The American Revolution

Chapter 7 1775-1783

British Resistance

On May 10,1775, Americans attacked Britain’s Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. Ethan Allen led this band of backwoods fighters known and the Green Mountain Boys.

The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and created the Continental Army.

George Washington was the commander.

Future First President of the United States

Colonies Divided

Patriots

From New England Colonies and Virginia

Congregationalist, Presbyterians, and Baptists

Loyalist

Judges or members of the Church of England.

Quakers

Pacifist

Colonies Divided

20%

40%

40%

Loyalist Neutral Patriots

Strategies of Each Side

The Colonies British Military

• Untrained and Undisciplined Volunteers

• Small Skirmishes ( avoid a crushing defeat)

• Soldiers were only enlisted for one year

• Lacked supplies

• Experienced and Professional

• For personal and Political reasons many soldiers didn't’t want to fight

• Had trouble recruiting soldiers ( They were signed up for life)

• Hessians

Early Stages of the War

George Washington and his men successfully pushed Britain out of Boston in March 1776.

General Howe and Britain made a push back, they won the Battle of Long Island and forced Washington’s men retreat through New Jersey.

Moral was low for the colonies

Thomas Paine- The American Crisis

Battle of Trenton

Late December 25,1776 Washington’s troops rowed across the icy Delaware River to New Jersey. Hessians were celebrating a recently victory and caught off guard.

The Americans Captured more than 900 Hessians and needed supplies.

Washington’s victory helped get more soldiers to join his army because they now believed he could win

Battle of Saratoga

The British wanted to cut off New England by controlling the Hudson River Valley.

Three British armies were to meet at Albany, New York

General Burgoyne would lead a force south from Canada

Lt Colonel Barry St. Leger would come down the Mohawk Valley

General Howe was to follow the Hudson river north from New York City.

Burgoyne army got near Albany but could not penetrate the fortifications.

The American victory at Saratoga shoed that Americans could win the war.

European nations joined the war

Help from Abroad

Foreign Officers lead American Troops.

France joined the war as their ally, or partner. King Louis XVI promised to send money supplies ad soldiers to America. Spain soon then joined.

Britain had to fight on all different fronts.

Winter at Valley Forge

Washington’s army were desperate for food an supplies.

Soldiers died of malnutrition and small pox

On New Years 1778 women drove ten teams of oxen into the camp

2,000 shirts

Baron von Steuben transforms the army.

Frontier Fighting &War on the Water

George Rogers Clark victories on the frontier gave America Much more land.

Britain had to spread their troops over an even larger area.

Without control of the high seas they couldn’t receive any supplies.