The War for Independence

The War for Independence Main Idea Reading Strategy Reading Objectives After a war lasting several years, the Sequencing As you read about the war • Describe the strategies behind the colonists finally won their independence for independence, complete a time line Northern Campaign. from Great Britain. similar to the one below to record the • Summarize the scope of the war at sea. major battles and their outcomes. Key Terms and Names Section Theme William Howe, guerrilla warfare, Nathan Global Connections Hostility between Hale, Valley Forge, Marquis de Lafayette, 1776 1781 the French and British caused France to Saratoga, letters of marque, John Paul support the colonies. Jones, Charles Cornwallis, Battle of Kings Mountain !1775 !1778 !1781 !1784 1776 1777 1777–1778 1781 1783 Battle of The British surrender Washington camps at Cornwallis surrenders Treaty of Paris Trenton at Saratoga Valley Forge for the winter at Yorktown signed Colonel Henry Beckman Livingston could only watch helplessly the suffering around him. A veteran of several military campaigns, Livingston huddled with the rest of George Washington’s army at its winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The winter of 1777 to 1778 was brutally cold, and the army lacked food, clothing, and other supplies. Huddled in small huts, soldiers wrapped themselves in blankets and survived on the smallest of rations. Livingston described the army’s plight in a letter to his brother, Robert: “Our troops are in general almost naked and very often in a starveing condition. All my men except 18 are unfit for duty for want of shoes, stockings, and shirts. Poor Jack has been necessitated to make up his blanket into a vest and breeches. If I did not fear starveing with cold I should be tempted to do the same. ” —adapted from A Salute to Courage The Opposing Sides The struggle at Valley Forge was a dark hour for the patriots. No one knew if they were strong enough to defeat the powerful British Empire. On the same day that the Continental Congress voted for independence, the British began landing troops in New York. By mid- August, they had assembled an estimated 32,000 men under the command of General William Howe. British officials did not expect the rebellion to last long. The British troops, called “redcoats” because of their uniforms, were disciplined, well trained, and well equipped. 138 CHAPTER 4 The American Revolution Compared to the British troops, the Continental Another problem for the British was that they were Army was inexperienced and poorly equipped. not united at home. Many merchants and members of Throughout the war, it struggled to keep its recruits Parliament opposed the war. The British had to win and pay their wages. Although over 230,000 men quickly and cheaply; otherwise, opinions in Parliament served in the Continental Army, they rarely num- would shift against the war. The United States did not bered more than 20,000 at any one time. Many sol- have to defeat Britain—it simply had to survive until diers deserted or refused to reenlist when their term the British became tired of paying for the war. was up. Others left their posts and returned to their The European balance of power also hampered the farms at planting or harvest time. British. The French, Dutch, and Spanish were all Paying for the war was equally difficult. Lacking eager to exploit Britain’s problems. As a result, the power to tax, the Continental Congress issued Britain had to station much of its military elsewhere paper money. These “Continentals” were not backed in the world to defend its empire. The European bal- by gold or silver and became almost worthless very ance of power also meant that the Patriots might be quickly. Fortunately Robert Morris, a wealthy able to find allies against the British. Pennsylvania merchant and banker, personally Reading Check pledged large amounts of money for the war effort. Identifying What three major dis- Morris also set up an efficient method of buying advantages did the British face in the American Revolution? rations and uniforms, arranged for foreign loans, and convinced the Congress to create the Bank of North America to finance the military. The Northern Campaign The Continental Army was not the only force the The British knew that to end the war quickly, they British had to worry about. They also had to fight the not only had to win several battles but also had to con- local militias. The militias were poorly trained, but vince the American people that their cause was hope- they fought differently. They did not always line up less. At the same time, the British had to make it safe to for battle. They hid among trees and behind walls surrender. If the Patriots thought they would be and ambushed British troops and supply wagons, hanged for treason, they would never surrender. then disappeared. This kind of fighting is called General Howe’s strategy had two parts. The first guerrilla warfare, and it is very difficult to defeat. part was military. He began a massive buildup in New York, hoping to intimidate the Americans and capture New York City. This would separate New Colonial hat The Opposing Sides Colonial Advantages British Advantages Fighting on home ground Well-trained, well-supplied army and navy Good decisions by generals Wealth of resources Fighting for their rights and freedoms Strong central government French alliance: loans, navy, troops Colonial Disadvantages British Disadvantages Untrained soldiers; small army Fighting in unfamiliar, hostile territory Food and ammunition shortages Fighting far away from Britain and resources Weak and divided central government Troops indifferent; halfhearted support at home 1. Interpreting Charts Why was fighting for their Colonial rifle rights and freedoms an advantage for the colonists? 2. Analyzing In what ways would a weak government be a disadvantage in war time? War for Independence, 1775–1777 Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge. Howe told them that anyone who put American forces down their arms and swore loyalty to the king would British forces be pardoned. The Americans quickly realized that American victory Howe had no authority to negotiate a compromise British victory and was only interested in talking them into surren- Fort dering. They refused to talk further, and the stage NOVA was set for the first major battle. 0 100 miles SCOTIA 0 100 kilometers Albers Conic Equal-Area projection Opening Moves Despite the size of the British . R e forces preparing to seize New York City, the c QUEBEC n 7 e 7 MAINE r 17 °N Continental Congress asked Washington to defend , 45 w e (Part of MASS.) a n L y the city. Congressional leaders feared that if New . o t g S r York fell without a fight, it would hurt American u Montreal B morale. Washington agreed with this assessment, and he moved much of his army to Long Island and 4 Burgoyne surrenders 7 Manhattan Island. 7 at Saratoga, 17 , er Ft. Ticonderoga Oct. 17, 1777 The inexperience of Washington’s troops became eg L July 6, 1777 t. obvious when British troops landed on Long Island in S N.H. e How the summer of 1776. Many American soldiers fled, and eral Saratoga Bennington Gen 776 Aug. 15, 1777 17, 1 another 1,500 became casualties. Fortunately, the March Oriskany MASS. Boston British did not move quickly after their victory, and Albany Bemis Heights Aug. 6, 1777 Oct. 7, 1777 the surviving American troops escaped to Manhattan N.Y. R.I. Kingston CONN. Island where they joined the remainder of 1 British capture Washington’s army defending New York City. New York City, 1776 Ft. Montgomery Using their ships, the British could have landed °N 40 New York City Brooklyn Heights troops north of New York City and surrounded the PA. N.J. Aug. 27, 1776 76 American positions, but again, they moved too Princeton ly 17 Germantown Ge e, Ju 70 °W slowly. Washington abandoned the city and headed Oct. 4, 1777 neral How Trenton Brandywine Creek 2 Americans attack British to the northern end of Manhattan. The British then Sept. 11, 1777 Philadelphia at Trenton, Dec. 1776, captured New York and used it as their headquarters and Princeton, Jan. 1777 for the rest of the war. 7 DEL. 7 About this time, Washington sent Captain Nathan 7 3 1 Howe captures , e Philadelphia, 1777 Hale to spy on the British. Although Hale was dis- w MD. o H guised as a Dutch schoolteacher, he was caught by l a N r e the British and hanged. Brave until the end, Hale’s n Atlantic e E VA. G Ocean W last words were: “I only regret that I have but one life S to lose for my country.” Shortly afterward, Chesapeake Washington moved most of his troops from Bay Manhattan to White Plains, New York, where the ° 35 N British once again engaged the Americans in battle. N.C. 75 °W 1. Interpreting Maps Name two sites of Crossing the Delaware At the Battle of White colonial victories in New Jersey. Plains in October 1776, the British forced Washington 2. Applying Geography Skills What was to retreat again. Then they surprised him. Instead of the role of the British Navy in the war? coming after the Continental Army, the British troops headed toward Philadelphia, where the Continental Congress was meeting. Washington’s troops received England from the Southern states and demonstrate word of this new plan. They had to move fast, but to Americans that they could not win. they managed to get there ahead of the British. The second part of Howe’s strategy was diplo- While this march was taking place, Thomas matic.

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