The American Revolutionary War
US/AZ History – Unit #3 King George III (1738 to 1820) King of Great Britain from 1760 to 1820 Born from the Hanoverian line; a series of English Kings who trace their ancestry back to Germany, not England. Met his wife, Sohpia Charlotte, on their wedding day, September 8, 1761, yet they had a seemingly happy marriage. Sophia gave birth to 15 children. In the 1770’s George believed that the American Revolution was only a small uprising and that the majority of Americans were still loyal to England. George firmly believed that he was made a King by God, and that as such he was better qualified to make decisions for his subjects than they were. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) America’s most famous renaissance man; Franklin made important achievements as an author, printer, politician, scientist, inventor, and diplomat. His inventions included the lighting rod, bifocal lenses, the Franklin stove, and the odometer. Born in Boston to a working class family, Franklin was apprenticed to a printer from ages 12 to 17 At age 17 Franklin ran away to Philadelphia, where he later opened his own printing shop and published Poor Richard’s Almanack, the highest selling book other than the Bible in the colonies. In 1776 Franklin was elected to the 2nd Continental Congress and was appointed to the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence. Franklin’s greatest contribution to the war may have been as an ambassador to France from 1776 to 1785. His diplomacy led the French to ally with the colonies in 1778. Stamp Act Issued in March, 1765 Required colonists to pay a tax on almost all printed materials, including newspapers, books, court documents, contracts and land deeds. The first time that Parliament imposed a direct tax within the colonies, the Stamp Act marked a reversal of the former policy of Salutary Neglect. Almost all colonists in the Americas were angered by the Stamp Act, both because of the money that they would lose and the fact that the colonies themselves had no representation in Parliament. In response to the Stamp Act colonists living in all 13 British colonies took action. In the Southern and Middle colonies colonial leaders wrote pamphlets and gave speeches against the Stamp Act. In New England colonists went so far as to tar and feather British officials who attempted to collect the taxes. Closure Question #1: Explain why Parliament did not understand the colonists’ argument “no taxation without representation.” The colonists angrily protested the Stamp Act, which was to take effect in November of 1765. They claimed that it threatened their prosperity and liberty. Colonial leaders questions Parliament’s right to tax the colonists directly. They argued that the colonies had no representation in Parliament, so Parliament had no right to tax them. Some colonists believed that if they accepted this tax, Parliament would add ever more taxes, stripping away their property and political rights. Many colonists thought that the stamp act revealed a conspiracy by British officials to destroy American liberties. The colonists’ arguments puzzled the members of Parliament. After all, most Britons paid taxes although they could not vote. Many large British cities did not elect representatives to Parliament, which claimed to represent everyone in the Empire. Parliament dismissed the colonial opposition as selfish and narrow-minded. The Empire needed money, and Parliament had the right to levy taxes anywhere in the Empire. Of course, Parliament’s argument did not sway the colonists, who were appalled to discover that the British were denying their right to tax themselves. Patrick Henry (1736-1799) First generation American, born to a wealthy Scottish family in Virginia Elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1765, Henry verbally attacked the Stamp Act and King George Henry’s most famous speech was given in Richmond, Virginia in 1775. He said: “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” Along with Samuel Adams and Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry was one of the most influential advocates of the American Revolution and Democracy. John Adams (1735-1826) Born to a modest Puritan family, Adams graduated from Harvard in 1755 and became one of the most successful lawyers in Boston. Adams first became involved in politics in 1765 due to his opposition of the Stamp Act. He was chosen as a delegate from Massachusetts to the Second Continental Congress, and, along with Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, was on the committee that wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776. During the Revolutionary War Adams served as the Colonies diplomat to England, though he would not be recognized officially by King George until 1785. Adams served as Vice-President to George Washington from 1789 to 1797, then as the 2nd President of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Abigail Adams (1744-1818) Wife of John Adams, Abigail was outspoken in her opposition to slavery and advocacy for women’s rights. During the meeting of the Second Continental Congress John and Abigail Adams carried on an extensive written correspondence, in which John repeated asked for Abigail’s opinions on political matters. Abigail and John’s son, John Quincy Adams, served as the 6th President of the United States. Closure Question #2: Why did the colonists first accept and then later reject indirect taxes such as duties on trade? The French and Indian War nearly doubled Britain’s national debt and greatly expanded its colonial territories. Parliament needed to raise money both to pay the debt and to protect the colonies. People in Britain paid far more taxes than the colonists did. This imbalance seemed unfair, for the war had been fought largely to profit the colonists. Parliament decided that the colonists could and should pay more to help the Empire. In early 1764 Parliament passed the Sugar Act, which assigned customs officers and created courts to collect duties and prosecute smugglers. In early 1765, Parliament passed another unpopular law, the Quartering Act. This act required the colonies to provide housing and supplies for the British troops stationed there after the French and Indian War. Colonists complained but most went along with the changes because they accepted Parliament’s right to regulate trade and provide for defense. Colonial protests drew upon the liberalism of the Enlightenment. Europe’s leading liberal writers included Baron de Montesquieu of France and John Locke of England. They argued that people had divinely granted natural rights. Locke insisted that government existed for the good of the people. Therefore, people had the right to protest any government that violated this “social contract” by failing to protect their rights. Sons of Liberty Associations of men in major cities throughout the colonies who lead protests against British rule. The Sons of Liberty were first formed to protest the Stamp Act. As further taxes were enforced by British Parliament the Sons of Liberty became more forceful in their protests, pour hot tar and feathers on tax collectors and carrying out the Boston Tea Party. The most famous leader of the Sons of Liberty was Samuel Adams, a Boston resident and cousin of John Adams. The Boston Massacre – March 5th, 1770 In order to enforce the Stamp Act and keep rebels such as the Sons of Liberty from making any further attacks on representatives of the King, British troops were sent to occupy Boston in 1768, further angering Colonists. On the night of March 5th, 1770 a group of rowdy colonists gathered near the Customs House in Boston, where tax money was held and which was guarded by British troops. The colonists shouted insults at the soldiers and pelted them with rocks and snowballs. After several minutes of the barrage the soldiers responded by firing into the crowd, killing 5 colonists. The first man killed was Crispus Attucks, an African-American sailor. New Englanders, led by Samuel Adams, called the incident the Boston Massacre, portraying those killed as innocent bystanders and blaming the British completely for the event. Committees of Correspondence Groups organized by the local governments of the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution for the purpose of coordinating written communication between the colonies in order to promote unity among the colonies. The Committees of Correspondence spread a colonial interpretation of British actions between the colonies, rallying support for the revolution throughout the colonies when any one colony was mistreated by the British. The first committee was established by Samuel Adams in Massachusetts following the Boston Massacre in order to spread the story throughout the colonies. Tea Act Passed by Parliament and approved by King George in 1773. Prior to the act colonists purchased the majority of their tea from private shippers at a low cost. The act’s intended purpose was to increase profits for the British East India Company. The Tea Act ordered all colonists to purchase their tea only from the East India Company. Purchasing tea from any other company was against the law. As the price of tea rose due to the EITC monopoly, colonists responded with a boycott of British Tea, drinking instead tea or tea substitutes produced in the colonies. Boston Tea Party An act of direct action protest by the American colonists against the British government in response to the Tea Act. Several East India Trading Company ships loaded with British Tea sailed into Boston Harbor in November and early December. The tea went unused as a result of the colonist’s boycott of, or refusal to buy, British tea. The Sons of Liberty in Boston, under the leadership of Samuel Adams, met on the evening of December 16th, 1773 and painted their faces to look like Native Americans. The Sons of Liberty then boarded the British ships and began throwing cases of tea into the harbor. In total 45 tons of tea was destroyed The event caused outrage in Great Britain, influencing the King’s decision to use greater military force in Boston against the Sons of Liberty. Intolerable Acts Name given by colonists to a series of five laws passed by British Parliament in 1774. #1. The Boston Port Act – Closed Boston Harbor to all trade until the colonists paid for all of the tea that was destroyed during the Boston Tea Party. #2. The Massachusetts Government Act – Eliminated the semi-democratic government in Massachusetts and replaced it with men who were appointed by the King, not elected by the people. #3. The Administration of Justice Act – Allowed the Governor of Massachusetts (Who was appointed by the King) to move the trials of any British military officer out of the colonies and back to England itself. #4. The Quartering Act – Gave the British military the right to occupy private households when housing was not provided for them by the colonies directly. #5. The Quebec Act – Increased the boundaries of the province of Quebec, taking land away from colonies in New England and increasing the land available for French Canadian Catholics. Question #3: How did the Intolerable Acts aid Patriot leaders? The Bostonians’ actions outraged Parliament and the Crown. To punish Boston, Parliament passed the Coercive Acts. They closed the port to trade until the inhabitants paid for the destroyed tea, including the tax. They also increased the power of the governor at the expense of the elected assembly & town meetings. To enforce these measures, the British sent warships & troops to Boston. The colonists were outraged. In addition to closing the port, the acts forced colonists to house British troops & allowed British officials to be tried in Britain for crimes committed in the colonies. In addition, the Quebec Act extended Canada’s southern border, cutting off lands claimed by several colonies. The horrified colonists called the legislation the Intolerable Acts, rejecting the idea that the British could shut down trade & change colonial governments at will. Fortunately for Massachusetts, the other colonies also opposed the Coercive Acts and viewed them as a threat to their freedom. In the fall of 1774, delegates from every colony except Georgia met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the First Continental Congress. Virginia’s delegates decided the fiery Patrick Henry, who became famous for declaring “Give me liberty, or give me death.” He delighted the New England delegates by declaring, “The distinction between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders are no more. I am not a Virginian, but an American.” Closure Assignment #1 Answer the following questions writing complete sentences based on what you have learned from Chapter 4, Section 1: 1. Explain why Parliament did not understand the colonists’ argument “no taxation without representation.” 2. Why did the colonists first accept and then later reject indirect taxes such as duties on trade? 3. How did the Intolerable Acts aid Patriot leaders? Paul Revere (1734-1818) The son of a British Puritan mother and a French Huguenot father, in his early years Paul Revere was trained as a silversmith by his father. After his father’s death in 1754, Paul took over the family business, gaining praise for his skill from Bostonians and becoming fairly wealthy. Fought briefly alongside the British during the French and Indian War. Joined the Sons of Liberty in Boston in 1765, made the most famous etching of the Boston Massacre in 1770, and may have taken part in the Boston Tea Party in 1773. On the evening of April 18th, 1775 Paul Revere and William Dawes, after receiving word of a British plan to confiscate a Colonial stockpile of guns and ammunition in Lexington, rode from Boston to Lexington warning colonists and Samuel Adams that “the British are coming!” Lexington and Concord – April 19th, 1775
The first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. General Thomas Gage, the commanding British officer in Boston, ordered a group of 700 soldiers to confiscate a Colonial weapons arsenal in Concord, about 24 miles to the West, leaving Boston at 4:00 AM on April 19th, 1775. Having been warned by Revere and Dawes of the attack, a group of 75 Colonial militia men, known as the minutemen, gathered on the town green of Lexington, just 15 miles to the West of Boston. At sunrise the British arrived at Lexington. From all accounts both the leaders of the British and Colonial forces did not wish to fight. As the British commander shouted to the Colonists to move out of the way a shot was fired. It is unknown whether the shot came from the colonists or the British. Within a few minutes the Minutemen scattered, allowing the British to continue their march towards Concord. When the British arrived at Concord they were met by a much larger group of Minutemen, numbering about 400. Fighting began along the North Bridge on the outskirts of the town. Fearful that more Minutemen were on the way the British began their retreat back to Boston. Minutemen followed the British all the way to Boston, using Indian-style guerrilla tactics. By day’s end the colonist’s had suffered 95 casualties, while the British suffered approximately 275. By nightfall on April 19th Minutemen surrounded the city of Boston. Within the next few weeks approximately 20,000 soldiers from Colonial militias laid siege to the town, bottling the entire British army inside the town. Second Continental Congress – 1775 to 1781 Convention of delegates from all 13 colonies, first met in Philadelphia on May 10th, 1775. Congress managed the colonial war effort, acting as a form of national government, even though they technically had no authority to do so. As fighting continued between colonists and the British in New England, Congress slowly moved towards Independence, officially approving the Declaration of Independence on July 3rd, 1776, and signing it on the following day, July 4th. Congress raided armies, commissioned generals (including George Washington), appointed diplomats and made formal treaties. The Second Continental Congress officially came to an end in 1781, when the Articles of Confederation were approved by each of the colonies. Why did the Second Continental Congress send the Olive Branch Petition to the King? In the aftermath of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, some radical members of the Continental Congress wanted to declare American independence from Britain, but they recognized that most of their constituents were not yet ready to do so. Most colonists still hoped to remain within the British Empire but without paying taxes to Parliament. In July 1775, after three months of bloodshed, Congress sent an “Olive Branch Petition” to King George III. The petition reaffirmed the colonists’ allegiance to the king but not to Parliament. The king rejected the petition and sent more troops to Boston. Battle of Bunker Hill/Breed’s Hill
From April 19th to June 17th, 1775, the British army under the command of General William Howe was trapped in Boston by Colonial militias who surrounded the town. To the north of Boston, across a narrow channel of water, lay Charlestown, a small town occupied by the militias. In hopes of breaking the siege, General Gage planned an attack to drive the militias from Charlestown and give his military the ability to attack those carrying out the siege from behind. On the morning of June 17th, British ships carried 2,600 British soldiers across the channel to Charlestown. The colonists, unprepared for the attack, abandoned the city and took defensive positions behind a rail fence just to the northwest on Breed’s Hill. Determined to drive the colonists from the hill, Howe ordered his men to charge into the colonial lines. The British were eventually successful in taking the hill and driving the militia out; however the British suffered 1,073 casualties, while the Colonists only lost 441. The Battle of Breed’s Hill/Bunker Hill proved to the British that the colonists could stand up to an attack from a trained British army. Closure Question #2: Why did Loyalists oppose independence from Britain? Although many Loyalists opposed Britain’s taxes, they felt that Parliament and the Crown must be obeyed as the legitimate government of the Empire. The Loyalists feared that the resistance would lead to a deadly and destructive war that Britain seemed certain to win. They doubted that the colonists could defeat an empire that had recently crushed the combined powers of France and Spain. Ethan Allen (1738-1789)
American Revolutionary, leader of the Green Mountain Boy’s militia in Vermont, and critic of all organized religion. Born to a working-class family in Connecticut, Allen moved with his family to modern- day Vermont in the early 1750’s. At the time the land of Vermont was disputed territory. Officially the King had given the land to Loyalists in New York. Allen and many others like him moved on to the land without permission, refusing to pay for the territory. When the colony of New York ordered that Allen and the other families in Vermont leave the territory, Allen responded by organizing the Green Mountain Boys, a guerrilla-style militia., in the early 1770’s. Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Allen and his men decided that it would be in their best interest to join the Patriots. As a result Ethan Allen led his men in an attack on the British held Fort Ticonderoga on May 10th, 1775. After the victory at Fort Ticonderoga, Ethan Allen led a small group of men north to attack British forces in Canada. There he was captured. Ethan Allen remained a prisoner of war until 1778. Ethan Allen is considered the founding father of Vermont Battle of Fort Ticonderoga – May 10th, 1775 During the French and Indian War the British gained control of the small fort on Lake Champlain in Northeastern New York. Colonial leaders in New England saw Ticonderoga as a prime target for attack because of its location (directly between British Canada and the colonies) and its stockpile of weapons (specifically cannons) In the early morning of May 10th, 1775 a group of men led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold surprised the small group of British soldiers, taking all 50 as prisoners. The canons from Fort Ticonderoga were moved under the direction of Colonel Henry Knox to aid in the siege of Boston in early 1776. Thomas Paine (1737-1809) Radical author and patriot, his pamphlet “Common Sense”, published in 1776, was read throughout the colonies and was a key cause of the American Revolution. Born and raised in Thetford, England, Paine did not come to America until 1774. After the American Revolution Paine moved to Paris, where he became a key figure in the French Revolution, and remained in France through the beginning of Napoleon’s reign. Returned to the United States at the invitation of President Thomas Jefferson in 1802 and died in New York City in 1809. Common Sense (1776) Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” was the most widely read pamphlet in the colonies, selling over 500,000 copies in 1776 alone. In the pamphlet Paine argued that the concept of Monarchy was introduced into the world by the devil, and that it should be destroyed. Paine also argued that because of their diversity the colonies could not be claimed to be British, and that it was silly for a small island to attempt to control an entire continent. Paine argued that Great Britain controlled the colonies for purely selfish reasons, having no real concern for the colonists themselves Closure Question #3: Why did Thomas Paine argue so forcefully for independence? In simple but forceful and direct language, Pain proposed a radical course of action for the colonists: Independence from Britain, republican state governments, and a union of the new states. Paine denounced the king and aristocrats of Britain as frauds and parasites. He wanted the common people to elect all of their government, not just a third of it. Paine depicted the king, rather than Parliament, as the greatest enemy of American liberty. He hated the rigid class structure of Britain for smothering the hopes of common people without a noble title or money. A republic, he argued, would provide opportunities to reward merit rather than inherited privilege. Freed from the empire, Americans could trade with the entire world. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) Representative from Virginia at the 2nd Continental Congress and the main author of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Born to a wealthy, land-owning family in Virginia, Jefferson graduated from the College of William & Mary in 1762 and became a successful lawyer in Virginia. Jefferson married Martha Skelton, a widow, in 1772. Together they had five children, all daughters, Martha died in 1782 and Jefferson never remarried. Elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1769, Jefferson was chosen to represent Virginia in the Continental Congress in 1775. Served as the Governor of Virginia from 1779 to 1781, but his failure to stop British invasion of the state angered many Virginians and he was not re-elected. Jefferson served as the U.S. diplomat to France from 1785-1789, then served as the first Secretary of State during George Washington’s Presidency. Elected as the 3rd President of the United States (1801-1809), Jefferson was most famous for making the Louisiana Purchase. Recent DNA testing has suggested that Jefferson fathered some illegitimate children with Sally Hemmings, a slave on the Jefferson plantation in Virginia. Declaration of Independence Written statement adopted by the 2nd Continental Congress on July 4th 1776 which announced that the 13 American Colonies were no longer a part of the British Empire but were their own separate nation. Patriots The name that the colonists who fought in and/or supported the American Revolution gave themselves. The term itself dates back to the early 1600’s and was used by British colonists who demanded colonial rights and resisted the control of the colonies by the King and Parliament. Loyalists/Tories The terms used during the American Revolution to describe colonists who remained loyal to the King of England. At the beginning of the American Revolution in 1775 it is estimated that 40% of all people living in the colonies were loyal to the King. Phyllis Wheatley (1753-1784) The first published African American poet and creator of African American literature. At the age of 7, Wheatley was kidnapped from her homeland in Gambia, Africa and was brought to America on board the slave ship “Phillis”, from which she received her name. Upon arrival in the new world she was purchased by a wealthy Boston merchant, John Wheatley, who unlike most slave owners encouraged his slaves to gain an education. Phiylis was tutored by Nathaniel Wheatley and achieved high levels of knowledge in English, Latin, history, geography, and Christian religion. Her book, “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral” was published in 1773. The money earned from the sale of the book allowed Phyllis to purchase her slavery. In 1776 Phyllis met George Washington, who honored her for skill as a poet and her support of the revolution. After a failed marriage to a free black grocer named John Peters and the death of her three children, Phyllis Wheatley died of an unknown disease in 1784 and was buried in an unmarked grave. Closure Assignment #2 Answer the following questions based on what you have learned from Chapter 4, Section 2: 1.Why did the Second Continental Congress send the Olive Branch Petition to the King? 2.Why did Loyalists oppose independence from Britain? 3.Why did Thomas Paine argue so forcefully for independence? Closure Question #1: In what ways did the British misunderstand the conflict with the colonies? Lord William Howe, commander of British troops in Boston during the Battle of Bunker Hill, continued to pursue a misguided strategy. The British thought that they were fighting a traditional European war. They believed that the Patriots would surrender if Howe could defeat the Continental Army and capture the major seaports, including Philadelphia, the Patriot capital. In fact, the British accomplished these goals but still lost the war. The British never fully understood that they were fighting a different type of war, a revolutionary war. The Patriots understood that it was a struggle to win the hearts and minds of the civilian population. Instead of surrendering after setbacks, the Patriots kept on fighting. Thomas Paine wrote an inspiring series of essays, The American Crisis, which George Washington read to encourage his troops. Meanwhile, the British further angered colonists when they hired German mercenaries, or soldiers who fought for hire. These “Hessians”, as they were called, had a particularly brutal reputation. Battle of Brooklyn Heights – August 27, 1776 The first major battle of the American Revolutionary War following the Declaration of Independence, the largest battle of the entire war, and the first battle that an army representing the United States ever fought in. The Continental Army was defeated, but not destroyed. Battle of Trenton – December 26th, 1776 Following their defeat in New York, George Washington led his battered troops across the Delaware River into New Jersey to camp for the winter. The majority of soldiers in the Continental Army had enlisted for only one year and would officially complete their service on January 1st, 1777. In an attempt to strike back at the British and improve morale among his troops General Washington organized a surprise attack on Hessian troops stationed at Trenton, back across the Delaware. The battle was small compared to the defeat at Brooklyn Heights, but the Continental Army captured 1,000 Hessians and the news of victory inspired many soldiers to re-enlist in the Continental Army. Sybil Ludington (1761-1839) Known as the girl Paul Revere, on the evening of April 26, 1777 Sybil made a 40 mile ride through the countryside of eastern New York to warn patriots of the British attack at Danbury, Connecticut. Battle of Saratoga September 19th and October 7th, 1777 Decisive American victory in October 1777 which led to the surrender of an entire British-Canadian army of 9,000 soldiers and led France to make an alliance with the Americans to fight the British. Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) Aside from George Washington, Benedict Arnold was the most famous and popular military leader in the colonies from 1776 to 1780. In 1780 he became a traitor, joining the British army. To this day the name of Benedict Arnold is synonymous with becoming a traitor. Valley Forge Located in Pennsylvania 22 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Valley Forge was the site of the camp of the American Continental Army on the winter of 1777-1778. This was a time of great suffering, but also of retraining. Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) In 1775, at the age of 20, Hamilton left his studies to join a New York volunteer militia. His intelligence and popularity led him to be elected captain of his unit, and he fought in the Battle of Brooklyn Heights and the Battle of Trenton. In 1777 Washington invited Hamilton to join his personal staff, and he served as Washington’s personal representative to the Continental Congress until the end of the war in 1781, becoming close friends with the Marquis de Lafayette. After the war, Hamilton was elected to represent the state of New York in the Constitutional Convention, where in 1787 he wrote the first draft of the American Constitution. Joseph Brandt (1743-1807) Mohawk leader and British military officer during the American Revolution. During the Revolutionary War both Joseph Brandt and his American enemies used ruthless, scorched-earth tactics, destroying crops, homes, and livestock and killing innocent women and children. For his participation in these attacks Joseph Brandt was given the nickname of “Monster Brandt” by the Americans. Friedrich von Steuben (1730-1794)
Steuben was introduced to Benjamin Franklin in Paris in 1777, who recommended him to George Washington to serve as an officer in the Continental Army. Shortly after arriving in America in September 1777, Steuben traveled to Valley Forge. With the help of Alexander Hamilton and Nathaniel Green Steuben organized a training program for the Continental Army, improving the fighting skills of the soldiers especially using the bayonet. Following the war Steuben wrote a book on military training and discipline which was used by the Army of the United States until 1812. John Paul Jones (1747-1792) America’s first well-known naval hero, most famous for taking the fight to the British, sinking British ships and raiding towns in England. Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834)
French Military Officer who joined the American cause in 1777, serving as an aide to General Washington. Noted for his bravery, the Marquis de Lafayette should be honored as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Closure Assignment #3 Answer the following questions based on what you have learned from Chapter 4, Section 3: 1.In what ways did the British misunderstand the conflict with the colonies? 2. How were the Patriots able to continue fighting despite losing most of the battles? 3. How important was French assistance to the Patriot’s struggle? Explain your answer. Charles Cornwallis (1738-1805) One of the leading British generals in the American Revolutionary War, led British forces in their defeat and capture at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. Battle of Yorktown – September 28th to October 19th, 1781 A decisive victory by combined American and French forces which surrounded and received the surrender of General Charles Cornwallis and his army of 7,000 soldiers. Treaty of Paris of 1783 Signed on September 3rd, 1783, the Treaty of Paris officially ended the American Revolutionary War, establishing the United States of America as a free and independent nation. James Madison (1751-1836) A native Virginian, along with Alexander Hamilton, James Madison is considered one of the principal authors of the United States Constitution. Specifically, Madison is the author of the Bill of Rights. Closure Question #3: Explain the effects of the Revolution on minority groups and women. Women gained few political or legal rights as a result of the war, but they won respect based on the new conception of women as “republican mothers.” Abigail Adams and Judith Sargent Murray noted that the Republic needed virtuous citizens, who learned their virtue from their mothers. This invited women to speak out on issues that affected their ability to raise virtuous children. The Revolution inspired some women to seek a larger voice in public affairs. In a famous letter of 1776, Abigail Adams asked her husband, John, to “remember the Ladies” in drafting the new nation’s laws. In particular, she sought legal protection for wives beaten by their husbands. Although John Adams respected his wife, he dismissed her request. The law reserved legal and political rights to husbands. Widows could vote in New Jersey but nowhere else. Slavery seemed inconsistent with the ideals of the Revolution, but in 1776, one of every five Americans was of African ancestry, and a majority of African Americans were enslaved. Most Americans – including some Patriot leaders – accepted slavery as natural. British and Loyalist critics mocked the Patriots as hypocrites who spoke of liberty while holding slaves. In 1778, the Patriot governor of New Jersey confessed that slavery was “utterly inconsistent with the principles of Christianity and humanity; and in Americans, who have idolized liberty, peculiarly odious and disgraceful.” The Revolution inspired many slaves to demand freedom. In the northern states, some slaves petitioned legislatures for emancipation and sued their owners in the courts. About 5,000 African Americans joined Patriot militias, the Continental Army, or the small Continental Navy in return for a promise of freedom. The Revolution led to emancipation in the North. Closure Assignment #4 Answer the following questions based on what you have learned from Chapter 4, Section 4: 1. Why did the British lose the war? 2. Summarize the terms of the Treaty of Paris. 3. Explain the effects of the Revolution on minority groups and women.