The American Revolution
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Causes:​ Americans argue that England is not protecting their rights (ie: taxation without representation)
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Following the passage of the I​ntolerable Acts​ the ​Patriots​ hold the ​First Continental Congress​: representatives of
the 13 colonies agree to increase​ boycotts​ and start training ​militias​ (volunteer armies) made up of ​minutemen
(volunteer soldiers who had to be read at a minutes notice to go fight)
Strengths of Patriots in war:
+ Good leader
+ Know the land
+ Desire to fight
Weaknesses of Patriots in war:
- Few supplies
- Little training and experience
- No money
- New government
- Smaller population
- No navy
- Many Loyalists
Strengths of British in war:
+ Well trained and experienced
+ Many supplies
+ Large population
+ Powerful navy
Weaknesses of British in war:
- Fighting on unfamiliar land
- Far from supplies
- Not as much desire to fight
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Battle of Lexington and Concord​: British troops go to find weapons colonists are hiding in a town outside Boston,
along they way they encounter groups of Patriot militia men and there are small battles
- “Shot heard ‘round the world” - marks the start of the war
- Following Lexington and Concord the ​Second Continental Congress​ writes the ​Olive Branch Petition
asking for peace - King George ignores it and declares war
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Bunker Hill​: First major battle of the American Revolution, British win but each side gains respect for the other
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Although the war has begun, the Americans still do not have a clear goal.
- Thomas
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Paine writes ​Common Sense to convince Americans to fight for independence
- Americans listen to Paine and Second Continental Congress votes unanimously to declare independence
- Thomas Jefferson writes the ​Declaration of Independence​ to tell England and the world why the
Americans are fighting for independence
- He is inspired by many things:
- Democracies of Ancient Greece and Rome
- Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke
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Declaration of Independence:
- 1. Preamble (introduction): Here is why wish to have our independence…
- 2. ​Natural Rights:​ Jefferson borrows this idea from John Locke. Natural rights are rights ALL
people have from birth, they are inalienable/unalienable and can’t be taken away.
- According to Locke and Jefferson:
The PURPOSE of government is to protect people’s natural rights
- PEOPLE give the government it’s power
- When a government DOES NOT protect rights the PEOPLE have the right to
revolution
- 3. ​British Wrongs​: list of all the ways the King and Parliament had not protected the rights of the
colonists
- 4. ​Independence:​ colonists say they are now an independent country called the USA
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Sign Declaration on July 4, 1776 but war will last for many more years
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Battle of Long Island​: One of largest battles of war, Patriots lose but Washington and his troops manage to escape
- probably because Howe brothers went easy on them.
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Battle of Saratoga:​ ​Turning point in the war ​- When the Patriots win this battle it convinces the French to ally
with them. The French will send leaders, soldiers, and their navy to help the colonists win the war.
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Valley Forge​:​ ​Valley Forge, 25 miles west of Philadelphia, was the campground of 11,000 troops of George
Washington's Continental Army from Dec. 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. Because of the suffering endured there by
the hungry, poorly clothed, and badly housed troops, 2,500 of whom died during the harsh winter, Valley Forge
came to symbolize the heroism of the American revolutionaries.
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Yorktown​: Patriots along with French Navy successfully surround British troops on Yorktown Peninsula, use a
siege tactic​ (surrounding an enemy position and not letting anything in or out until they give up) to force surrender
ending the American Revolution.
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Treaty of Paris (1783)​ ended the war:
- England will recognize the United States as an independent nation
- The US will extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and north to the Great Lakes
- The southern border stops at Florida, which is returned to Spain
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Role of Native Americans in the war:​ Both the British and Americans will seek help of the different Native
American groups. Some groups ally with the British because they believe the British will protect Indian land from
settlement. Other groups ally with the Americas. They served as scouts and spies and some even enlisted in the
army. Despite allying on both sides the Indians are completely left out of the Treaty of Paris and will continue to
lose land to the Americans as time goes on.