The Struggle for Liberty the Outcome of a Battle? Why Was This Period of the War So Difficult for the 5
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DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=TX-A SECTION 3 The Struggle for TEKS 2A, 4B, 4C, 10C, 22B, 25B Liberty What You Will Learn… If YOU were there... Main Ideas You are a serving maid at an inn in New York City. British soldiers 1. Many Americans supported often stop at the inn for a meal. You sometimes overhear their con- the war effort. 2. The Patriots both won and versations, though they don’t notice you. Now a Patriot leader has lost battles during the years asked you to bring him any information you hear. You want to help 1775–1777. 3. France and Spain helped the the Patriot cause but wonder what will happen if you are caught Patriots fight the British. spying. 4. The winter at Valley Forge tested the strength of Patriot Would you agree to spy for the Patriots? troops. 5. The war continued at sea and in the West. BUILDING BACKGROUND Many colonists struggled for the Patriot The Big Idea cause. Men, women, and children all made important contributions. Patriot forces faced many obstacles in the war against They fought, kept farms and shops running, and provided food and Britain. supplies. In spite of their efforts, winning the war was a great chal- lenge. Key Terms and People mercenaries, p. 128 Battle of Trenton, p. 129 Supporting the War Effort Battle of Saratoga, p. 130 George Washington’s chief task as the Continental Army’s com- Marquis de Lafayette, p. 131 mander in chief was to raise troops. During the war, more than Baron Friedrich von Steuben, p. 131 Bernardo de Gálvez, p. 131 230,000 soldiers served in the Continental Army, and another John Paul Jones, p. 133 145,000 enlisted in local militias. The typical soldier was young, George Rogers Clark, p. 133 often under the legal age of 16, and had little money or property. The army offered low pay, harsh conditions, and a big chance of becoming a casualty. Yet the Patriots knew they were fighting for their homes and their freedom. Use the graphic organizer online to Finding and keeping dedicated soldiers would be a constant take notes on the early years of the challenge throughout the war. In time, the Continental Congress American Revolution. required states to supply soldiers. Men who could afford it often paid others, such as slaves or apprentices, to fight in their places. One question facing General Washington was whether to recruit African Americans. Many white southerners opposed the idea, and at first Washington banned African Americans from serving. When the British promised freedom to any slave who fought on their side, however, thousands of African Americans joined the Redcoats. 126 CHAPTER 4 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=TX-A Battles in the Middle Colonies, 1776–77 Fort Ticonderoga N NH E W Boston S H Middle u d MA Colonies s o Albany n N Major Battles O R T i G v RI ATLANTIC NY e CT IN D r SH 1 New York, August 1776 el A OCEAN aw W a re 2 Trenton, December 1776 R . Long Island PA 3 Princeton, January 1777 New York Bay 1 New York 40°N Princeton 4 Brandywine, September 1777 3 Trenton 2 70°W Valley Forge Colonial Forces British Forces Brandywine 4 NJ Philadelphia Strengths StrengthsHRW American History Middle Colonies Locator • Fought for a cause they • Well-trained,ah06sec03loc008ba well- MD DE ATLANTIC believed in equippedF2 - 09/30/04 soldiers E OCEAN • Got help from European • Large,Approved powerful 11/04/04 navy W O H nations VA Chesapeake Weaknesses Bay Weaknesses • Had to cross Atlantic British advance • Untrained, poorly Ocean British victory equipped soldiers • Used mercenaries as Colonial advance • Small navy soldiers Colonial victory Proclamation Line of 1763 0 75 150 Miles GEOGRAPHY NC SKILLS INTERPRETING MAPS 0 75 150 Kilometers 1. Movement About how far was Washington’s march from Boston to New York? 2. Human-Environment Interaction How did geography affect the British advance on Philadelphia? In response, the Continental Army began Perhaps the best known woman to fight THE IMPACT allowing free African Americans to serve. in the war was Mary Ludwig Hays. She was TODAY While men served as soldiers, many called Molly Pitcher because she HRWbrought Middle Today School women American serve History Battles in the Middle Colonies women ran farms and businesses. Others water to the troops. When her husband was in every branch of the U.S.ah06se-c03leg008aa military. In helped the army by raising money for sup- wounded in a 1778 battle, she took his place 2013 they becameF2 - 09/30/04 plies or making clothing. Mercy Otis Warren, loading cannons. Another woman, Deborah able to serve in a member of a prominent family of Patriots, Sampson, dressed as a man and fought in combat units. HRW Middle School American History Women soldiers Battles in the Middle Colonies wrote and published several plays that sup- several battles. in the Iraq and ah06se-c03map008aa ported the Revolutionary cause. Women Afghanistan wars F4 - 11/01/0 READING CHECK Summarizing How did vari- served as messengers, nurses, and spies. A have undertaken Replaced: 12/02/04 ous groups contribute to the war effort? difficult and danger- Massachusetts man noted: ous jobs, including patrolling streets, “At every house Women and children [are] Defeats and Victories driving trucks, and making Cartridges, running Bullets . and at searching Iraqi and the same time animating [encouraging] their As the Revolution gathered steam, it became Afghan women for Husbands and Sons to fight.” more deadly. At first the Continental Army weapons. —Anonymous, quoted in Born for Liberty, by Sara M. Evans suffered a number of defeats. In time, though, the Patriots’ patience began to pay off. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 127 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=TX-A Canada In part because the army was short on sup- Crossing the Delaware plies, many Patriot leaders favored fighting George Washington and his troops a defensive war. Others wanted to invade crossed the partially frozen Delaware River on the night of December 25, British-controlled Canada and make it the 1776. This daring act led to a key “14th colony.” Patriot victory at the Battle of Trenton. Patriot troops led by General Richard German American artist Emanuel Leutze created this famous painting in 1851. A Montgomery captured Montreal in Novem- version of Leutze’s Washington Crossing ber 1775. The next major target was the city the Delaware hangs in the Metropolitan of Quebec. Benedict Arnold, now a general, Museum of Art in New York City. led his troops north on a remarkable trek What feelings do you think Leutze wanted through the rough backcountry of Maine. to inspire with this painting? He reached Quebec around the same time that Montreal fell to Montgomery. Since his first attempt to take the city failed, Arnold execution, he is said to have waited for Montgomery’s troops to join his. declared, “I regret that I have Taking an immense chance, the combined but one life to lose for my armies attacked during a fierce blizzard on New country.” Year’s Eve. They were quickly defeated. The Americans had suffered a crushing loss, and New Jersey the Patriots’ hopes of taking Canada faded. In November 1776 the tattered Continental Army was on the New York run. Washington’s remaining New York City became the next battle- 6,000 men were tired and dis- ground. General Washington had moved couraged. The one-year con- his troops to New York, expecting the British tract for many of them would arrival. Sure enough, in June 1776, a fleet of end on December 31. Who would re-enlist in British ships approached New York Bay. Led this losing army, and who would replace the by General William Howe, the British forced soldiers who left? Washington’s army was in the Continental Army off Long Island. danger of vanishing. Howe’s 32,000 soldiers were much bet- Thinking the rebellion would end soon, ter equipped than Washington’s 23,000 men, Howe left New Jersey in the hands of sol- most of whom were militia. The Patriot general diers from the German state of Hesse. The had to use all of his skills just to save his army. Hessians were mercenaries —foreign soldiers In a series of battles, Howe pounded who fought not out of loyalty, but for pay. the Continental Army, forcing it to retreat On December 7 Washington retreated farther and farther. The Redcoats captured across the Delaware River into Pennsylva- Patriots as well as supplies. Eventually, the nia. Even with 2,000 fresh troops, the Patri- FOCUS ON READING British pushed Washington across the Hud- ots were near the end. “These are the times What is the main son River into New Jersey. Howe’s revenge that try men’s souls,” wrote Thomas Paine in idea of the third for his defeat at Boston was complete. The American Crisis, a series of pamphlets he paragraph under “New York”? During the New York campaigns, a began publishing in late 1776. young Connecticut officer named Nathan Without a convincing victory, Washing- Hale went behind British lines to get secret ton knew he would lose his army. He decided information. Seized by the British with to take a big chance and go on the offensive. documents hidden in the soles of his shoes, The Americans would attack the Hessians at Hale was ordered to be hanged. Before his Trenton, New Jersey. 128 CHAPTER 4 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=TX-A On Christmas night, 1776, with a winter “The battle was plainly seen from our door .