TRUE

FALSE1. The British won the American Revolution.

       

  2. The French did not fight in the American Revolution.

       

  3. George Washington was the Commander in Chief of the colonists’ army.

       

  4. George Washington is considered the “Father of the Constitution.

       

  5. The colonists’ soldiers were treated very well during the war.

       

 

a. Explain the language, organization, and intellectual sources of the Declaration of Independence; include the writing of John Locke and Montesquieu, and the role of

Thomas Jefferson.

The document’s ideas can be traced to several philosophies:

John Locke –-believed people were born with certain natural rights (life, liberty and property)

-have a “contract”

-people had the right to overthrow a government if it did not uphold its end of the contract

MontesquieuFrench

philosopherWrote of three

types of political power (executive, legislative, and judicial)

Separation of power and checks and balances

Originally written by Thomas Jefferson in June 1776, he borrowed the ideas of Locke and Montesquieu

The document was edited several times prior to it’s presentation to the Congress

The original included a condemnation of the practice of slaveryThis was removed by

editors of Jefferson’s workBenjamin Franklin and John

Adams editing Thomas Jefferson’s original writing of the

Declaration of Independence

Made up of 5 parts:

The Preamble which

explains the purpose of

the document

Declaration of Natural

Rights which is taken

almost directly from

Locke (Life, Liberty, and

the pursuit of Happiness)

List of Grievances

which list the colonists’

complaints against

Britain

Resolution of

Independence

which declares that

the colonies are free

from

Britain

Signers declared

that they, as

representatives of the

colonies approved the

document

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The signing of the Declaration of Independence signaled the beginning of the American Revolutionary War

b. Explain the reason for and significance of the French alliance and foreign assistance and the roles of Benjamin Franklin and the Marquis

de Lafayette.

The French, old enemies of Britain, began to secretly send supplies to the Americans

Benjamin Franklin is sent to France in 1776 to try and persuade the French to enter the war. He stayed in France until 1785

The Americans wanted France to send troops as well, but France wanted an impressive American victory before declaring war on Britain

The early war effort goes poorly for the Americans as they lose several key battles

In 1777, George Washington and the Continental Army take up winter quarters at Valley Forge (PA) – More on this later!

The Marquis de Lafayette from France, helped to hold the remaining troops together through training and discipline

He also returned to France for a time to work with Franklin & the French king on how to win American independence.

In October 1777, the Americans defeated the British at Saratoga, NY. This American victory was a turning point in the war because it boosted American morale and brought France into the war against Britain

c. Analyze George Washington as a military leader; include the creation of a professional military and the life of a common soldier, and

describe the significance of the crossing of the Delaware River and Valley Forge.

When the American Revolution began, George Washington was named commander in chief of the Continental Army.

He displayed extraordinary leadership abilities in the role.

Washington reorganized the army, secured additional equipment & supplies, & started a training program to turn inexperienced recruits into a professional military.

Life was hard for the common soldier in the Continental Army.

Enlistments lasted from one to three years, & the states differed in how well & how often they paid their soldiers, housed them when they were not on the march, & supplied them with food, clothing, & equipment.

These issues undermined morale, as did the army’s stern discipline, the chances of being wounded or killed, & British victories.

On Christmas night 1776, Washington led his troops to a victory that was another turning point for America & the Revolutionary War.

As a snowstorm pounded Washington & his soldiers, they crossed the Delaware River to stage a surprise attack on a fort occupied by Hessian mercenaries fighting for the British. (Trenton, NJ)

This victory proved Washington’s army could fight as well as an experienced European army.

Washington & his troops spent the winter of 1777–1778 in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. They spent six months there.

The army’s problems with wages, housing, food, clothing, & equipment were at their worst.

Disease spread throughout the camp, increasing the suffering of the 12,000 men.

As conditions worsened, almost 4,000 soldiers were too weak or ill to fight. Nearly 2,500 troops die from exposure to the cold and food shortages

Yet that winter Washington ordered an intense training program—similar to a modern boot camp—that turned the Continental Army into a capable & self-assured infantry.

d. Explain the role of geography at the Battle of Yorktown, the role of Lord

Cornwallis, and the Treaty of Paris, 1783

In April 1781, British forces led by General Cornwallis invade Virginia

Cornwallis moves his troops to Yorktown (a peninsula) in order to gain supplies and keep a line of communication open by sea

Though moving his army to Yorktown to get easily supplied by the British navy seemed like a good decision, why might moving your army onto a peninsula be a bad idea?

Washington took the opportunity to march from NY to Yorktown with a combined American and French army

The French navy sailed up from the Caribbean to block supplies from reaching Cornwallis’ army and to cut off his ability to escape by sea

In September 1781 American and French forces surround Yorktown and begin to attack Cornwallis’ army

After almost 3 weeks of constant bombardment, the 8,000 man British army surrenders

The surrender at Yorktown signaled the end of the war for the British

What role did the French play in defeating the British?

Signed in September 1783, the Treaty:Recognized the

United States as a new nation, setting it’s western border at the Mississippi River

Gave Florida back to Spain, and gave the French several colonies in Africa and the Caribbean