THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION
1775 - 1783
VS

SSUSH4 The student will identify the ideological, military, and diplomatic
aspects of the American Revolution.

a. Explain the language, organization, and intellectual sources of the
Declaration of Independence; include the writing of John Locke and
the role of Thomas Jefferson.

b. Explain the reason for and significance of the French alliance and
foreign assistance and the roles of Benjamin Franklin and the Marquis
de Lafayette.

c. Analyze George Washington as a military leader; include the
creation of a professional military and the life of a common soldier,
and describe the significance of the crossing of the Delaware River
and Valley Forge.
1775-1776: Where We’ve Been

April 1775: Battle of Lexington and
Concord

“Shot Heard ‘Round the World”
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June 1775: George Washington
appointed Commander-in-Chief of
Continental Army
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June 1775: Battle of Bunker Hill
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July 1775: Olive Branch Petition


King George III officially recognizes
the American Colonies in rebellion
American Colonists make one last
attempt at peace with Britain (it is
rejected)
January 1776: Thomas Paine
published Common Sense

Stirred the ideas of rebellion and
revolution in America against Britain
July 4, 1776: The Declaration of
Independence


2nd Continental Congress debates independence

Many thought peace could still be achieved with Britain

56 men – including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel
Adams, Ben Franklin, John Hancock (George Washington not
present)
Congress adopts Declaration of Independence on July 4

Once adopted the Founders had committed treason (punished
by execution)

Primary author – Thomas Jefferson (with help from Ben Franklin,
John Adams, Roger Sherman, Dr. Robert Livingston)

Jefferson drew largely one the influences and writings of British
political philosopher John Locke


Two Treatises of Government –
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Argued against the “divinity” of kings
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Argued for 3 unalienable rights: Life, Liberty, and Property
FYI: Georgia signers were Lyman Hall (Hall County), George
Walton (Walton County), and Button Gwinnett (Gwinnett
County)
The British take New York

After the Battle of Bunker Hill King George
III sends 32,000 British and Hessian troops to
invade New York



Hessians – German mercenaries hired by the
British to fight the Americans; greatly feared
by Americans for their brutality
Battle of New York:

New York is the financial capital of
American Colonies

Continental Army soundly defeated and go
into full retreat
Retreat through New York and New Jersey

British Army pushes Continentals out of New
York and New Jersey

The American Revolution hangs by a thread

The Continental Army retreats across the
Delaware River into Pennsylvania
The Battle of Trenton: Washington’s
1st Victory

GEN Washington plans a surprise
attack on Trenton, New Jersey

Garrison of 1,200 well-supplied
Hessians stationed (food, weapons,
clothing, ammunition, cannons,
horses, etc.)

The Continental Army crosses the
Delaware River on December 25,
1776 and marches on Trenton

The crossing of the Delaware saves
the Continental Army

The victory inspires Washington’s
soldiers to reenlist thereby saving
his army

Soon after Trenton the Continental
Army also captured a British
garrison at Princeton, New Jersey
The British take Philadelphia
Continentals encamp at Valley Forge

In retaliation for the defeats at Trenton and
Princeton, British General William Howe decides to
attack the colonial capital of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania

British defeat Continentals at Battle of Brandywine
and capture Philadelphia

Washington moves his army to Valley Forge to keep
watch on the British
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While the British Army enjoys the luxuries of
Philadelphia, the Continentals struggle to survive at
Valley Forge
Washington brings in foreign assistance to aid
Continental Army
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Marquis de Lafayette – French soldier who
volunteered to help Continental. His assistance
helped secure French support for Continentals

Baron von Steuben – Prussian soldier hired to train
the Continental Army. His training taught the
Continentals how to fight and win like the British
Although extremely harsh, the winter at Valley Forge
created the Continental Army and made them a
force to be reckoned with
Lafayette
Washington
Steuben
Battle of Saratoga: The Turning Point

Burgoyne
Gates
The British planned a three prong attack to
end the rebellion in America

The British Navy had blockaded Colonial ports

British General Howe had taken Philadelphia

Now the British planned to divide and conquer the colonies

British General John Burgoyne would invade
from Canada and cut off the New England
colonies from the rest
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October 1777: Burgoyne’s Army encounters
and is defeated by a Continental Army
under Generals Horatio Gates and Benedict
Arnold at the Battle of Saratoga
Arnold

The Battle of Saratoga is regarded at the
turning point in the American Revolution

The Continental victory at Saratoga also
secured an alliance between America and
France (with the help of Lafayette and Ben
Franklin)
The British Target the South
Cornwallis

Lincoln
After the defeat at Saratoga Britain
changes its focus to the Southern
colonies

In theory the South has a much larger
Loyalist population

December 1778: British General Campbell
captures Savannah, Georgia
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May 1780: British General Cornwallis
captures Charleston, South Carolina

Continental General Benjamin Lincoln
formally surrenders the city to the British

British Southern Strategy seems to be
working

Cornwallis is given command of the British
Southern Campaign and begins to
reconquer the Southern Colonies
Charleston State House, where the surrender was signed
The End Game

After several British victories in the South the tide
turned

Under Generals Nathanael Greene and Daniel
Morgan the Continental Army began winning
major victories in the Southern Campaign
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Battle of Cowpens
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Battle of King’s Mountain
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British General Cornwallis retreats to Yorktown,
Virginia to await supplies
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October 1781: Battle of Yorktown
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Washington’s Army, now supported by a large
French Army under the Comte de Rochambeau,
joins the Continental Army in South that surrounds
Cornwallis at Yorktown forced to surrender

Final major battle of the Revolution

Legend says that during the surrender ceremony
the British band began playing “The World Turned
Upside Down”

Washington
Rochambeau
Cornwallis
Popular drinking song which talks about the world
being backwards and things not being right
A New Treaty of Paris

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After the defeat and surrender at Yorktown
British and American diplomats meet in Paris
to discuss the terms of American victory

American delegation consisted of Ben
Franklin, John Jay, John Adams, & Henry
Laurens

British delegation consisted of David Hartley
and Richard Oswald
1783 Treaty of Paris:

Officially ends the American Revolution

American Colonies gain independence
Key terms of the treaty

Great Britain must recognize the United States
as a sovereign nation

Establishment of borders between U.S. and
British claims in North America (like Canada)
NORTH AMERICA AFTER THE
1783 TREATY OF PARIS
AFTER THE 1783 TREATY OF PARIS THE UNITED STATES CLAIMED LAND
THAT HAD BEEN UNDER BRITISH CONTROL PREVIOUSLY
The Young United States

After the American Revolution the United
States established itself as a
confederation.


Confederation – a loose union between states
where each state is sovereign and overrules the
established Federal government
The Founders drafted the Articles of
Confederation as the first governing
document of the United States
TOD:
In ONE SENTENCE EACH, explain the significance of SIX of
the following to the American Revolution:

George III

William Howe

Thomas Paine
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Marquis de Lafayette
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Thomas Jefferson

Baron von Steuben
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Samuel Adams
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Lord Charles Cornwallis
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Benjamin Franklin

Comte de Rochambeau
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Hessians
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George Washington