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Section 1
The Early Years
Opposing SidesBritish Advantages• Strongest Navy• Trained Army
• Wealth• Larger Population
British Disadvantages• Fighting long way
from home
• Have to ship soldiers and supplies
Opposing SidesAmerican Advantages
• Know the Land• Fighting for
Freedom• Gen. Washington
American Disadvantages
• No Regular Army/Navy• Rely on Volunteers
• Lack Military Experience
• Short Supply on Weapons & Ammo
• Independence Not Supported by All
Need for Troops• British rely on
Mercenaries (hired soldiers)
• Most are Hessian – German mercenaries fighting for the British.
The Fighting Begins• Battle of Long Island
– 1st Major Clash (32,000 vs. 20,000)– Serious American Defeat, Forced to
retreat to New Jersey– British use New York City as a base for
the remainder of War
Missed Opportunity• General Howe
(British Commander) lets Washington retreat
• Ignored advice of others
• Could’ve captured Army and ended war
Washington’s Tactics• Moves army into
New Jersey (supposed to stop fighting in Winter)
• Surprises British on Christmas– Captures 900
Hessians at Trenton
• Holds off British at Princeton
Importance of Trenton• Renews American Confidence/Spirit
“A few days ago the Americans had given up the cause for lost. Their late successes have turned the scale and now they are all liberty mad again.”
- British Soldier, 1776.
British Plan for Victory• Capture Albany, NY
and Hudson River• Split New England
from Middle Colonies
• Howe promises to move up from NYC
Distractions/Blunders• Howe captures Philadelphia (winters
there)• Burgoyne slowed down by 30 wagons
of luxury goods• Green Mountain Boys (Vermont Militia
group) force Burgoyne to Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga• Burgoyne surrounded• 5,700 British soldiers surrender• Important Because
– Disrupts British Plan for Victory– Encourages France to support America
Section 1
The Early Years
Section 2
The War Continues
France Joins In• Hated British to
begin with• Saratoga
convinced them Americans had a chance at winning
• Franklin persuaded them to help
Winter of 1777• Howe wintered
in Philadelphia
• Washington 20 miles west in Valley Forge
Valley Forge
• Time of Great Suffering – lack of food, clothing and shelter
• Many deserted (left without permission)
Valley Forge• Also time of
retraining and rejuvenation
• Baron Von Steuben trains Army– Practice Bayonet
• Marquis de Lafayette (French leader) joins cause
Money Problems• Continental
Congress couldn’t raise $ (no power to tax)
• Printed more money
• Led to inflation – took more and more money to buy the same amount of goods.
Section 2
The War Continues
Section 3
The War Moves West and South
War at Sea• British set up
Blockade (prevented ships from entering or leaving harbors)
• American Congress could only produce 2 ships to fight this
Citizens Respond• Privateers -
2,000 privately owned ships are outfitted with weapons and authorized to attack the blockade
John Paul Jones• Famous Naval
Officer• Attacked British
Ship and won• Famous for
saying, “I have not yet begun to fight”
British Move South• Hope to use Loyalist
support in South to their advantage
• Works well - Gen. Clinton captures Savannah and Charlestown
Setbacks• Encounter a new
style of fighting - guerilla warfare - small forces that attack in a hit and run style
• Francis Marion - famous guerilla leader, called the “Swamp Fox”
Spain Lends a Hand• Loaned Money• Opened New Orleans port• Declared war on Britain• Galvez opened the South
“The most vital aid contributed by any one man to the struggling American colonies.”• Buchanan Thomas, historian
Section 3
The War Moves West and South
Section 4
The War is Won
Lead up to Yorktown• Cornwallis
(British) had been leaving the South
• Lafayette kept him bottled up on Yorktown Peninsula
Victory at Yorktown• Washington marches his troops (in
secret) 200 miles in 15 days to reach Yorktown
• French ships also moved to surround area
• Bombard area for over a month
Surrender at Yorktown• British ran out of
supplies• Cornwallis’s army
(7,500 men) surrender on October 19, 1781
• Yorktown made the British realize the war was too costly
Independence• Ben Franklin, John Adams & John Jay
sent to Paris to make treaty with the British
Treaty of Paris - 1783• Recognized U.S. as an independent
nation• Set Boundaries (Mississippi)• Withdrew British troops• Granted Fishing Rights in Canada• Allowed British merchants to collect
debt• Said Loyalist land must be returned
Why did we win?• Geography - knew the terrain better• British couldn’t control rural areas• French & Spanish support• ***Washington didn’t need an all out
victory - he just had to avoid defeat
Big Question
Who should be given the most credit for the American victory
in the Revolution?
Section 4
The War is Won