Unit 1: Founding the New Nation
CA. 33,000 BCE – 1783 CE
• Chapter 1: New World Beginnings, 33,000 BCE-1769
• Chapter 2: The Planting of English America, 1500-1733
• Chapter 3: Settling the Northern Colonies, 1619-1700
• Chapter 4: American Life in the Seventeenth Century, 1607-1692
• Chapter 5: Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution, 1700-1775
• Chapter 6: The Duel for North America, 1608-1763
• Chapter 7: The Road to Revolution, 1763-1775
• Chapter 8: America Secedes from the Empire, 1775-1783
• Unit Exam: Take-Home Essay on American & National Identity
Chapter 8
America Secedes from the
Empire, 1775-1783
“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the
sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but
he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
Thomas Paine, December 1776
I. Congress Drafts George Washington
• The Second Continental Congress
met in Philadelphia on May 10,
1775.
• Selected George Washington to
head the army.
This did not happen. But if it had, my money
would have been on G-Dub.
II. Bunker Hill and Hessian Hirelings
• “War of Inconsistency” was fought for 14 months—
April 1775 to July 1776
• May 1775 Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold captured
garrisons at Ticonderoga and Crown Point in upper New
York
• June 1775 the colonists seized Bunker Hill (brutal battle)
• Congress’ Olive Branch Petition (June 1775):
• Claimed loyalty and asked for end to hostilities
• August 1775: George III proclaimed the colonies in
rebellion
• He then hired thousands of German troops (Hessians)
Revolution in the North, 1775–1776
III. The Abortive Conquest of Canada
• Fall, 1775: Americans invaded Canada
• Canada would add a 14th colony and deprive Britain of a
valuable base.
• Richard Montgomery (KIA) and Benedict Arnold
(Wounded) failed to conquer Canada
• Bitter fighting persisted in the colonies:
• January 1776 the British set fire to Norfolk, Va.
• March 1776 they were forced to evacuate Boston
• In the South the rebels won two victories:
• February 1776 against some 15,000 Loyalists at Moore’s
Creek Bridge North Carolina
• June 1776 against an invading fleet at Charleston
harbor.
Revolution in the North, 1775–1776
IV. Thomas Paine Preaches Common Sense
V. Paine and the Idea of “Republicanism”
• Most Americans remained loyal to GB.
• They gradually were shocked into recognizing the
necessity to separate.
• 1776 Common Sense by Thomas Paine:
• Only lawful states were those that derive “their just
powers from the consent of the governed.”
• Paine tried to convince the colonists that their true
cause was independence rather than reconciliation
with Britain.
• Paine’s ideas spread quickly.
• Republicanism & Civic Virtue
• Not all Patriots agreed with Paine’s ideas – they
favored a “natural aristrocracy.”
Thomas Paine
VI. Jefferson’s “Explanation” of Independence
• Richard Henry Lee of Virginia moved that “these United Colonies
are, and of right ought to be free and independent states.”
• The motion was adopted a month later on July 2, 1776.
• An inspirational appeal was needed:
• To enlist other British colonies in the Americas
• To invite assistance for foreign nations
• To rally resistance at home
• Congress asked Thomas Jefferson (TJ) to draft a formal statement.
• Declaration of Independence
• Formally approved by Congress on July 4, 1776
• It had universal appeal by invoking the “natural rights of humankind—
not just British rights
• He argued that the king had restricted these rights, so the colonies
were justified in cutting their ties.
• It was too late to apologize.
Thomas Jefferson – He was kind of
a big deal.
VII. Patriots and Loyalists
VIII. The Loyalist Exodus
• The American Revolution was a minority
movement.
• Loyalists—colonials loyal to the king who fought the
American rebels called “Tories” after the dominant
political factions in Britain
• Patriots—rebels who also fought the British
redcoats called “Whigs” after the opposition
factions in Britain.
• Treatment of loyalists worsened after the
Declaration.
• 80 thousand loyal supporters of King George were
driven out or fled.
• Estates of many loyalists were confiscated and sold.
• Loyalists helped served as spies, incited the Indians,
and diverted the attention of Continental Army.
IX. General Washington at Bay
• General Washington’s Forces
• British eventually evacuated Boston and
headed for New York.
• GW met the British at New York, March 1776.
• Disaster for the Americans at the Battle of Long
Island.
• Washington’s true genius was knowing when to
run.
• GB General William Howe did not speedily
crush the American forces – whoops!
• Washington stealthily re-crossed the Delaware
River at Trenton on December 26, 1776 and
surprised and captured 1,000 Hessians.
• A week later he defeated a small British force
at Princeton.
Washington Crossing the Delaware
GW, sit down! You are far too important to fall
into that frigid water!
Revolution in the North, 1775–1776
X. Burgoyne’s Blundering Invasion
• GB’s plan: capture the Hudson River valley in 1777.
• Goal: sever New England from the rest of the states
• GB General John Burgoyne would push down from Lake Champlain.
• GB General Howe’s troops would advance up the Hudson and meet
Burgoyne near Albany
• American General Benedict Arnold slowed Burgoyne down.
• GW moved his forces near Philadelphia.
• He was defeated at Brandywine Creek & Germantown.
• General Howe settled down in Philly and left Burgoyne on his own.
• Washington retired to Valley Forge, happy to leave How in Philly.
• Burgoyne was trapped with no possible advancement and was
forced to surrender his entire command at Saratoga on
October 17, 1777 – HUGE!
General Howe
Did he conquer Philly? Or
did Philly conquer him?
Revolution in the North, 1775–1776
XI. Revolution in Diplomacy?
• France’s role in the Revolution
• France hoped to regain its former position and prestige
in North America.
• Americans needed help to defeat GB.
• In the summer of 1776 the Continental Congress
drafted a Model Treaty:
• To guide the Americans in France
• “1. No political connection. . . .2. No military
connection. . . .3. Only a commercial connection.”
• Benjamin Franklin negotiated treaty in Paris.
• On February 6, 1778, France offered the Americans a
treaty of alliance.
“Benny Franks”
XII. The Colonial War Becomes a Wider War
• In 1778, the American Revolution
became a global war.
• Independence was truly possible once
France joined.
• Effects of France’s Entrance
• Ended total blockade of American coast.
• British decided to evacuate Philadelphia
and concentrate their strength in New York
City.
• GW stayed near NYC to contain the British
troops.
• Many other nations entered into a pact
of “Armed Neutrality” against GB.
XIII. Blow and Counterblow
• 1780: French army of 6000 regular troops,
under commander Rochambeau arrived in
Newport, RI.
• 1780 Benedict Arnold turned traitor.
• New British Plan: use loyalists in south to take
that region and then move north.
• Georgia overrun in 1778-1779.
• Charleston, SC fell in 1780.
• King’s Mountain & Cowpens (1781): American
victories.
• GB General Cornwallis chased American General
Greene throughout the south
Lord Cornwallis
British General
Comte de Rochambeau
French General
War in the South, 1780–1781
Was it too late for the British by this point?
XIV. The Land Frontier and the Sea Frontier
• The West
• Many natives were allied with George III.
• Americans attacked British who were trying to hold
former French forts.
• America’s Navy
• Its chief contribution was in destroying British
merchant shipping – privateering.
Joseph Brant, ally of King George
III
XV. Yorktown and the Final Curtain
• One of the darkest periods of the war was
1780-1781, before the last decisive victory.
• Continental government was bankrupt.
• Unity was ending, mutiny was on the rise.
• Cornwallis then fell into a trap.
• Cornwallis fell back to Chesapeake Bay at
Yorktown for supplies.
• GW/Rochambeau marched to Chesapeake from
NY to contain Cornwallis by land.
• French blockaded the sea.
• Completely cornered, Cornwallis surrendered
his entire force of 7000 men on October 19,
1781.
– George III planned to continue the struggle.
– Fighting continued for a year.
The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis
War in the South, 1780–1781
XVI. Peace at Paris
XVII. A New Nation Legitimized
• Aftermath of the war:
• GB had lost territory globally.
• Lord North’s Tory government collapsed
• Had supported George III completely.
• A Whig government, favorable to the
Americans, came to power.
• American peace negotiators:
• Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John
Jay
• They had specific instructions to make no
separate peace
• France wanted to benefit the most.
• John Jay secretly spoke with GB
representatives.
• London speedily came to terms with the
Americans.
• The Treaty of Paris of 1783:
• GB formally recognized the
independence of the United States.
• Granted generous boundaries:
• From the Mississippi (west) to Great Lakes
(north) Spanish Florida (south).
• Americans retained the fisheries of
Newfoundland
• American concessions:
• Loyalists were not to be further
persecuted.
• Congress was to recommend to the state
legislatures that confiscated Loyalists’
property be restored.
• Debts long owed to British creditors had
to be paid.