MR. HARDY’S 7TH GRADE HUMANITIES CLASS

RANDOLPH MIDDLE SCHOOL2012-2013

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

THE ENGLISH COLONIES BEFORE THE REVOLUTION

VIRGINIA – 1607 NEW YORK – 1613 NEW HAMPSHIRE – 1623 MASSACHUSETTS – 1628 RHODE ISLAND – 1630 MARYLAND – 1634 CONNECTICUT – 1635 DELAWARE – 1638 NORTH CAROLINA – 1653 NEW JERSEY – 1664 SOUTH CAROLINA – 1670 PENNSYLVANIA – 1681 GEORGIA - 1733

THE ENGLISH COLONIES BEFORE THE REVOLUTION

BEFORE 1763 – THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT NEGLECTED ITS AMERICAN COLONIES.

THE COLONIES IGNORED ECONOMIC AND TRADE LAWS AND HAD A LOT OF SELF-GOVERNMENT.

THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR (1754-1763) – THE BRITISH WON THE WAR, BUT CONSIDERED THE ASSISTANCE THEY HAD RECEIVED FROM THEIR AMERICAN COLONIES, INADEQUATE.

KING GEORGE III WANTED THE COLONISTS TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THE WAR DEBT.

AFTER 1763 THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO BEGIN TO STRICTLY ENFORCE THE NAVIGATION LAWS IN THE COLONIES.

PRIVATE BUILDINGS COULD BE SEARCHED WITHOUT WARRANTS UNDER WRITS OF ASSISTANCE, AND PEOPLE ACCUSED AS SMUGGLERS WERE DENIED A JURY TRIAL.

AFTER 1763THE COLONISTS PAID LESS TAXES THAN

THEIR COUNTRYMEN IN BRITAIN. THE GOVERNMENT WANTED THEM TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR DEBT.

THE GOVERNMENT ENFORCED TAXES ON IMPORTS OF TEA AND SUGAR, AND PLACED A STAMP TAX ON ALL PRINTED MATERIAL.

MANY BRITISH SOLIDIERS WERE NOW STATIONED IN THE COLONIES AND COULD BE QUARTERED IN PRIVATE HOMES. THE HOMEOWNER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS.

CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTIONECONOMIC1. COLONISTS DID NOT LIKE

TO PAY TAXES ON IMORTED GOODS LIKE TEA AND SUGAR.

2. THE COLONISTS DID NOT WANT TO PAY THE STAMP ACT TAXES, THAT PLACED A TAX ON PRINTED MATERIAL, LIKE NEWSPAPERS.

3. THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE NAVIGATION ACTS FORCING THEM TO TRADE ONLY WITH BRITAIN WERE CUTTING IN TO THEIR PROFITS.

CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTIONPOLITICAL1. COLONISTS CLAIMED THEY

WERE NOT REPRESENTED BY PARLIAMENT, ONLY BY THEIR COLONIAL LEGISLATURES. THEY CALLED THIS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.

2. THE COLONISTS RESENTED THE QUARTERING OF BRITISH SOLDIERS, WRITS OF ASSISTANCE, AND DENIAL OF JURY TRIALS. THEY SAID IT, “VIOLATED THEIR RIGHTS AS ENGLISHMEN.”

DO YOU SEE ANYTHING IRONIC OR CONTRADICTORY IN THESE TWO ARGUMENTS?

CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTIONSOCIAL1. MANY COLONISTS NO

LONGER FELT LIKE ENGLISHMEN AFTER MANY GENERATIONS IN THE NEW WORLD.

2. COLONISTS FROM COUNTRIES LIKE IRELAND, SCOTLAND, HOLLAND, AND FRANCE WERE TRADITIONAL ENEMIES OF THE ENGLISH

Gadsden Flag used by the U.S. Navy and Marines in

1775

CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTIONDISTANCE1. IT WAS OVER 3,000

MILES AND WEEKS AWAY BY SLOW MOVING SHIPS FROM THE COLONIES TO BRITAIN.

2. THE DISTANCE CREATED MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND MADE COMPROMISE AND NEGOTIATION DIFFICULT.

THE WAR STARTSApril 1775 – Battles of

Lexington and Concord

British troops marched out of Boston to Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts about 17 miles away. They wanted to arrest American leaders, and seize hidden guns. The British force of about 700 men met a colonial force of about 80 militiamen on the village green at Lexington. The British ordered the Americans to leave. As the Americans began to leave, someone fired a shot, and the British opened fire without orders. Eight Americans were killed, while most managed to run away.

The war had started.

British troops continued down the road to Concord where they were met with a force of about 400 American militiamen. A pitched battle soon began with more soldiers arriving on both sides. The British had to fight their way back to Boston. By nightfall, the British were safely back in Boston having had 73 men killed and many more wounded. The Americans had 49 men killed.

Massachusetts Militiamen and British soldiers fighting at

Lexington.

Declaration of Independence

JULY 4, 1776

The Second Continental Congress approves the Declaration of Independence, stating why the American colonies should be an independent country free from British rule.

The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson who would later become the

third President of the United States.

Major Battles of the WarJune 17, 1775 – Battle of Bunker Hill – the

British defeat the Americans outside of Boston, securing Boston from American attack.

August 27, 1776 – Battle of Long Island – the British defeat American forces lead by George Washington outside of New York City. Leads to the British capture of New York a few weeks later.

December 26, 1776 – Battle of Trenton – Washington surprises a Hessian force and defeats them at Trenton, NJ.

October 7, 1777 – Battle of Saratoga, NY – Entire British force under Major General John Burgoyne surrenders to Americans. This was a major turning point in the war. As a result of the American victory, France decides to join the war of the side of the Americans.

Battle of Bunker HillBritish forces left Boston and attacked Colonial forces

in their fortified positions on the high ground overlooking Boston. The British defeated the

Colonials, but the valiant stand of the Colonials provided inspiration to the revolutionaries.

Battle of Long Island, NYAmerican forces were badly defeated in the area of Brooklyn Heights in New York City. The American army had to escape across the East River back on to Manhattan, under cover of darkness. The defeat lead eventually to George Washington having to abandon New York

City to the British. They British held New York for the rest of the war.

Battle of Trenton, NJ Washington took his army

across the Delaware River from Pennsylvania in to New Jersey under cover of Darkness on Christmas night to surprise the Hessian force in Trenton.

The Hessian troops were taken totally by surprise. Many were still asleep and drunk from the previous night’s Christmas celebrations.

Battle of Saratoga, NYAmerican forces led by General Horatio Gates, defeated and forced the surrender of British General John Burgoyne’s entire force of over 5,000 men. It was the turning point in the war, and convinced the French to enter the war on the side of the Americans.

Major Battles of the WarOctober 7, 1780 – Battle of Kings Mountain, SC –

American militia kills or captures entire Loyalist force. This destroys about a third of Lord Cornwallis’ British force in South Carolina.

January 17, 1781 – Battle of Cowpens, SC – American militiamen and regulars overwhelmingly defeat British, resulting in Cornwallis moving most of his troops in to North Carolina to escape.

March 15, 1781 – Battle of Guilford Courthouse, NC – British defeat American force under American General Nathaniel Greene, but suffer unrecoverable losses and are forced to retreat into Virginia.

October 19, 1781- Battle of Yorktown, VA – Lord Cornwallis is surrounded by American and French troops on land, and the French navy at sea. He is forced to surrender his army, leading the British to negotiate a peace treaty.

Battles of Kings Mountain & Cowpens, SC

The battles of Kings Mountain and Cowpens were two major victories for the Americans. In both battles, fought just a few months apart, troops of Lord Cornwallis’ British army in South Carolina, were easily defeated by American militia and regular troops. The battles led to Cornwallis trying to move his troops in to North Carolina and proved a huge boost to Patriot morale in the South.

Battle of Guilford Courthouse, NC

Cornwallis attacked American forces under the command of General Nathanial Greene. Although Greene was forced to retreat, the battle left Cornwallis’ army destroyed. The British force of about 1,900 men suffered 550 dead and wounded compared to about 250 casualties for the Americans.

Battle of Yorktown, VA After the fight at Guilford

Courthouse, Cornwallis moved what was left of his army to Yorktown, VA on the Chesapeake Bay. He hoped to be resupplied and reinforced by the British navy. Unfortunately for him, the French navy had already blocked Chesapeake bay. Cornwallis was surrounded by American and French troops on the land, and the French navy prevented his resupply or escape by sea. He was forced to surrender his entire force. This defeat, caused the British government to want to negotiate a peace treaty.

American VictorySeptember 3, 1783 – The United States and Great Britain

sign the Treaty of Paris, formally ending the war. Great Britain agreed to formally recognize the 13 American colonies as independent.

November 25, 1783 – The last British troops in the United States leave New York City.

Why Did the Americans Win the War?1) Americans were fighting on their own soil.2) Americans were experienced wilderness

fighters.3) Better leaders, in particular George

Washington.4) Volunteer foreign military officers, like Marquis

de Lafayette, Baron von Steuben, and Count Pulaski.

5) French assistance in the form of soldiers, navy, and money.

Important People in the RevolutionGeorge Washington – Commander of the American

forces. Proved to be an excellent leader. Benjamin Franklin – Member of the five man

committee that wrote the Declaration of Independence. Franklin was also the U.S. Minister to France and was very important in gaining French support for the American cause.

Thomas Jefferson – Wrote the draft of the Declaration of Independence and presented it to the Continental Congress.

King George III – British King during the revolution. He was never able to come to grips with the growing crisis.

Lord Cornwallis – British General of troops in the Southern colonies, whose surrender forced the British to negotiate peace.