The American Revolution - Administrationassistance and the roles of Benjamin Franklin and the...

The American Revolution The Ideological, Military and Diplomatic aspects of the fight for Independence

Standards

• SSUSH3 The student will explain the primary causes of the American

Revolution.

– c. Explain the importance of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense to the movement

for independence.

• SSUSH4 The student will identify the ideological, military, and diplomatic

aspects of the American Revolution.

– a. Explain the language, organization, and intellectual sources of the Declaration

of Independence; include the writing of John Locke and Montesquieu, and the

role of Thomas Jefferson.

– b. Explain the reason for and significance of the French alliance and foreign

assistance and the roles of Benjamin Franklin and the Marquis de Lafayette.

– c. Analyze George Washington as a military leader; include the creation of a

professional military and the life of a common soldier, and describe the

significance of the crossing of the Delaware River and Valley Forge.

– d. Explain Yorktown, the role of Lord Cornwallis, and the Treaty of Paris, 1783.

Thomas Paine authors “Common

Sense”

• Published anonymously

January 1776

• At that time, it had the

largest circulation of any

book in Am. History

• “Common Sense”

presented the colonists

with a powerful argument

supporting independence

from Great Britain.

Intellectual Sources of the

Declaration of Independence

• John Locke (left) and Charles Montesquieu

John Locke

• Lived in England during the height of the

Enlightenment. (1632-1704)

• Most famous work: Two Treatises of

Government (Social Contract)

• In TToG he describes the state of nature and

argues that all men are created equal by God.

(Charles) baron of Montesquieu

• Lived in France during Enlightenment

(1689-1755)

• Extremely influential thinker in French

history; his ideas paved the way for

French Revolution

• Most famous for his articulation of a

Separation of Powers theory (executive,

legislative, judicial)

Thomas Jefferson

• Principal author of the

Declaration of

Independence

• Influence heavily by Locke,

Montesquieu and other

Enlightenment thinkers

• Supporter of separation of

church and state

• Slave owner from Virginia

• Plantation home

(Monticello) on back of US

nickel.

Preamble to Declaration of

Independence

• We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The French to the Rescue

• After the defeat of the French

in the French/Indian War,

England con’t to fight France in

Europe.

• Most Indian tribes supported

the British cause and were

supplied by England to attack

colonist using guerilla warfare.

• Americans and French vs.

British and Native Americans

Benjamin Franklin

• Quaker who helped establish PA as a power-house colony

• Noted Inventor (acquired hundreds of patents)

• Kite-flying w/ the Key

• Ambassador to France. Helped organize military assistance. (Model Treaty)

Look Familiar?

• Eye of Providence

• “The eye of an all-

seeing, omnipotent

God

• Symbol of the

Freemasons in which

Franklin was a

member.

Marquis de Lafayette

• French general who

assisted America in

the Revolution

– Money, supplies,

troops, naval strength

• Served alongside

General George

Washington

• Influential in the

defeat of Cornwallis

at Yorktown

Statue of Lafayette in D.C.

George Washington

• “Father of USA”

• Gained military

experience in the

French/Indian War

• Chosen as

commander in chief

of Continental Army

by 2nd Continental

Congress.

Life as a Common Soldier

• Life was extremely rough

• Harsh winter conditions

• Very little supplies and

rations

• Army was still in infancy,

not much unity at this time

• Difficult for Washington to

combine state militias into

one unit

• At left, Washington with

troops at Valley Forge, PA

Crossing the Delaware

• Leutze, 1851. What are the historical inaccuracies in this work?

Answers

• Washington could not have stood as such because of the harsh winter conditions. He would have fallen in the river.

• The crossing occurred at night.

• Stars and Stripes Flag was not in existence at this time.

• Why do you think these anachronisms are included in the work?

Washington as a War Hero

• Surprise crossing of the Delaware at night

on Christmas Day took the British by

surprise.

• The crossing of the Delaware showed that

Washington was an able military leader

who could use strategy to successfully

defeat the British.

• Washington was then able to easily take

the British stronghold of Yorktown, all but

securing American victory.

Seige of Yorktown

• British General Cornwallis surrenders to French and American forces at Yorktown, VA October 1781.

• Fighting ended but war not officially over until Treaty of Paris in September of 1783.

A gift from France

• Statue of Liberty

• In her hand, the book is

entitled “1776” in Roman

numerals

• Broken chains remain at

her feet

• Ellis Island, New York

City; would welcome

millions of immigrants to

American shores