The War (sections 7.3, 7.4, & 7.5)

British Advantages

-Better trained

-More $$$$

-Most powerful navy in the world

British Disadvantages

-British facing hostile citizens

-Long way from home (shipping goods)

-Hired mercenaries

Colonial Advantages-Fighting for a cause-Own territory

Colonial Disadvantages-No Navy-No trained militia

Sources of help– Both sides sought help from others

• Colonists– Used volunteers

» Most not well trained– Should Washington use Slaves?

» While some were already fighting, southern colonies opposed the use of slaves

» Washington prohibited slaves from serving which caused the British to issue Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation (issued freedom to slave who fought for British) Washington soon changed policy and allowed freed slaves to enlist

– Role of women?» Ran farms and businesses» Nurses, spies and messengers

• British– Got help from Indians (colonists urged Indians to remain

neutral)– Use of mercenaries

– Fighting Strategy• Colonists mostly fought a defensive strategy

– (Sept – Jan 1775) Tried to invade Canada (Montgomery and Arnold)

» Driven back (loss)– (June 1776) Tried to save New York (Washington)

» British (Howe) took it (another American loss)

– The Colonists do win some battles• Due to Gen. Howe allowing his troops to rest over

the Christmas and New Years, Americans strike back and win a few battles

– Trenton (Washington crossing the Delaware)» Took Hessian troops by surprise on Christmas Night

– Princeton » While leaving campfires burning, Washington and

troops circled around British troops and attacked from the rear

• Morale of this story – When you have the military advantage keep going! This cost the British. It will also cost many Union commanders in the Civil War.

• New British strategy (1777)– In response to defeat at Trenton and

Princeton• Wanted to cut off New England from the rest of the

colonies– Gen. Burgoyne’s troops to march south and take Ft.

Ticonderoga– Gen. Howe’s troops to march north out of New York– A force to march east from Lake Ontario

» All to Meet at Albany– Upon hearing that Ft. Ticonderoga was captured, Howe

changed direction and went towards Philadelphia» Met American army at Brandywine and defeated

them (allowed them to retreat)» Meanwhile Burgoyne’s troops defeated at Saratoga

• The victory at Saratoga brought foreign help into the war– France (alliance made May 1778)

• Marquis de Lafayette– Very passionate about American cause

– Spain allied with France in 1779• Mostly in the west

– Others• Thaddeus Kosciusko & Casimir Pulaski (Poland)

– Engineering and military know how

• Baron Friedrich von Steuben (Prussian)– Helped train troops (Valley Forge) and complete a

military turnaround

• Navy– Led by John Paul Jones (a Scotsman)

• Captured many British supply ships• Ship was called Bonhomme Richard (Gentleman

Richard)• Said “I have not yet begun to fight” when asked to

surrender during a battle with the British (Jones won)

• War in the West• Led by George Rogers Clark

– Organized men; took trading villages of Kaskaskia and Cahokia and eventually Vincennes (twice)

» Weakened British influence in west and with Indians

• War in the South– After the loss at Saratoga, British went south

to fight• Hoped to get slaves

– Won at Charleston, Camden, etc– British destroyed the southern American Army

• American switched to guerrilla warfare– Led by Francis Marion (The Swamp Fox)

• Victory at Yorktown (1781)– British forces in Yorktown,VA

• Was to attack Lafayette’s troops• Washington and forces of Comte de Rochambeau

moved south to join Lafayette

• American army surrounded the British army (16,000 – 8,000)

• Laid siege for weeks. French fleet prevented British ships from reinforcing Gen. Cornwallis. Eventually Gen. Cornwallis surrendered

• Treaty of Paris (1783)– Peace negotiations headed by John Jay, John

Adams, Henry Laurens, and Ben Franklin• British recognition of United States• Laid out the new borders

– Great Lakes (north), Mississippi (west), 31 degree N. latitude