The Legacy of the War

Chapter 7, Section 4

Overcoming Obstacles

Americans faced many hardships:

• 8 years of war

• Few supplies and weapons

• Untrained/Inexperienced troops

• British was the “best” army in the world

Why the Americans Won

1. Better Leadership• British generals were over

confident

• American generals learned from mistakes

• More consistent

• Never gave up/Drug out the war

2. Foreign Aid• Foreign loans and military aid

Why the Americans Won (cont’d)

3. Knowledge of the Land• Americans knew land well

• Used knowledge to their advantage

4. Motivation• Americans had more reason to fight

• Lives

• Property

• Liberty (freedom)

The Treaty of Paris, 1783

Six conditions for peace:

1. The United States was independent

2. Boundaries: North: Canada

East: Atlantic Ocean

South: Spanish Florida

West: Mississippi River

The Treaty of Paris, 1783 (cont’d)

3. US wanted fishing rights near Canada

4. Each side would repay any debts owed to each other

5. British would return any enslaved or captured persons

6. Congress would “recommend” any property taken from Loyalists to be returned.

The Treaty of Paris, 1783 (cont’d)

Both sides did not live up to treaty:

• America did not repay pre-war debt• Did not give back Loyalists’ property

• Britain did not give back runaway slaves• Did not give up military outposts near

Great Lakes

Take a moment to talk with your neighbor about the follow questions:

1. Name some of the hardships that Americans had to overcome.

2. What are the 4 reasons Americans won the war?

3. What are the six conditions of the Treaty of Paris, 1783?

Costs of the War

• Unknown how many died in the war.

Estimations:

• Americans:• 25,700 dead

• 1,400 missing

• 8,200 wounded (including amputations)

• British:• 10,000 dead

Costs of the War (cont’d)

Comparison to modern day warfare:

US Military deaths:

Iraq (2003-2014): 4,487

Afghanistan (2001-2014): 2,349

Total: 6,836

Costs of the War (cont’d)

Many American soldiers left army broke.

• Some given certificates for land in the West.

• Many sold them for cash.

Congress and individual states borrowed money for war.

• Debt after war was $27 millions dollars.

Many Loyalists fled country.

• 60,000-100,000 left (including natives and slaves)

• Many went to Canada

Issues After the War

Changes in gov’t don’t always go smoothly.

• New idea of Republicanism:• Power comes from the people

• Elect representatives

• Limited to land-owning men?

• Women asked to teach children virtues:

• Honesty

• Duty

• Sacrifice

Republic vs. Democracy

Ticket Out

1. Watch the video (don’t fall asleep!).

2. In your own words, write a paragraph explaining why the United States is a constitutional republic, not a democracy.• Use complete sentences

• Provide evidence