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Learn about the Patriots and Loyalists, African American involvement, supply issues, women’s roles, and Washington’s strategic maneuvers during the early American Revolution. Discover the struggles and victories that shaped the United States' fight for independence.
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Early Years American Revolution
Issue for early United States: Separating from Great Britain • Patriots: people who wanted to separate from Great Britain • Loyalists: wanted to stay under British rule
African American Involvement • Fought on both sides • British government offered African Americans freedom if they enlisted • Many slaves joined the British • Approximately 5,000 African American soldiers served in the Continental Army
Early Years of the War • Since there were Loyalists and Patriots, creating an army was difficult • June 1775 George Washington became commander of the Continental Army • Soldiers were untrained and undisciplined • Each soldier served a 1 year term
Supply Problems: soldiers needed blankets, food, guns, and ammunition • Women’s Involvement: • Followed husbands to army camps • Cooked, did laundry, nursed the sick & wounded • A few also fought • British view Americans as disorganized and inexperienced.
Washington’s goal was to survive, keep a standing army, and avoid defeat • 1776 Washington forced the British to retreat from Boston • Washington moved to New York City • Knew the British would work to occupy coastal cities and cut off shipping
July 1776 Boston General William Howe arrived in New York. • By August, reinforcements arrived in New York with 9,000 Hessian (German) mercenaries. • Mercenary: professional soldier hired to fight for a foreign country.
Washington had to retreat. • December, Continental Army crossed the Delaware River to Pennsylvania. • Supplies very low.
December 25, 1776 Washington’s troops rowed across the Delaware River to Trenton, New Jersey. • Goal: To ambush the Hessians • Hessians were sleeping after their Christmas celebration • Washington was victorious