the a Meri Can revolutionary War 1775 -1783

the a. Meri. Can revolutionary War 1775 -1783

FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS Philadelphia - September, 1774 • Prepare colonies for possible revolt • Begin to create militias • Most colonists don’t want a total split…yet • Just don’t want to be taxed unfairly • “No taxation w/out Representation”

KEEPING THE CLIMATE RIPE FOR REVOLUTION Sons of Liberty

Colonial Populations • PATRIOTS – • Want Independence / War • 33% • TORY – • British Loyalists / NO Independence • 33% • Undecided • 33%

The Opening of the Revolt • King George III interprets colonists’ actions as rebellion • Sends Redcoats to supress • Brits learn where John Hancock & Sam Adams are (Lexington) • Also learn where secret militia storage supply is (Concord) • 700 British troops secretly set out to capture both • BUT…

Patriots learn of British Plan “TWO IF BY LAND, ONE IF BY SEA”

• Need to send someone to ride out to Lexington and Concord & to Philadelphia • Warn of the coming British ambush • Who? ? ?

PAUL REVERE’S MIDNIGHT RIDE? ? ? • Riders: Sam Prescott, William Dawes, Israel Bissell & Revere • Revere and Dawes captured after 20 miles • Prescott made it to Concord • Only Bissell made it to Philadelphia to warn • Killed his horse he rode so hard

Why Revere so Famous? ? ? • Jump to 1860 • USA on brink of Civil War • Need something to unify people • Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wants to sell a book • Writes “Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” • Becomes a hit – legend becomes truth • “LISTEN, my children, and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five: Hardly a man is now alive Who remembers that famous day and year. ”

The Midnight Ride of William Dawes • I am a wandering, bitter shade, Never of me was a hero made; Poets have never sung my praise, Nobody crowned my brow with bays; And if you ask me the fatal cause, I answer only, "My name was Dawes“ • When the lights from the old North Church flashed out, Paul Revere was waiting about, But I was already on my way. The shadows of night fell cold and gray As I rode, with never a break or a pause; But what was the use, when my name was Dawes!

MINUTEMEN UNITS

THE BRITISH REDCOATS

BATTLE OF LEXINGTON APRIL 19, 1775 “THE SHOTS HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD” • First battles of war • British looking to capture rebel leaders and supplies • Brits meet 70 Militia, who begin to disperse • Someone fires? • British gun down militiamen • 8 killed, 10 wounded

BATTLE OF CONCORD APRIL 19, 1775 (later that day) • Word spreads about the “murders” • Patriots want revenge • Assemble 300 on North Bridge • Kill 14 British, who are exhausted • Brits retreat back to Boston

NORTH BRIDGE OVER CONCORD RIVER

BATTLE MAP • Patriots keep attacking from trees the whole march back. 250 British killed. (90 minutemen)

THE BRITISH SEIGE OF BOSTON

SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS Philadelphia - MAY 10, 1775 • Continental Army officially created • Washington named C in C of Army • Accepts w/ no pay • Still No Call for Independence from “Gov’t” • Olive Branch Petition – plea to King to work it out

Characters at the Continental Congress • FOR INDEPENDENCE • AGAINST INDEPENDENCE • John Adams (MA) • Sam Adams (MA) • John Dickenson (PA) • Edward Rutledge (SC) • James Duane (NY) • KEYS TO INDEP. VOTE • Richard Henry Lee (VA) • Thomas Jefferson (VA) • George Washington (VA) • Ben Franklin (PA) • PRESIDENT OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS • John Hancock

BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL JUNE 17, 1775

• British foolishly advance up hill numerous times – thought Patriots would run • They didn’t • 1, 000 British Killed • 250 Patriots killed • Compromise now unreachable to King • Colonial Gov’t STILL not want total independence!!! • Until…

BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL

BUNKER HILL BATTLE “Don’t fire until you can see the Whites of their Eyes” - Patriot William Prescott

BUNKER HILL MEMORIAL

GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON • On the day he is commissioned General…

Common Sense by: THOMAS PAINE

THOMAS PAINE MEMORIALS • Convinced colonists to use common sense and declare Independence

THOMAS JEFFERSON

WRITING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (WITH BEN FRANKLIN & JOHN ADAMS)

• Independence Vote taken… • July 2, 1776 • SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE… • JULY 4, 1776

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

National Archives in DC

So we are at war… How can we win? ? ? • American Strategy: • Can’t go head to head with British Empire • Must make war last as long as possible • Make British give it up • Use guerilla tactics – quick strikes and get out BUT… • GW did want a traditional army and trained for it

After a while… • • • War NOT going well at all Morale very low in Continental Army Washington has not yet won a battle Enlistments will expire end of 1776 Sooooooo… Washington plans to deliver Xmas Victory • Attack a Hessian camp at Trenton, NJ

WASHINGTON CROSSES THE DELAWARE RIVER Emanuel Leutze 1851

XMAS Campaigns, 1776 • Trenton Battle • Small Victory, but gave Army HOPE • GW gets new enlistments • Tells British colonists are tough and this will be a long fight

Army Grinds it out for another year • October 17, 1777 – Battle of Saratoga, NY • Continentals win, but more importantly • Win convinces France to intervene in the War on Patriots side • British want to negotiate, Colonists Don’t

SUFFERING AT VALLEY FORGE

WASHINGTON PRAYER

Continental Army Problems • Only GW holds it together – his strength and personality • Army size always changing • Very short of supplies • (Never know what if anything will get from Congress)

BATTLE OF YORKTOWN

SEIGE OF YORKTOWN WAR ENDS WITH PEACE OF PARIS 1781

BRITISH SURRENDER AT YORKTOWN 1781

October 17, 1781 • Treaty (PEACE OF PARIS) signed 2 years later on Sept. 3, 1783 • Ends the American Revolution

Why did America win? ? ? • • Colonials able to drag out the war British Gave it up Became too Expensive to keep fighting French Alliance • American strategy pays off… • NOW THERE IS A NEW COUNTRY!!!!