THE REVOLUTIONARY WARChapter 2Standard 4

1st Continental Congress Met in Phila, 1774- 12

of 13 colonies attended

How do we respond to acts? Did not want

independence Wrote grievances

(London ignored) Declaration of

Rights

Midnight Ride Paul Revere rides into Concord to warn

MA Congress

Moves all military supplies out of Concord

Shot Heard Round the World

2nd Continental Congress After Lexington/Concord- leaders decide

to meet in Phila on May 10, 1775 Still was not thinking of independence

Sent grievances to king Plan on how to raise $$ for military Washington lead army

Forming an Army CC did not have power to tax, so raising $

$ to build army very difficult Continental Army was mainly

inexperienced, local militia. Mainly used guerilla warfare

Adv/Disadv of ArmiesADVANTAGES British

More people/stronger military

More $$$ American

Leadership Aid from France geography

DISADVANTAGES British

Didn’t want to fight Problems with other

countries Far away from home

American Colonists split Lacked $$$ No navy No professional

soldiers

Early Battles Surprise at Ft.

Ticonderoga Gunpowder and

cannons Bunker (Breed’s) Hill

British victory (built Patriot confidence though)

Call for independence growing

King hires Hessians Fight for money

Declaration of Independence

Common Sense – influenced many to vote for Independence

July 4, 1776- Continental Congress issues the Declaration of Independence

Written by Thomas Jefferson Writings by John Locke influenced

Jefferson All people have certain “natural rights” If gov’t failed to protect or violated rights, the

people have the right to overthrow gov’t

Declaration The Declaration has

4 parts Preamble (why doc

was created) Declaration of

Natural Rights (from Locke)

List of grievances (complaints against GB)

Resolution (declares colonies free)

In the Colonies 1/3 of pop were Patriots (Whigs) 1/3 were Loyalists (Tories) 1/3 were neutral British could only control Loyalists.

Used them as spies, soldiers, etc., but not much

New York (1776)

Trenton, 1776 Congress asks Washington to try and

defend NYC, but many fled British controlled it until end of war Next move go to Philadelphia, but British

camp in nearby Trenton, NJ Washington crossed Delaware river

defeated British on 12.26.1776

General Washington crossing Delaware

Battle at Saratoga Britain tried to capture Hudson River

Valley Plan: Burgoyne move south and Howe

move north Howe goes to Phila instead Pushes Washington to Valley Forge for winter Frenchman Marquis de Lafayette and Prussian

Baron Friedrich von Steuben help train soldiers and boost morale

Burgoyne left and defeated at Saratoga Convinced France to help America

New Alliances America sends Ben Franklin to France to

ask for aid United States signs first 2 treaties

2.6.1778- France is first country to recognize US as independent

2nd treaty formally makes USA and France allies

Ending the War Britain tries to defeat US by coming from

South Charles Town falls, and Charles Cornwallis

becomes British General Cornwallis moves to Virginia, eventually

to Yorktown American and French surround Yorktown Force Cornwallis to surrender

YorktownCornwallis surrenders- fighting over!

Treaty of Paris, 1783 John Jay, Ben

Franklin, John Adams Granted US

independence Land west to Miss. North to Great

lakes South thru Florida Loyalists weren’t

persecuted

America, 1783