Valley Forge

The War Expands

Help from Abroad; Europeans Help Washington

• Marquis de Lafayette – a French nobleman who served under Washington.

• He persuaded the French king to send troops to help the United States.

Winter at Valley Forge• In late 1777 Britain forced Washington to retreat from

Philadelphia, they camped at Valley Forge. • Short on supplies• Freezing temps• Many died from hunger, cold, and diseases• In spite of the hard times, Washington and his

supporters did not quit

War…

British War Strategy• Take over Hudson River Valley & cut New England

off from rest of colonies

• Saratoga (Sept to Oct 1777) – Turning point in the war• A series of battles in Saratoga, New York• An important victory for America• Benjamin Franklin was in France and victory

convinced France to help us (this also led to Spain helping us because they were an ally of France)

War…

• War at Sea• The British had more ships than the

Americans, but the Americans were still able to score some naval victories• John Paul Jones – “I have not yet begun to

fight!”• Defeated a larger British war ship• Motivated American troops

War in the South 1778-1781

The Path to Victory

• 1781 – Yorktown• Yorktown is a peninsula. It made it possible for

British troops to receive supplies by ship from New York.

• In August a French fleet blocked the Chesapeake Bay and prevented the British from receiving supplies and escaping

• Washington and a large French force came in from the North & trapped the British on the peninsula.

• (A) British General Cornwallis surrendered

Why the Americans Won

• In November 1783, the last British ships and troops left NYC and the American troops marched in.

• George Washington said good-bye to his officers with tears streaming down his face.

• He praised his armies endurance, “through almost every possible suffering and discouragement for the space of 8 long years, was little short of a standing miracle.”

Americans

• Lacked training• Lacked experience• Were short on supplies and weapons

British

• Had experience• Had weapons and supplies• Professional Soldiers

So how did the American’s beat the odds?

• Better leadership – British generals were over confident and made poor decisions

• Washington learned from his mistakes and after early defeats, he developed the strategy of dragging out the war to wear down the British. He never gave up.

• This is called a war of attrition

So how did the American’s beat the odds? Cont.

• Foreign Aid – Britain’s rivals, especially France, helped the Americans with loans and aid.

• Knowledge of the land – The Americans knew the land. The British could control the coast, but could not control the interior.

• Motivation – The Americans had more reasons to fight. They were defending their lives, property, and dreams of liberty.

Question:

• Of all the American advantages, which do you think is most important? Why? Explain your answer.

Signing Treaty of Paris, 1783

Treaty of Paris - 1783

• As the winners the Americans won good terms in the peace treaty.

• The US was independent• The boundaries of the US were set• The US received the right to fish off of

Canada’s coast• Each side (US and British) would repay

debts to each other

Treaty of Paris - 1783

• The British would return any captured enslaved persons

• Congress recommended that the states return any property they had seized from the loyalist.

**One problem was that it did not close British forts in the Western territories (this will cause problems in the future)

In reality…each side failed to live up to their side of the treaty,

Question:

• Can you think of anything else the American’s should have asked for from the British? Or do you think they got a fair bargain after the war? Explain your answer.

Costs of the War

• No one knows exactly how many people died in the war, but 8 years of fighting took its toll.

• Estimated 25,700 Americans were killed

• 1,400 Americans missing• 8,200 Americans wounded• The British lost approximately 10,000

troops

Costs Cont.

• Many soldiers who survived the war, were left with no money. They had been paid little for their efforts.

• Some received land out west, but many sold it for food or cash.

• Both Congress and the states were left with millions of dollars in debt.

Costs Cont.

• During and after the war, an estimated 60,000-100,000 loyalists fled the US.

• Many settled in Canada.

Question:

• After learning about the costs of the war, do you think it was worth the price that was paid to have American independence? Explain your answer.

Issues after the War

• The American Revolution was not just a war, but also a change of ideas about how governments should be run.

• American’s now wanted republicanism, this means that instead of a king, the people would rule.

• The government can only rule with the consent of the people.

Issues after the War

• For this type of government to work, individuals would have to place the good of the country above their own needs.

Issues after the War

• After the war some American ideals changed as well• More religious freedom• Recognizing the conflict between the idea

of liberty and slavery• Vermont outlawed slavery• Pennsylvania passed laws to free slaves• Massachusetts eventually outlawed slavery as

well

Question:

• After the war, Americans had high expectations for their new form of government. Predict how you think the new government will address the issues that came up after the war.

Remembering Battles

• L – Lexington and Concord – “Shot heard around the world!” First Battles

• B – Bunker Hill – a moral victory for the American troops (due to heavy British casualties)

• S – Saratoga – Turning point of the war… it was after this battle that France decided to help us by becoming involved.

• Y – Yorktown – Britain surrendered to the US.• Create a mnemonic device to remember the

order of the battles listed above