Chapter 8: America Secedes from the Empire, 1775-1783 - PowerPoint Presentation

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Chapter 8: America Secedes from the Empire, 1775-1783

Chapter 5 paperbackSlide2

2nd Cont

inental

Congress May 10, 1775

3 weeks after Lexington & Concord, delegates from all 13 colonies met in Philadelphia GA didn’t attend 1st because dealing w/ Indian issues that they needed british military to help with but by 2nd continental congress (yr later) upset at GB because they made deal w/ Indians that no more land would be seceded to colonists. Still no well-defined sentiment for independence just desire to continue to fight to have king and parliament address grievances but just in case: assumed powers like a central govtJohn Hancock was named President (due to smuggling, richest colonist) Delegates voted to organize an army & navy and issued $.Made G. Washington commander of the Continental Army (most important single action on 2nd Continental Congress) – never higher rank than colonel, largest command 1200 20 yrs earlier, lost more battles than he won but most distinguished Virginian w/ outstanding leadership & character. Insisted to serve w/ out pay but kept track of $100,000 debt nation owed him. Choice was more political because he was from VA which was largest more populated colony & distrust of New Englanders, man of wealth couldn’t be accused of being a fortune seeker. Sent Olive Branch Petition-last effort to patch things up with King but after Bunker Hill slaughter he rejected all attempts at peace Slide3

Put men in charge or organizing a Declaration of Independence: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Robert Livingston & Roger Sherman They appointed Jefferson, notorious for his writing skills, to write itForced to take out TJ comments blaming GB for slavery & slave trade. (South not on board if it remained)

(on

powerpoint computer one assignment title sheet pp)

America story of Us –revolution 1:00-8:22Slide4
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Fort TiconderogaAfter month after Lexington & Concord, American troops under Vermont Frontiersman Ethan Allen surprised and captured a British Fort in NY. They captured 60 cannons & mortars, which they eventually used to drive the British out of Boston Big Confidence boosterSlide6

Americans found out GB planned to take Bunker & Breed Hill from colonists because they overlooked the city of Boston. (look at map) (yr before DofI)

Who ever controlled hills controlled the city. Colonists worked all night erecting a 6

ft

wall on hillside. (Howe not happy: “Americans have done more work in one night than my men would have done in a month”)GB tried to shot cannon fire at hills from ships in harbor to no avail. June 1775 colonists seized Bunker/Breeds Hill from which 1,500 sharpshooters slaughtered advancing redcoats but ran out of gunpowder & had to retreat. (“don’t fire until you see the white’s of their eyes”) Built Fort on Breed’s Hill to protect Boston & British attacked 2 times before overtaking colonists. Colonists (GB loses 226 & 800 wounded) huge cost & moral victory for colonists) (change 1 to 2)Show Bunker Hill clip saved on iphone After Bunker Hill slaughter, King George refused any reconciliation. (bad leadership) (Gen Howe became overly cautious in future battles)July 1775 Olive Branch Petition 2nd Continental Congress adopted to profess American loyalty to the crown and beg the king to prevent further hostilities after Bunker Hill. August 1775 King formally declared the colonies in rebellion & called colonists actions treason w/ punishment of hanging. Hired thousands of German troops (Hessians) to crush the rebellionGerman princes needed $ and George needed men (his empire spread too thin) (most men came from German principality of HESS) – news of hiring Hessians shocked Colonists –felt quarrel was within family and why bring in outsiders? (hired guns won’t be too loyal & many will defect & become citizens later)Slide7

The Revolution: Declaring Independence 34:57-36:57

Moral victory for coloniesSlide8

2 Pronged Invasion of CanadaIncorrectly thought the conquered French would help them with an invasion producing a 14th colony & take away base for striking into colonies.Large scale attack w/ 2,000 contradicted colonists claim that fight was for redress of grievances.

(land hungry or something else?)

One attack led by Montgomery captured Montreal & 2nd attack was led by Benedict Arnold on Quebec (reduced to eating dogs & shoe leather to get through woods of Maine)

French didn’t rise up because they perceived the Americans as anti-catholic and had been generously treated by British in the Quebec Act of 1774. (how had they been treated generously?)The attack failed when General Richard Montgomery was killed & Arnold was wounded in the leg. Slide9

January 1776Bitter fighting persisted GB set fire to NorfolkBy March 1776 British Redcoats forced to evacuate Boston – Evacuation Day is still celebrated today2 Colonial victories in the South in 1776 – 2/1776- Moore’s Creek Bridge , NC = beat 1,500 Loyalists & Charleston Harbor

= fought off an invading British Fleet.

(GB thought to take war to south were more loyalist lived but didn’t utilize loyalists enough because of notion they were better than Americans-huge mistake)Slide10

GB thought of the war as a police action and were confident in their future success.However they were in an impossible military situation for multi reasons: 1. GB had to transport soldiers & supplies across the Atlantic. ( logistical challenge) 2. unreliable lines of communication broke down. (no committee of correspondence like colonists- didn’t utilize loyalists enough)

3. America too vast to be conquered.

4. only way to win was to crush will to resist underestimating our commitment to Republican ideals. (one GB soldier commented: “incredible to see soldiers of every age even as young as 15, whites and blacks, almost naked, unpaid, poorly fed, march so well & withstand fire so steadfastly.”

Compared to Vietnam how? A woman pretended to be male and served for 15 months- women played significant roles as nurses and cooks During lead up were in Daughters of Liberty holding spinning parties and when war over inspired to instruct sons of Republican ideology but not yet for her!Slide11

Typical Loyalist (Tory)Generally conservative educated, older-war divided familiesLoyalists were most numerous where the Anglican Church was strongest (the South)

Loyalists were less numerous in NE where Presbyterianism and Congregationalism flourished.

Loyalists were more numerous in the aristocratic areas such as Charleston, SC

15-20% of the 2.0 m. colonists in 1775 were Loyalists, or about 300-400,000 of 2 millionAbout 15% will leave after being harassed (North go to Canada & South go to FL)20-30%Slide12

Typical PatriotThe Patriots were generally the younger generation (Samuel Adams & Patrick Henry)

(many times dividing families ex. Franklin & his son, Royal NJ Governor)

From places where self-government was strong and Mercantilism weak or contested.

The Patriot militias constantly harassed small British detachments.Patriots typically didn’t belong to the Anglican Church but were Congregational, Presbyterian, Baptists or Methodist. (Great Awakening-New lights or old lights)There were also profiteers who sold to the highest bidder, selling to the British and ignoring starving, freezing soldiers (i.e. G.Washington at Valley Forge) (30% didn’t care one way or another)40%Slide13
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General Washington at Bay:

Brits concentrate on NY as base after Boston Evacuated

(Brits humiliated after Bunker Hill & forced out of Boston w/ Cannons Rebels stole from Battle of

Tinconderoga) (Want to go to NY because numerous loyalists & seaports)British fleet appears in NY Harbor July 1776 w/ 500 ships 35,000 men. Marched down from Boston & set up camp in NY, Brits realized GW left flank was defended by 5 soldiers & attacked (still unclear why flanks so unprotected) Brits take left flank & pour behind GW front lines separating them from their 2nd line of defense Howe hesitated because of Bunker Hill and GW was able to escape Washington escapes to Manhattan – crosses, then re-crosses Delaware River (storm helped GW & men after their escape Howe couldn’t move-GW realizes NY is lost & recrosses DE to rescue 9,500 men)Brit general William Howe Watch America the story of Us-Revolution (invasion of NY 8:22-14:18This is why NY abstained in the vote for Dof ISlide15

General Washington at Bay Cont.: GW humiliated in NY, botched the defense of the city & had to retreat across the Hudson R. w/ Brits Howe & Cornwallis close behind.Cornwallis could have caught GW again but Howe (still burned) told him to slow his advance.GW reached Trenton & crossed the DE but made sure all available boats in area weren’t available to Howe so Brits set up winter camp

GW knew he was about to lose ½ of his 3,000 men to

yr

enlistments so needed to act. Realizing Hessians didn’t fortify camp he attacked on Dec 25th w/ 2,400 crossing ICY DE (2 die from exposure) & capturing 900 drunk Hessians in less than an hour. Cornwallis broke camp & chased after GW surrounding him & sent his army to bed before battle the next day. GW used the burning campfire trick and slipped passed the Brits to Princeton to escape.Dec. 26, 1776 Battle at Trenton – captures 1000 Drunk Hessians. Brilliant New Jersey Plan. Slide16

Battle of Saratoga:Invasion started with 7,000 soldiers, who had to cut their way through forests. Progress was slow

Howe, not following the plan, decided to attack Philadelphia, the rebel capital.

Hoped to destroy Washington’s army to give Burgoyne an easier path.

Burgoyne had no concept of a march through enemy-infested wilderness & took officers’ wives & children. Continually harassed by Rebels, running low on food & supplies had to surrender 6,000 men (news of victory caused French to join)Washington will lose 2 more battles at Brandywine Creek & Germantown however when Howe took Philadelphia he decided to relax. America story of us 14:18-24:00Slide17

France wanted revenge

on GB for lost territory to GB & Spain in 7

yrs war

, secretly supplying the Americans throughout much of the warContinental Congress sent delegates to France; delegates were guided by a “Model Treaty” = sought no political/military connections, only commercial ones. (no ties when war is over)Ben Franklin, American diplomat to France, exemplified a raw new America. After Saratoga (1777) the British offered the Americans a measure that gave them home rule – everything they wanted except independenceB.Franklin uses that fact on the France to win “model treaty” status. How???Slide18

The Colonial War Becomes a Wider War: 1779 Spain and Holland entered war against GB1780, Catherine the Great of Russia organized the

Armed Neutrality

, lined up all of Europe’s neutrals in passive hostility against GB

America, though it kept the war going until 1778, didn’t win until France, Spain & Holland Joined in and Britain couldn’t handle them all. Britain decided to evacuate Philadelphia, concentrate forces in NY, Washington bottled up British in NY. America Story of Us: Revolution 24:01-30:18Slide19

1780 French reinforcements arrive in Rhode Island

Feeling unappreciated

with all the French leadership

and lured by British gold, Gen. Benedict Arnold turned traitor by plotting with British to sell out West Point.When plot was discovered, he fled with the British.33:34-36:57 America story of us American spiesSlide20

The Land Frontier & the Sea Frontier1777 the bloody year on the frontierMost Indians supported Britain, believed they would stop American expansion into the West.Brits called hair buyers because they paid Indians for American scalps

2 nations of Iroquois Confederacy joined w/ Rebels & the rest of Iroquois tribes were with the British.

Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant, recently converted to Anglicanism and his men attacked the backcountry of PA & NY

believing that Indians would get better terms if GB won. defeated 1779 by Rebel forces. 1784 pro-British Iroquois signed the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, the first treaty between the U.S. and an Indian nation.Indians ceded most of their landEven during war, Pioneers continued to move west (1/3rd that didn’t care about the war)Slide21

1778-1779 Rebel Frontiersmen George Rogers Clark, captured British forts once held by the French all the way out to present day IL.

This is why GB ceded region North of OH River at Paris Peace treatySlide22

American infant navy (handful odd ships) never really hurt the British warships, but it did destroy British merchant shipping carried the war into the waters around the British IslesFounder of the U.S. Navy -Scots-Irish immigrant U.S. Navy officer John Paul Jones

(pillaged British ships on high seas, forcing them to travel in convoys)

More than anything these

Privateers (privately owned armed ships) captured ships forced them to sail in convoys (more $$$)Slide23

1780-1781 inflation continued to soar, govt

was virtually bankrupt, could not repay debts.

In the Chesapeake, Cornwallis was blundering into a trap:.

retreating to Chesapeake Bay Cornwallis instead was trapped by GW army, Rochambeau’s French army & the French Navy.King George wanted to continue the war, fighting continued for about a year after Yorktwon mostly in the South. Patriot / loyalist fightingWashington had to keep army happy, unified for next year after war. America Story of Us 37:36-to end.Slide24

Brits at home were weary of the war, suffered heavily

B.Franklin

,

J.Adams & J.Jay met in Paris for a Peace dealJay suspected France would try to keep the U.S. cooped up east of the Alleghenies and keep America weakJay thinking that France would betray American ambitions to Spain, secretly made separated overtures to London (against orders from Congress)Came to terms quickly with the British, who were eager to entice one of their enemies from the allianceBritain formally recognized U.S. Granted generous boundaries, Miss R. to the West Great Lakes on the the north, Spanish Fl on the SouthRebels retained a share of fisheries off NewfoundlandAmericans couldn’t persecute loyalistsCongress could only recommend legislature that would return or pay for confiscated Loyalist land.Did not keep obligations to Loyalists -this will cause problems with Brits and after war they wont leave the OH Valley.Slide25
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