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The American Revolution: 1775-1783. Virginia Assembly Response to Lord Dunmore.
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The American Revolution: 1775-1783
Virginia Assembly Response to Lord Dunmore • WHEREAS lord Dunmore, by his proclamation, dated on board the ship William, off Norfolk, the 7th day of November 1775, hath offered freedom to such able-bodied slaves as are willing to join him, and take up arms, against the good people of this colony, giving thereby encouragement to a general insurrection, which may induce a necessity of inflicting the severest punishments upon those unhappy people, already deluded by his base and insidious arts; and whereas, by an act of the General Assembly now in force in this colony, it is enacted, that all negro or other slaves, conspiring to rebel or make insurrection, shall suffer death, and be excluded all benefit of clergy:We think it proper to declare, that all slaves who have been, or shall be seduced, by his lordship's proclamation, or other arts, to desert their masters' service, and take up arms against the inhabitants of this colony, shall be liable to such punishment as shall hereafter be directed by the General Convention. And to that end all such, who have taken this unlawful and wicked step, may return in safety to their duty, and escape the punishment due to their crimes, we hereby promise pardon to them, they surrendering themselves to Col. William Woodford, or any other commander of our troops, and not appearing in arms after the publication hereof. And we do farther earnestly recommend it to all humane and benevolent persons in this colony to explain and make known this our offer of mercy to those unfortunate people.
Opposing Military Strategies The Rebel Colonists The British • Outlast the British with a strategy of attrition [the British had a long supply line]. • Avoid major battles against a more powerful army to wear the British down • Make an alliance with one of Britain’s enemies (France). • Split New England (major area of rebellion) off from rest of the colonies • Blockade ports to prevent the flow of goods and supplies, esp. from France. • Use domestic allies: loyalists, Native Americans, and slaves.
The Rebels • Continental Army (commanded by George Washington). Regular army. Conditions were harsh and problems with supplying the troops. Desertions were common. The number of troops went up and down dramatically. • Militia (irregular troops): more of a home guard, often fought Native Americans and loyalists on the frontier. Used guerrilla tactics more (ambush, small-scale combat) • Native Americans: Though most fought with the British, some tribes sided with the rebels.
The British • Regular Army (Redcoats): highly trained and disciplined in European-style combat • German Mercenaries: many from province of Hesse (hence the name Hessians) • Loyalists: colonists who remained loyal to Britain. 20%-30% of population. A significant portion of these people were African American. About 20,000 loyalists were armed by the British • Native Americans: Many fought with the British. They fought for their homeland and their freedom. Not “for” the British
First Civil War? LoyalistStrongholds Perhaps 20 percent of the population were active loyalists
Who were the loyalists? • Small farmers, artisans and shopkeepers, southerners on the frontier • Indentured Servants • British officials • Some wealthy merchants tended to remain loyal • Anglican ministers, especially in Puritan New England.
African Americans • 500,000 out of a population of about 3 million in the colonies. Most were slaves in the south but there was a significant number of free blacks. • British promised freedom to slaves who joined their cause (Virginia Gov. Lord Dunmore’s proclamation of 1775). Eventually 50,000 slaves (10%) did flee and many joined the British. Most were put to work as laborers but in some were formed into fighting units. • Continental Army at first refused to enlist blacks, but after the British issued their proclamations, the rebels reversed that policy and granted freedom to slaves to who did join. 5000 African Americans served in the Continental Army. • These policies were largely designed to weaken the other side, not to free slaves. Rebels were all for freeing the slaves of loyalists, and the British wanted to free the slaves owned by Patriots.
Response to the Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation • What did the Virginia Assembly say was the punishment for slaves who joined the British?
Reaction in one Maryland County • “The insolence of the Negroes in this county is come to such a height, that we are under a necessity of disarming them which we affected on Saturday last. We took about eighty guns, some bayonets, swords, etc. The malicious and imprudent speeches of some among the lower classes of whites have induced them to believe that their freedom depended on the success of the King's troops. We cannot therefore be too vigilant nor too rigorous with those who promote and encourage this disposition in our slaves.”
Phase I:The Northern Campaign[1775-1776] After driving the British out of Boston, the rebel army was ravaged by smallpox, failed to take Quebec and retreated. Summer 1776: huge British force routs Americans and takes New York City. Washington retreats to Pennyslvania
Phase II: Middle Atlantic[1777-1778] British capture Philadelphia Americans win battles in New Jersey British decisively defeated at the Battle of Saratoga (Oct 1977) Washington’s army suffers a grim winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Oct 1777 Battle of SaratogaThe rebels win and the British army surrenders. France enters the war on the Americans’ side
“Henry Walbridge who was amiable in the social, esteemed in the Christian, faithful in the civil and brave in the military life. Gloriously fell in the cause of American Freedom in the Battle of Bennington on the 16th of August 1777.”
“In Memory of Gen. Ebenezer Walbridge who departed this life Oct the 3rd, 1819 in the 82nd year of his age. He was an affectionate husband, indulgent father and friend to all mankind. He died in full belief of the glorious resurrection in and through the atonement of Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Valley Forge: Winter 1777-78: 25% of Washington’s Army died from exposure and disease.It was considered a “moderate” winter. Low temp in December was 6 degrees and low temp in March was 8 degrees.
The threat of slave revolts • 1739 Stono Rebellion in South Carolina • Slave holders freaked out • Executed rebels and put their heads on pikes
Britain’s “Southern Strategy” • Britain thought that there were more Loyalists in the South. • Southern resources were more valuable/worth preserving. • The British won a series of small victories, but cannot pacify the countryside [similar to U. S. failures in Vietnam!]
War in the South was particularly brutal… • Washington's military commander in the lower South, Nathanael Greene, dealt with disloyalty by a policy of concessions to some, brutality to others. In a letter to Thomas Jefferson he described a raid by his troops on Loyalists. "They made a dreadful carnage of them, upwards of one hundred were killed and most of the rest cut to pieces. It has had a very happy effect on those disaffected persons of which there were too many in this country." Greene told one of his generals "to strike terror into our enemies and give spirit to our friends." On the other hand, he advised the governor of Georgia "to open a door for the disaffected of your state to come in... ."
Liberty: Episode 5 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4qFbvkfHkE&t=118s
The Battle of Yorktown (1781) Count de Rochambeau AdmiralDe Grasse
American Prisoners held in rotting ships in the harbors outside of NYC, Philadelphia, Charleston. Prisoner Ship HMS Jersey. More Americans died in prison during the Revolution than died in combat.
-Rev. Thomas Andros • "The lower hold and the orlop deck, were such a terror, that no man would venture down into them. Humanity would have dictated a more merciful treatment to a band of pirates, who had been condemned and were only awaiting the gibbet, than to have sent them here. . . . While so many were sick with raging fever, there was a loud cry for water; but none could be had, except on the upper deck, and but one allowed to ascend at a time. The suffering then from the rage of thirst during the night, was very great.
8,500-11,000 colonists died in British prisons during the Revolution. Perhaps twice as many as died in combat.
Loyalists after the Revolution • About 100,000 Loyalists left the 13 colonies, including William Franklin, the son of Benjamin Franklin. Many of these were former slaves • Most settled in Canada. Some eventually returned, although several state governments excluded the Loyalists from holding public office.
After the Revolution • The Paris Peace Treaty required Congress to restore property confiscated from Loyalists. In the Carolinas, where hatred between rebels and Loyalist was especially strong, few Loyalists regained their property. In New York and the Carolinas, the confiscations from Loyalists resulted in something of a social revolution as large estates were parceled out to yeoman farmers.
Articles of Confederation Government: 1781-1789
Weaknesses of theArticles of Confederation • A unicameral Congress [9 of 13 votes to pass a law]. • 13 out of 13 to amend. • Representatives were frequently absent. • Could not tax or raise armies. • No executive or judicial branches.
State Constitutions • Republicanism. • Most had strong governors with veto power. • Property required for voting. • Some had universal white male suffrage. (New Jersey allowed unmarried women w/ property to vote but that was later taken away • Most had bills of rights. • Many had a continuation of state-established religions while others disestablished religion.
Occupational Composition of Several State Assembliesin the 1780s
Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • A major accomplishment of the Confederation Congress! • Important provisions: • Congress appointed 3 judges & a governor to govern the territory. • When population reached 5,000 free adult male elect territorial legislature. • When population reached 60,000 write a constitution and form a government.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • Important provisions: • 4. Each state had equal footing with original states • 5. No slavery allowed in any state in the region
Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-7 • Western MA. Small farmers angered by crushing debts and taxes. • Crushed by Mass. Militia • Congress unable to send $ • Wealthy donate $ to militia to put down the rebellion. Wealthy not so happy w/Congress
