American Revolution 1776-1781

Conflict between Great Britain and the American Colonies grew

over issues of taxation, representation, and liberty

Significance today: American Revolution is turning point in humanity’s fight for freedom

• Defeating the French cost Britain lots of dough $$$$$$$– Colonists should have to pay some of the

costs

• New Ideas– Republicanism-all citizens subordinate their

selfish interests for the good of all (opposed to hierarchy)

– Liberal ideas – against arbitrary authority v. elected representatives

• Distance weakens authority

• Stamp Act– Every legal document, license,

newspaper, pamphlet, almanac, playing cards, dice, all had to have a “stamp”, a tax

– Colonial Response• secret resistance group, “Sons of

Liberty” organized. They harassed British officials

• Colonial Assemblies protested

• Townshend Acts– Indirect tax put on all imported

goods coming into the colonies– Colonial Response: Boycott of

British goods, tea included

Tension Mounts•Boston Massacre

•5 Americans killed in a skirmish with Red Coats• King George wants to have soldiers come to England for Trial.•Assemblies of MA set up Committee of Correspondence to communicate to other colonies

•Boston Tea Party•British East India Company nearly bankrupt. It had 17 million pounds of tea. Prime Minister North allowed it to sell tea really cheap.

•Colonists could have just bought cheaper tea…instead they protest violently. Boston rebels dump tea from 3 British ships into Boston Harbor.

How many strikes did the How many strikes did the British have against them so far???British have against them so far???

1. Navigation Acts2. Sugar Act3. Beginning of the Quartering Act4. Stamp Act5. Townshend Acts

1. Smuggling2. Boycotting3. Sons of Liberty

What was the Colonial Reaction???What was the Colonial Reaction???

4. Daughters of Liberty5. Boston Massacre ---propaganda machine

The Intolerable Acts (The Intolerable Acts (17741774))

Lord NorthLord North

1. Shut down Boston Harbor because colonists refused to pay for damages

2. Quartering Act: became even more strict authorizing British commanders to house soldiers in vacant private homes

3. General Thomas Gage: commander in chief of British forces in North America was appointed governor of Massachusetts

British Response

4. General Gage placed Boston under Martial Law - British military takes over the town

Committees of Committees of CorrespondenceCorrespondence

PurposePurpose warn neighboring colonies about neighboring colonies about incidents incidents with Britain with Britain

broaden the broaden the resistance movement movement

Massachusetts and and Virginia assemblies set it upassemblies set it up

Communication network network linking leaders linking leaders in nearly all the in nearly all the colonies colonies

First Continental Congress First Continental Congress ((17741774))• 56 delegates meet in delegates meet in Philadelphia

Agenda Agenda How to respond to the Intolerable Acts?

• SSupported protests in protests in Boston - if British used - if British used force, the colonists force, the colonists should fight back.should fight back.

• Colonies began Colonies began preparing for a fight by:preparing for a fight by:

• Minutemen- Minutemen- civilian soldiers

• Stock weapons and Stock weapons and gunpowdergunpowder

Gage heard about colonial preparations• He sent men to Concord to check things out

• British soldiers reported: stock of weapons and that Samuel Adams and John Hancock were staying nearby

•British marched his soldiers to Lexington and and ConcordConcord

•He wanted them to take any weapons and destroy them

The Road to Lexington and Concord

The British Are Coming . . .The British Are Coming . . .

Paul Revere makes his midnight ride to warn Paul Revere makes his midnight ride to warn the minutemen of approaching British the minutemen of approaching British soldiers.soldiers.

The Shot Heard ’Round the The Shot Heard ’Round the World!World!Lexington & Concord – April 18,1775Lexington & Concord – April 18,1775

• The British reached Lexington and saw 70 minutemen in lines

• someone fired, British soldiers fired

• 8 minutemen died and 10 wounded

• Only 1 British soldier was injured

• The battle lasted 15 minutes

•British marched to Concord but did not find any weapons

•They began marching back to Boston

• 3,000- 4,000 militia guerilla tactics

•The remaining British soldiers marched back to Boston, humiliated

During the battles of Lexington and Concord, 73 British soldiers had been killed and 174 wounded; 26 were missing. Lord Percy, who led the British back into Boston after the defeat suffered at Concord, wrote back to London, "Whoever looks upon them [the Rebels] as an irregular mob will be much mistaken."

Ideas Help Start a RevolutionIdeas Help Start a Revolution

The Second Continental CongressThe Second Continental Congress((17751775))

•May, 1775, men convened in Philadelphia to decide what to do next.

•John Adams was a fierce Patriot. He wanted each colony to set up its own government.

• Congress to declare the colonies independence.

•Continental Army, George Washington was put in charge.

•Congress authorized the printing of money to pay troops.

•Congress organized a committee to deal with foreign relations.

Attempt at PeaceAttempt at Peace

Olive Branch Olive Branch PetitionPetition

•Colonies were ready for war but wanted peace.

•July, 1775: Congress sent the King the Olive Branch Petition.

•King George rejected this peaceful attempt.

•He stated colonies were in rebellion; urged Parliament to order a naval blockade of the coastline.

Thomas Paine: Thomas Paine: Common SenseCommon Sense•50-page pamphlet attacked King George.

•Paine declared colonists need to claim their freedom.

•Independence was every American’s destiny.

•Only Independence would give Americans the chance to create a better society- one free from tyranny, with equal social and economic opportunities for all.•150,000 copies sold

Declaration of Independence Declaration of Independence (1776)(1776)•Proposed by Virginian delegates

•Voted unanimously on July 2, 1776

•Author: Thomas Jefferson

•He was chosen because of his knowledge and skill of writing.

•Natural Rights based on the Enlightenment movement.

““Life, Liberty, Life, Liberty, and the pursuit and the pursuit of Happiness”of Happiness”

Declaration was adopted on July 4, Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776!1776!

Independence HallIndependence Hall

New New National National SymbolsSymbols

Americans Chose SidesAmericans Chose Sides

•Rule of 1/3 Rule of 1/3

•PatriotsPatriots: farmers, artisans, merchants, and landowners.

•Patriots made up lots of the population.

•African Americans fought on both, British=promised freedom.

•Native Americans supported the British because they thought colonial settlers were a bigger threat to their lands.

• Loyalists: royal jobs ( judges, councilors, or governors), ordinary people, people who assumed British would win

Battle at Bunker HillBattle at Bunker Hill• Misnamed: Breed’s Hill, North of Boston.Misnamed: Breed’s Hill, North of Boston.• General Gage decided to attack colonial militia on a hill General Gage decided to attack colonial militia on a hill

near of Bunker Hill.near of Bunker Hill.• Nearly 2,300 British soldiers.Nearly 2,300 British soldiers.• British attack up hill.British attack up hill.• Colonists held their fire until the last minute.Colonists held their fire until the last minute.• They ran low of ammunition after 3 attacks.They ran low of ammunition after 3 attacks.• British are successful.British are successful.• Colonists lost 450 men, British over 1,000.Colonists lost 450 men, British over 1,000.• Deadliest battle of the War.Deadliest battle of the War.

Military Strengths and Weaknesses

• American strengths– Fighting for

home– Great

leadership, Washington

– Fighting for a cause

• American Weakness– Soldiers

untrained– Shortages of

food and equip– Poor navy– No central

government

• British Strengths– Strong army

and navy– Strong

central govt and $

– Support of loyalists and N.A.

• British Weaknesses– Far from

home base– Troops

unfamiliar with terrain

– Weak military leaders

Resilience and Unity, part of the American character

• 3/76 Patriots-pushed out of New York. Leave in the dead of night under the cover of fog

• 8/76 Patriots defeated in New York after heavy losses (23,000 down to 8000)

• 12/26/76 Battle of Trenton- Morale victory.

• Spring 77 Washington attempts to defend Philadelphia (capital). Brits win

• Saratoga– General Burgoyne=plans to isolate New England. Starts off

in Canada with an army of 8000. Gets bogged down– American Victory

• Turning point in war• French decide to send help to get even with British for

French and Indian War

• Valley Forge winter 77/78– Take months for French aid to arrive– Washington’s army wintered at Valley Forge

• Disease, cold, starvation• Washington begged Congress for funds

– Friedrich von Stueuben- Prussian officer trained American army

– Marquis de Lafayette-19 French nobleman. Joins W. at Valley Forge. Becomes great general for American cause

• British change plans and go south 1778-81– Take Savannah Georgia,

Charles Town and Camden S.C.

• Loyalists needed to help. Just talked the talk

• Slaves of patriots flocked to loyalist side

– Attempted to take more but stopped by Green, Lafayette, von Steuben= retreats to Yorktown VA to rest

British Surrender At

Yorktown

• French and American Army of 17,000 surround British (General Cornwallis) at Yorktown.

• British can’t be rescued by sea because a French fleet is blocking the entrance to the Bay.

• Shell the British in a month long siege• British surrender 10/17/1781

• 1783 Treaty of Paris=confirms US independence and set boundaries (Atlantic to Mississippi River and Canada to Florida)

The War becomes a symbol of liberty

• Equalitarian society-idea that ability, effort, and virtue defined one’s worth

• Ever since it has influenced revolutions around world