The American War The American War for Independencefor Independence

Mr. BachAccelerated United States History

Hudson High School

Colonial Colonial DemographicsDemographics

• Patriots• Loyalists• African-

American Slaves

• Native American Indians

On the Eve of On the Eve of Revolution?Revolution?

Britain Americans

Advantages ? ?

Disadvantages ? ?

First Continental First Continental CongressCongress

September – October September – October 17741774• Radicals – Patrick Henry (“Give Me

Liberty . . .”)• Conservatives – Joseph Galloway

(Galloway Plan of Union)• Compromise – John Adams

(Declaration of Rights and Grievances)

• Accomplishments:– Articles of Association– Committees of Observation

Did the Patriotic Did the Patriotic Cause take the Cause take the

Appropriate Action Appropriate Action towards Loyalists in towards Loyalists in

the Colonies?the Colonies?

““The Shot Heard The Shot Heard Round the World”Round the World”

• April 19, 1775• Lexington and

Concord

Battle of Bunker HillBattle of Bunker HillJune 17, 1775June 17, 1775

Second Continental Second Continental CongressCongress

• Must now manage a war effort– Continental

Army• George

Washington (Commanding General)

– Raise funds• Colonial Scrip

– Foreign Ministry• Need Allies

The Northern The Northern CampaignCampaign

1775 - 17761775 - 1776

Fort TiconderogaFort Ticonderoga

• Ethan Allen (Green Mountain Boys)

• Benedict Arnold

Washington in Washington in CommandCommand

• Organizes Continental Army from rag-tag militia on the heights around Boston

Henry KnoxHenry Knox

• Brings the cannon from Fort Ticonderoga through the winter snow

The Northern The Northern Campaign Campaign

1777 - 17781777 - 1778

Washington Crossing Washington Crossing the Delawarethe Delaware

SaratogaSaratogaOctober 1777October 1777

• The Turning Point

Where the Revolution Where the Revolution Almost DiedAlmost Died

• Valley Forge (Winter 1777 - 78)

Outside HelpOutside Help

• Casimir Pulaski• Thaddeus

Kosciusko• Friedrich Wilhelm

von Steuben• Franco-American

Alliance (1778)– Marquis de

Lafayette– Comte de

Rochembeau

• John Adams and the Netherlands

The Southern The Southern CampaignCampaign

(1778 – 1781)(1778 – 1781)

Why the Southern Why the Southern Strategy?Strategy?

• Split the colonies in two• Advice of exiled Loyalists that

there was greater pro-British sentiment in the South

Great Military Great Military LeadersLeaders

Betrayal at West Betrayal at West PointPoint

The Battle of Yorktown The Battle of Yorktown (1781)(1781)

Count de Rochambeau

AdmiralDe Grasse

The World Turned The World Turned Upside DownUpside Down

Treaty of ParisTreaty of Paris

• Recognizes American independence

• American boundaries

• North: Canada• South: Florida• West: Mississippi• Fishing rights off

Newfoundland

Why did the Why did the British lose the British lose the

American War for American War for Independence?Independence?