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The American Revolution

The American Revolution. Unit 2, Lesson 3. Essential Idea. Though victory was unlikely, America won the Revolutionary War with key victories at the Battles of Saratoga, Kings Mountain, and Yorktown. British Advantages. British Advantages: Much larger population

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The American Revolution

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  1. The American Revolution Unit 2, Lesson 3

  2. Essential Idea • Though victory was unlikely, America won the Revolutionary War with key victories at the Battles of Saratoga, Kings Mountain, and Yorktown.

  3. British Advantages • British Advantages: • Much larger population • Stronger government to conduct war • Stronger economy and more money • Strongest and most disciplined military in the world

  4. British Disadvantages • British Disadvantages: • Overextended, trying to control too much of the world at once • English support for war was weak

  5. British Disadvantages • Fighting offensive war, no “home field” advantage • America was a large area, hard to control

  6. Colonial Advantages • Colonial Advantages: • Superior military leadership • Fighting defensive war, had “home field” • Patriots’ support was high, felt they were fighting for their rights

  7. Colonial Advantages • Guerrilla warfare- sometimes fought with hidden ambushes, not lining uplike the British • France eventually helped America • Did not have to win, just outlast Britain until they were tired of the war

  8. Colonial Disadvantages • Much weaker, less organized military • Weak government and economy that struggled to support military • On paper, Britain should have won

  9. Fighting in the North • Battle of Long Island: • Washington’s army was defeated and forced to retreat • British General William Howe captured New York City • The Continental Army’s morale was low and Washington needed a way to boost it

  10. Washington Crosses the Delaware • On Christmas of 1776, Washington led troops secretly across the Delaware River into New Jersey

  11. Boosted Morale • Washington won two victories in the Battles of Trenton and Princeton • Washington Crosses the Delaware • Washington’s leadership kept morale up (for now) and kept soldiers from quitting

  12. Britain’s Strategy to Win the War • Initial British strategy: • Cut New England off from the rest of the colonies • Troops under John Burgoyne in British-owned Canada would move south • Troops under Howe in New York City would move north to meet Burgoyne • They would meet in Albany and then invade New England • Why New England? • Most colonists and Patriots that wanted independence lived here and would be isolated • The Northern Strategy • Why it failed: • Howe decided to capture Philadelphia instead • Burgoyne was stopped at the Battle of Saratoga

  13. Britain Takes Philadelphia • Howe in Philadelphia: • Howe’s troops moved to Philadelphia to capture the Congress • Howe thought the revolution would fall apart without its government • Washington failed to stop Howe, but the Congress escaped and survived • Howe occupied Philadelphia and took the winter off to enjoy the city

  14. Winter Sets In • Washington in Valley Forge: • Endured the harsh winter outside Philadelphia in Valley Forge

  15. Valley Forge • Washington and other officers drilled and disciplined the soldiers to boost morale • After the winter, Washington’s men were stronger and able to win the Battle of Yorktown • Valley Forge

  16. Battle of Saratoga • Battle of Saratoga: • This battle was the turning point in the North • American forces stopped Burgoyne, ending Britain’s campaign to cut off New England • This helped convince France to join America against Britain, providing vital help • Battle of Saratoga

  17. Fighting in the South • Britain’s New Strategy: • Focus on controlling the South, where most loyalists were • Britain wanted to at least keep the Southand maybe use it to invade the North

  18. Charles Town (Charleston) • Fighting in the Carolinas: • Britain captured Charleston and brutally invaded South Carolina • British General Charles Cornwallis was put in charge of conquering the Carolinas’ countryside • British troops freed many slaves, making the South unstable • Britain Invades the South

  19. Battle of Kings Mountain • Battle of Kings Mountain • This battle was the turning point in the South • Patriots (the “overmountain men”) marched out of the Appalachian Mountains to stop the British at Kings Mountain • This stopped the British invasion of North Carolina and boosted southern Patriots

  20. The “Fighting Quaker” • Nathanael Greene: • American General Nathanael Greene wanted to turn southern support against Britain • Greene baited Cornwallis’ troops to chase his men across the countryside using “hit and run” attacks • Low on supplies, Cornwallis’ troops plundered southern homes

  21. Britain Loses the Southern Population • Greene lost every battle, but won because he turned the South against Britain and wore out Cornwallis’ troops • Britain only controlled a few major cities in the South but could not control the vast countryside in between • America’s Southern Strategy: Lose Battles but Win the War

  22. Battle of Yorktown • Cornwallis marched to Yorktown, on the coast of Virginia, to wait for resupply from the British navy • Cornwallis assumed Britain’s strong navy still controlled the ocean • Washington rushed his army south to capture the land around Yorktown • The French navy captured the coast at Yorktown, preventing Cornwallis’ resupply and escape

  23. Cornwallis Surrenders • Surrounded, Cornwallis and his 8,000 troops surrendered • The Battle of Yorktown caused Britain to declare the war over

  24. Treaty of Paris (1783) • The War Ends • Treaty: • Treaty of Paris of 1783 • Terms: • Ended the American Revolution • Britain recognized the United States as a new nation • Battle of Yorktown and Independence • The United States owned land all the way west to the Mississippi River

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