War and Independence Notes
April 1775 Lexington and Concord- The British were sent to capture rebel
weapons and their leaders. "the shot heard 'round the world" was the start of the
Revolution. At the North Bridge the minutemen were waiting and the British took
heavy loses. As the British worked their way back to Boston the Patriots shot at
them and the Brits lost 73 men and more were wounded.
Even though the Americans lost at Bunker Hill it taught the British the war was
going to be harder than they thought.
The 2nd Continental Congress allowed the printing of money, and set up a post
office with Ben Franklin as the head of it. It also created the Continental Army.
Washington was made top commander.
Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense (to break away from Britain).
Thomas Jefferson was asked to write the Declaration of Independence. He
borrowed ideas from John Locke. It states that government gets its power from
the people. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. John
Hancock signed it first and large so the King could easily read it.
The D. of I. has 4 parts:
1 the Preamble - the introduction. It explains why they are calling for
independence.
2 Natural Rights - it lists the rights of citizens.
3 List of Grievances - it's a list of complaints against the British government and
King George.
4 Resolution of Independence - It announces that the United States is now its own
country.
Unalienable Rights- rights that can't be taken away from you like: Life, Liberty,
and the Pursuit of Happiness.
Benjamin Franklin had been in France for a year trying to get French support for the U.S. The
French had secretly given the Americans money.
The victory at Saratoga was a turning point in the American Revolution. France and other
nations now realized that the Americans might actually win their war against Great Britain.
France declared war on Britain and sent money, equipment, and troops to help.
Spain also decided to help the Americans. Spanish forces fought the British along the Gulf
Coast. Having the French and Spanish join the fight against the British made it harder for the
British to win. Bernardo de Galvez gave ammunition and supplies to the Americans.
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania- Washington's winter camp. The troops suffered through a terrible
winter. They lacked decent food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. Washington's greatest
challenge was keeping the army together. Martha Washington helped to make clothes for the
troops and cared for the sick. Many soldiers became sick and died. Some deserted, or left
without permission.
Marquis de Lafayette was a French nobleman aged 19 when he offered his men and services to
George Washington. Baron Von Steuben was from Prussia. He helped train Washington's men
at Valley Forge.
Women help take over work at home and on the farms when their husbands went off to war.
Haym Salomon lent the new government money for the war effort.
War at Sea: Most of the American Navy was made up of privateers, privately owned merchant
ships outfitted with weapons. They tried to capture enemy ships and their cargos.
John Paul Jones was a great hero sea captain who won a battle off the coast of England. His
smaller ship, the Bonhomme Richard attacked the bigger British warship, the Serapis. The
British captain asked him if he wanted to surrender. Jones answered, "I have not yet begun to
fight." At the end of the battle the Patriots won.
The hit and run tactics of the Patriots caught the British off guard.
The siege of (1781)Yorktown, Virginia: General Washington with Lafayette and Rochambeau
surrounded the British with the French fleet blocking them from the sea. Look at the map on
page 216. The Patriots won the battle. The French played the song, "Yankee Doodle." Yorktown
is the last major battle of the war. It convinced the British that the war was too costly to
continue.
The Treaty of Paris 1783 ends the war with Britain recognizing the United States as its own
country.