Chapter 7 The American Revolution. What would you sacrifice to win freedom? What sacrifices do...

Chapter 7

The American Revolution

What would you sacrifice What would you sacrifice to win freedom?to win freedom?

• What sacrifices do soldiers at war make?

• What sacrifices do regular civilians make?

• Is it worth independence?

Revolutionary WarRevolutionary War• Colonists (Patriots)

− VS.

• British (Loyalists)

• Fighting for independence from British rule in the colonies

Americans DividedAmericans Divided

•20-30% of colonists were Loyalists

•40-45% of colonists were Patriots

•The rest remained neutral – not siding with one country or the other

Continental ArmyContinental Army

•Continental Army – colonists fighting for independence• untrained & undisciplined volunteers

- G. Washington – commanding General• African Americans

• fought for both sides• offered freedom if they fought

• Divided families• fathers and sons fought for different sides• Benjamin Franklin’s son fought for the British

The CrossingThe Crossing• The British troops tried to capture coastal

cities so their navy could land troops and supplies.

• Washington’s troops crossed the Delaware river on Christmas Day, 1776

• mercenary – a professional soldier hired to fight for another country.• Hessians (German soldiers) were hired to fight for

the British.

British strategyBritish strategy

• The British strategy• seize the Hudson River Valley

•NEW YORK• strategy – an overall plan of action

• If successful, they would have cut off access to New England colonies.

Battle of SaratogaBattle of Saratoga

• Saratoga• turning point in the Revolutionary War• U.S got help from the French after this battle

• The British were being defeated in many battles• British troops became tired and many died in battles

• At Saratoga, the Continental Army fired day and night on the British troops and the British surrendered

First American FlagFirst American Flag

• On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the stars and stripes design for the U.S. flag

• Betsy Ross sewed the first flag for George Washington

U.S. gets help!U.S. gets help!• As a result of the Battle of Saratoga

the U.S. got help

• To defeat the mighty British, the U.S needed an ally

• ally – a country that agrees to help another country to achieve a common goal.

• They needed an ally that had money, troops & ships.• Also needed to be a British enemy.

•FRANCE – began to give secret aid to the Americans

France & others help outFrance & others help out

• France began to send supplies and troops to America in 1778.

• Spain, Germany & Poland began to send officers to help Washington and the Americans.

• Marquis de Lafayette • 19-yr-old French nobleman• volunteered to serve in Washington’s army• given command of a whole division• Washington considered him like a son

Marquis de Lafayette

Germans train militaryGermans train military

• German soldiers helped to train the U.S. troops

• Taught U.S. soldiers how to move in lines and handle weapons properly

• Taught U.S. soldiers to use bayonets – long steel knives attached to the ends of guns

Winter at Valley ForgeWinter at Valley Forge• Washington and his army

camped at Valley Forge in Penn. in the winter of 1777

• VERY COLD!

• Men lacked shoes & blankets• Some men's legs froze and had to be amputated

(cut off)

• 25% of the soldiers died at Valley Forge• Became a symbol of hardships of war

• Some soldiers would desert – leave military duty without returning

War at SeaWar at Sea

• By 1777, Britain had about 100 warships

• American privateers attacked British ships• A privateer is a privately owned ship that is

given permission during wartime to attack an enemy’s ship

• During the war over 1,000 privateers captured hundreds of British ships

John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones

• John Paul Jones•won most famous sea battle

•against the ship Serapis

• Jones’ success against the best navy in the world angered the British and inspired the Americans• “I have not yet begun to fight!”

British try the SouthBritish try the South

• The British could not capture the North, so they tried to capture the South

• General Lord Cornwallis led the British army

Militia help in the SouthMilitia help in the South

• Francis Marion (called the Swamp Fox) led the militia out of South Carolina to help fight

• Like Benjamin Martin in The Patriot

• The militia fought more like guerrillas• small bands of fighters who weaken the

enemy with surprise raids and hit-and-run attacks

• Remember The Patriot??

The End of the WarThe End of the War• General Cornwallis set up

his base in Yorktown• A large French fleet of boats

arrived in Yorktown and trapped the British

The End of the WarThe End of the War•The Battle of Yorktown was the

last battle of the Revolutionary War

•Cornwallis surrendered and America won the war!

America WINS!America WINS!

• Americans won independence even though they faced many obstacles

American Advantages in Rev. War

1. Better leadership – never gave up

2. Foreign help – French

3. Knowledge of Land – familiar with roads, landforms (geographical)

4. Motivation – wanted independence

The Treaty of ParisThe Treaty of Paris

• The Treaty of Paris 1783• ended the Revolutionary War

• The United States was independent• Boundary of the United States was

Mississippi River, Canada, Spanish Florida

US in 1783