REVOLUTIONARY WAR

DIVISION AMONGST COLONISTS

LOYALISTS• Opposed Independence• Loyalty to King George III• Judges, governors, wealthy• Many loyalists wanted to avoid being

punished as rebels• Native Americans-viewed Colonists as

hostile• African Americans- promised freedom

from slavery if they fought for Britain

PATRIOTS• Supporters of Independence• Individuals who saw political and

economic advantages of an independent America• African Americans- many

supported Patriot cause as well

EARLY BATTLES

• British Goal: Isolate New England• Sent 32,000 troops to capture New York City• Forced Colonial troops to retreat South to Pennsylvania

• George Washington: sought to reclaim portions of southern New England• Christmas Night, 1776: led 2,500 men across Delaware River into New Jersey• Defeated Hessian (German mercenary) army in Trenton

• British Response: Capture capital of Philadelphia in September 1777• British in firm control as of September 1777

IMPORTANCE OF SARATOGA

• John Burgoyne- British general commanding army near Canada/NY border• Planned to lead army from Canada to Albany, NY• Plan included British army in NY advancing N to Albany to seal off New

England

• Burgoyne’s Army• Fought against American militia through upstate NY wilderness• PROBLEM: British troops were holding Philadelphia; No support coming to

meet Burgoyne’s Army

SARATOGA CT’DBurgoyne’s troops were surrounded at Saratoga on October 17, 1777

- American troops led by General Benedict Arnold

- Burgoyne forced to surrender

FRANCE: Bitter enemies with England

- Secretly supported Colonies

- Victory at Saratoga gave French the belief that Colonists could win the war

- 1778: France enters into war and fights with the Colonists

WAR SWINGS IN COLONISTS’ FAVOR

• Valley Forge, PA: location of winter camp of George Washington’s army• Camp low on food, supplies; 2,000 died• Remainder of troops did not abandon army (Pg. 60)

• Continental Army received training from Prussian and French Generals; prepared to march S toward Virginia

END OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR

• Saratoga: bad loss for British• Focused their attack on Southern Colonies (VA, SC, GA)• By 1780, British had captured Savannah, GA, Charles Town, SC

• Led by General Charles Cornwallis

• Cornwallis: could never capture North Carolina; focused on Virginia• Marched 7,500 troops to Yorktown, VA• George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette learned of Cornwallis’ plans

• Washington advanced toward Yorktown• Lafayette’s French naval force set up blockade in Chesapeake Bay• Cornwallis’ army surrounded by 17,000 American and French soldiers• October 19, 1781: Cornwallis surrenders

RESULTS OF REV WAR1. Treaty of Paris confirmed

independence and boundaries of America

2. U.S now encompassed Atlantic coast in E to Mississippi River in W

3. Canada in N, Florida in S4. Notion of Egalitarianism

amongst White Males (Women, African Americans did not obtain many rights)

5. Native American tribal lands were unprotected by Treaty of Paris