A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • First Continental Congress – 55 delegates met in Philadelphia, PA • Defining American Grievances • Developing a plan for Resistance • Articulating the Constitutional relationship with King George III – This was the toughest » Factions: Loyalists vs. Patriots

Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • Toward end of 1774, agreed to meet a second time. – Second Continental Congress, 1775 • May, 1775 • Names George Washington commander of forces – Unanimously chosen by all delegates » Not without reservations » 20 years since last active combat

Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • First Revolutionary Battles – Lexington, April 19, 1775 • Route for British – • “Shot” heard around the world • Night ride of Paul Revere and Dr. Samuel Prescott

– Concord, April 20, 1775 • Colonists do better • Attack British along roads and “guerilla” style Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • Declaration of Independence, 1776 – Thomas Jefferson, author – Spells out grievances with England – Official “Break”

• Common Sense, Thomas Paine – Most important political literature in colonies • Spells out in plain language why colonies should be independent. Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • First Year of War – – Fighting went poorly for American Army • Fort Ticonderoga, victory – Green Mountain Boys

– Continental Army could not go Toe to Toe with British regulars – Ill-fated attempt to bring Canada into war • Failed – Quebec, 1776 Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • British Strategy – Three assumptions: – 1. Patriot Forces could not withstand assaults by British regulars. – 2. British officers treat this war like other wars they’ve fought in past in Europe. – 3. Assumed a clear-cut victory would make all colonists allied with England, again. • They were wrong on all three counts. Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • Long Struggle in the North – Washington loses – New York • Brooklyn Heights • Manhattan Island – Nearly was captured, but escaped across New Jersey

– Battles of Trenton/Princeton • Hessians – Germans who were paid mercenaries of the British – Washington attacks Trenton Dec. 26, 1776 Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • Victory at Trenton for Continental Army • Princeton, Jan 1777, another victory for Continental Army – Washington had to take long chances due to his position. – Moral victory, Moral victory for Continental Army. • Then settled at Valley Forge, PA for winter. Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • Valley Forge, turning point for Continental Army – 1777-1778 – Prussian Baron von Stueban • Drills and teaches troops • Forms them into an Army

– Experience and Hardship at VF • John Marshall “I found myself surrounded by brave men from other colonies united in the same cause…I then thought of myself as an American, first.” Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • British Generals split forces up north – Gentleman “Johnny” Burgoyne – Sir William Howe • Forces fought separated • Howe takes Philadelphia, but Gentleman Johnny was going down to defeat • Burgoyne – surrenders at Saratoga, NY, in 1777 – That victory brings French in on America’s side

Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • Iroquois confederacy – Splits during Revolutionary War • Some tribes side with British • Some side with Continental Army – Iroquois lose their 300 year hold on authority

– African Americans in the Revolutionary War • Offered freedom by British if they left and fought for the King. – Some did – were promised land in Canada or sent back to Africa to establish Sierra Leone. Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • The long struggle down South – Howe replaced by Sir Henry Clinton • Charleston taken in 1780 • But by December, 1780, tide begins to turn for Continental Army – Cornwallis forced to seek supplies from New York

– Yorktown, 1781, final battle • Cornwallis headed with Benedict Arnold – Washington seized opportunity and sent 7,000 troops Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • French fleet defeats Royal Navy in New York Harbor – Cornwallis forced to surrender, Oct 19, 1781 – Parliament hears of this and votes to stop all action against former colonies – 1783, formal treaty signed in Paris, Former Colonies are now independent states.

Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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A Revolution, Indeed, 1774-1781 • Summary – Former colonies now have independence, but little else. Deeply in debt, without a large standing Army and small to non-existent Navy, this new nation would struggle to survive in a hostile world as a “democracy”.

Lecture Notes, Chapter 6 (Unit II)

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