Discovering Our Past: a History of the United States

Discovering Our Past: A History of the United States CH 6 The American Revolution,

Main Idea: The War for Independence won by the cleverness of the colonial leaders and the support of other countries. Why were other countries willing to help fight England? 1. A Long Affair A. Tory 1. “Loyalists” in the colonies opposed independence or changed sides in the war. They could leave for England, Florida, Canada, or stay and work as spies. 2. There were as many as 1 in 3 people, or 33% of the population. They were often bullied or harassed. B. Mercenary 1. England also used paid German soldiers to fight the colonists. 2. The hired soldiers had less of a personal stake in the war than the patriots did. 3. They were from Germany and called “Hessians.” C. Peter Salem 1. African-Americans could often serve on one side or another in exchange for their freedom after the war... many did. 2. Peter Salem (a patriot) fought at Concord and Bunker Hill and continued to serve for the whole war.

D. General Burgoyne/Battle of Saratoga 1. General Burgoyne’s (British) army was surrounded as it tried to retreat from Albany, NY. 2. It was a major colonial victory... France chose to enter the war after they learned of the victory. E. Allies (France and Spain) 1. Ben Franklin convinced the French to declare war on England. 2. Spain also entered the war and fought in many battles in the south/Gulf Coast area. The Dutch also helped. 3. These allies gave money, supplies, and/or sent their troops and ships to help.

F. Valley Forge 1. Patriots made their winter camp a few miles from Philadelphia. 2. They lacked food, clothing, and medicine. Many died or deserted. G. Marquis de Lafayette 1. He was a French aristocrat who volunteered to help General Washington. 2. He provided weapons, soldiers, and supplies.

H. Friedrich von Steuben 1. He was a Prussian who volunteered to help. 2. He helped train troops at Valley Forge.

I. Abigail Adams 1. She was the wife of John Adams and an early feminist. 2. She was a writer and an intellect.

J. Inflation 1. Congress needed money but didn’t have the power to levy taxes. They simply printed more and more money. 2. It took more and more money to buy the same quantities of things.

2. The Battlegrounds Shift A. Blockade 1. England used its powerful navy to block colonial supply ships from entering or leaving. 2. It worked to England’s advantage. 3. The colonial soldiers lacked many basic items because of the blockade (medicine, blankets, food, ammunition).

B. Privateer 1. Lacking a navy, the colonists fitted many merchant ships with weapons to fight the British. 2. They had congressional permission to attack British ships and could keep large amounts of captured goods for profit. 3. Colonial sailors were skilled and knew the waters better than the British.

C. “The Swamp Fox” 1. Francis Marion, a Patriot leader, fought against the British in South Carolina. His small force would catch them off-guard and using hit-and-run tactics. 2. Found support from locals who did not like the British.

3. Wrapping It Up A. Treaty of Paris 1. Great Britain would recognize The United States as a new nation. 2. The British promised to remove all troops from the U.S. and give fishing rights to the waters off Canada. 3. The U.S. promised to pay British merchants what they owed and to advise citizens to return property taken from loyalists. B. Ambush 1. The colonists had enjoyed an advantage over the powerful British army... they knew how to fight in the country. 2. Colonial troops would often launch surprise attacks from the wilderness. The British troops were well supplied and had a unified sentiment (spirit), but still lost the war. C. “Liberty, Fraternity, Equality” 1. The French later had a revolution that was inspired by the American Revolution. 2. They felt that all men were born free and with equal rights. D. The Battle of Yorktown 1. The French army and navy were fighting along with us… the British were outnumbered. 2. General Cornwallis’ army was surrounded and no other British troops could reach them to help. E. Toussaint l’Ouverture 1. There was a slave revolt in 1791 in the French colony of St. Domingue. 2. Like the U.S., the colony shook off European rule and became a free nation. Today it is called Haiti.