The American Revolution

The American Revolution Sizing Up The Armies The Strategy of War “A World Turned Upside Down”

American Strengths and Weaknesses • The colonists are fighting for independence • George Washington can inspire his men to fight • France will aide the colonies with weapons, supplies and their navy

Patriots and Loyalists • Patriots were colonists who supported the break from England. • Loyalists are colonials support the England. • Colonists are divided as to whether or not they should rebel against England!

American Strengths and Weaknesses • The colonists are not a trained army • Colonists enlist for months instead of years • Short on money, weapons and supplies to fight a war

British Strengths and Weaknesses • The British have an experienced professional army • Outnumber the Continental Army • The British army is well supplied with equipment and weapons

British Strengths and Weaknesses • The British are not fighting for a cause • British officers are careless and poor leaders • The British have a to cross the Atlantic Ocean to send men and supplies for the war • The support at homes is rather weak

American Colonies Keep the Colonial Army together Washington seeks to stretch the British army away from supply lines Harass the enemy, defeat the British in a major battle Get allies to help win! Britain Seeks to destroy the Colonial Army Regain control of the colonies by region Take the fight to the Colonial Army using European war tactics Use loyalists support against the colonies The Strategy of War

The Strategy of War

Lexington and Concord, April 1777 • British attempt to capture Samuel Adams and weapons stockpile around Concord • The colonists are warned by Paul Revere and 40 other riders that “British are coming” • 4,000 colonial “militia men” exchange fire with British troops along the main road • This battle is considered the beginning of the American Revolution

A personal view of the American Revolution “ The men that was wounded in the thigh or leg, they dashed out their brains with their muskets and run them through with their bayonets, made them like sieves. This was barbarity to the utmost.” Sergeant New Jersey Regiment, 1778

The Battle of Bunker Hill June 16,1775 • Fought outside Boston. It is a fortified area on Breed’s Hill filled with several thousand colonists. • The battle shows that the colonists will fight if protected from British fire.

The Battle of Saratoga, August- October 1777 • The British are harassed by colonial guerilla forces and end up stretching their supply lines. • The British will surrender to the Colonial forces led by General Horatio Gates • Saratoga is important because it is a major defeat for the British and shows the French that the colonies may be able to win the war

The Battle of Saratoga, August- October 1777 • Saratoga is considered the turning point of the war. The French will begin to supply arms, men and their navy to help the colonies.

A personal view of the American Revolution “The ball first cut off the head of Smith, a stout heavy man, and dashed it open, then took Taylor across the bowels; it then struck Sergeant Garret of our company on the hip, took off the point of the hip bone . Oh, What a sight it was to see within a distance of six rods those men with their legs and arms and guns and packs all in a heap!” Connecticut Soldier, 1777

The Battle of Yorktown, October 1781 • The French are helping the Continental Army with men, weapons and warships • The Americans and the French will corner the British on a small peninsula and bombard them with cannon fire. • The British will surrender and end the American Revolution. • The colonists will win the American Revolution with this victory.

The Battle of Yorktown, October 1781

The Treaty of Paris, 1783 • THE WAR ENDS WITH THESE CONDITIONS • “free, sovereign and independent states” • British must remove all troops from forts • Boundary for United States is the Mississippi • Loyalist would have rights and property protected • captured slaves must be returned to owners

The American Revolution