Road to Revolution pg. 117-130
1754-1776
Leaders during the Revolution
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Can’t have a revolution without a bad guy 
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The Big Kahuna
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Sam Adams – Boston Patriot, Sons of Liberty,
Boston Tea Party, he is the one who got the
colonists “all fired up”
Benjamin Franklin – Philadelphia, PA printer,
scientist, Albany Plan, Declaration of
Independence, convinced France to help,
Constitution
King George III – King of England, tightened
control of the colonies after years of salutary
neglect
Thomas Jefferson – “Father of the Declaration
of Independence”, 3rd President, VA plantation
owner
Abigail Adams – Wife of John Adams, wanted
“women’s rights” in DOI – “Remember the
Ladies”
John Adams – cousin of Sam Adams, DOI,
leading patriot, 2nd President
Marquis de Lafayette – French Nobleman who
came and helped George Washington
Thomas Paine – Wrote famous books called
Common Sense (convinced people in the
colonies they should revolt) and American Crisis
(convinced patriots not to give up)
George Washington – VA planter, French and
Indian War officer, Commander in Chief of the
Continental Army, 1st President, “Father of Our
Country”
Causes of the American Revolution
Political
 England’s neglect – Salutary Neglect
 Taxation without Representation
 Limited Individual Rights
Economic
 Taxation
 Mercantilism
 Trade Restrictions
 Free Enterprise
The Path to Revolution
***George Washington starts the F & I War
He isn’t perfect  he makes mistakes
French and Indian War – 1754-1763
 France and Britain fighting for control of North
America
 George Washington 22 years old “accidentally”
starts the war and learns how to fight
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Franklin stole the idea from the Iroquois
France loses and gets kicked out of North
America
 Albany Plan “Join or Die!” – Ben Franklin – 1st
time someone suggests that all colonies work
together
 Treaty of 1763 – Paris
Pontiac’s Rebellion – Native Americans kept fighting
because they didn’t sign a peace treaty and besides
they could not just leave and go back home like the
French.
Britannia Rules!
Problems arise after the French and Indian War
Frontier Defense
Colonists need protection against the ANGRY Native
Americans
Proclamation LINE of 1763 – Purple line on product map
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colonists are paying for security guards that keep them
from their free land west of the Appalachian Mts.
Pontiac’s Rebellion – Native Americans kept
fighting after the F&I War
Proclamation of 1763 – to make peace with the
Native Americans, King George III said no
colonists can cross the Appalachian Mountains
– soldiers would protect frontier but it would
cost lots of $$ - American colonists thought this
was unfair – even though they would only be
paying 1/3 of the cost.
Taxes
External taxes = tax on imported goods (goods going
Into the colonies)
Internal taxes = tax on exported goods (goods leaving
The colonies)
Act or Duty (duties) = TAX
Boycott – refuse to buy from or sell to someone
Writs of Assistance – British officials can come into your
Home and search without probable cause or a warrant.
King George III needed money to pay off the F&I War
and provide protection for the colonists so…
 1764 – Sugar Act (molasses)
o “No Taxation Without
Representation!” – James Otis
 1765 – Stamp Act
o Taxed all publications and official
documents
o Sons of Liberty (Sam Adams, Paul
Revere) were a “protest group”
(Daughters of Liberty)
o Stamp Act Congress – 9 colonies agreed
to boycott all British goods.
 1765 Quartering Act – required colonists to
house and feed British soldiers, King George III
did this to save $$
 1766 – Stamp Act Repealed – Britain bows to
pressure, gets rid of Stamp Act
 1766 – Declaratory Act – Parliament can make
laws for all colonies!
 1767 – Townsend Duties – taxes on tea, lead,
paper, AND strict enforcement of Writs of
Assistance (British officials could come and
search your house any time they wanted)
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1768 – 4,000 British soldiers sent to Boston to
make sure everyone is paying their taxes
1770 – The Boston Massacre – 5 Colonists
(Crispus Attucks) were killed after throwing
bricks at British soldiers
o Paul Revere makes a propaganda
poster under direction of Sam Adams
o John Adams defends the British soldiers
in court, 2 branded on thumb
1770 – Townsend Duties repealed
1770 – 1773 a calm period as King George III did not
want to further enrage the colonists
This is another sign that the colonists are starting
To unify
Committees of Correspondence – towns and
colonies stayed connected through letter writing to plan
and act together against the tyranny of King George III
1773 – Tea Act – required colonists to buy tea from
the East India Tea Company
 Colonists did not like this even though it was
the cheapest tea available
1773 – Boston Tea Party – December 16th – 60
Bostonians (Sons of Liberty/Sam Adams) dressed as
Mohawks and destroyed 342 crates of tea
1774 – Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts) – King
George III was angry at the colonists for all the
destroyed tea, he wanted to punish them!!
 Closed Boston’s port – crippled the economy
 No self-government – put MA under military
control (General Gage)
 British Officials tried in England (where they
would get easier punishments)
 Stronger Quartering Act for all the colonies
1774 – Quebec Act
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Gave the land north of the Ohio River to
Quebec, since these colonists were behaving.
This angered MA, CT, NY, and VA. This land
belonged to them.
Enforced trial without jury in Quebec
1774 September – October, First Continental
Congress
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56 delegates from all colonies except Georgia
Met in Philadelphia, PA
Pledged to boycott British trade
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These are rights guaranteed by ENGLAND to ALL
ENGLISH CITIZENS
Don’t want to declare independence. Don’t want to
Rebel. All they want are their guaranteed rights.
Suffolk Resolves declaring the Coercive Acts
illegal, MA to form its own government and
militia
Declaration of Rights and Grievances saying
they were being bad because their Liberties as
Englishmen had been violated.
Flashback!!!
1215 Magna Carta – limited the power of the king
 No taxation without representation
 No unlawful imprisonment
 No denial or delay of justice
1265 Right to Legislative Assembly
1628 No quartering of soldiers
1689 Freedom of Petition
King George III “Blows Must Decide”
Patriot – wants independence
Loyalist – Loyal to the crown
KG III decided that the colonists must be punished, even
though Parliament was trying to make peace with the
colonials.
Fiery speech maker
Patrick Henry “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death”
Minutemen: militia men who were trained to be
Ready to fight at a minute’s notice.
This is the first battle of the American Revolution 
VA legislator who called for Liberty…Independence
Lexington and Concord “Shot Heard Around the
World” April 19, 1775
 British wanted to go to Boston countryside and
destroy rebel weapon stockpiles
 1 if by land, 2 if by sea
o Paul Revere and William Dawes ride out
to warn the rebels
o Sam Adams and John Hancock barely
escape
 70 minutemen stand up to British on the
“green” in Lexington – 8 die
 British march on to Concord, find no weapons,
and are turned back at The Old North Bridge
 British retreat turns into disaster as minutemen
fire on them the whole way back to Boston
 The British are trapped in Boston.
Battle of Bunker Hill – June 17, 1775
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Actually fought on Breed’s Hill
2,400 British attack 1,600 Americans
“Don’t fire till you see the whites of their eyes”
1,000 British killed, 500 Americans killed
British “win” when Americans run out of
ammunition
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He won’t screw up this time!
This was the last effort the colonials made for peace
With Great Britain
Meanwhile, the 2nd Continental Congress picks George
Washington as Commander in Chief of the United
Colonies (Continental Army)
 Wealthy VA plantation (slave) owner
 Surveyor
 Experience in French and Indian War
 Legislator
Olive Branch Petition, July 8, 1775
Americans sent a letter to KGIII stating they wanted to
stay loyal if their English Liberties were reinstated. KGIII
just ripped it up.
Washington arrives in Boston (July 3, 1775) to take
command
 Appalled by the discipline of the militia, he
enforces strict discipline.
 Washington strategically places his cannons on
Dorchester Heights overnight to force the
British to leave without a fight.
Common Sense January, 1776
 Thomas Paine – “Independence – It’s just
Thomas Paine writes out why the colonies should
Declare independence from Great Britain – puts it
In ‘layman’s’ terms – “common” language
common sense”
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Put into “common” language the reasons
why the colonies should break away from
England and become their own country.
This was necessary to get the common
colonial to support the revolution
“Does it make sense for an island to rule a
continent?”
2nd Continental Congress
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Colonials, in part due to “Common Sense” are
demanding independence
Richard Henry Lee from VA (VA Resolutions)
o “…these United Colonies are, and ought
to be, free and independent states”
Committee of Five
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Thomas Jefferson = “Father of the Declaration of
Independence”
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Livingston, Sherman, Jefferson, Franklin, and
John Adams
In charge of writing the Declaration of
Independence
Thomas Jefferson does most all of the work;
the other help in the editing.
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Declaration of Independence
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Break Up Letter
o 1st part – the way things SHOULD be
 “all men are created equal”
 Unalienable Rights – “Life,
Liberty, and the Pursuit of
Happiness”
nd
o 2 part – the way things ARE – 27
complaints
 “He (KGIII) has…”
rd
o 3 part – the way things WILL be
 “these United Colonies are, and
of Right should be, Free and
Independent States…”
Signed July 4, 1776 – Philadelphia, PA
56 members of 2nd Continental Congress signed
it
The starting block for our country
Abigail Adams – wife of John Adams
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“Remember the Ladies” wanted “equality” for
women
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson laughed it
off
American Revolution pg. 138-148
1776-1783
Comparison
13 United States
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2.5 million population
1/3 of colonists supported Revolution – called
Patriots (Whigs, Rebels)
Army
Fairly inexperienced militias
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Small, Full-Time Army – Continental Army
Large State Militias
8,000 French Troops after 1778
5,000 African Americans
2 Iroquois tribes
Women disguised as men
Navy
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John Paul Jones will make his mark with the
navy
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Virtually nonexistent
o 13 Frigates
o 40 merchant ships
o 2,000 privateers (legalized pirates)
French by 1781 – 350 ships
Military Leaders
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General George Washington – Commander in
Chief
General Benedict Arnold – turned traitor
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General Horatio Gates
General Nathaniel Greene
General Henry Knox
French Allies
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Lieutenant General Comte de Rochambeau
Foreign Volunteers
Lafayette helps train the Patriots
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General Marquis de Lafayette – France
General Baron Friedrich von Steuben - Prussia
Advantages
We won’t fight like the Europeans all of the time, we
will fight Native American style
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Outstanding Leadership
Strong Motivation
Fighting on Home Ground
Experienced Officers
Superiority of American Rifle
Sharp Shooters
Disadvantages
People would only volunteer for short amounts of
Time because the conditions were so bad and the
Pay was so little
Patriot’s don’t necessarily want to win the war,
They want to tire the British down so that they give up
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Inexperienced Army and Militia
Short Enlistments
Brand New Navy
Constant Shortages
Near Bankrupt Treasury
Loyalist Warfare
Goals – Preserve Continental Army/wear down the
British until they go home
Strategies – Hit and Run! Avoid battles. Just win the
Last Battle
Tactics – Guerilla (learned during the F&I War)
Great Britain
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At this point in time, they are the greatest military
Power on the planet
8 million population
1/3 of colonists remained loyal to Britain –
Loyalists (Tories, Redcoats)
Army
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50,000 regulars
30,000 German Mercenaries – Hessians
50,000 Loyalists
Some African Americans
3 Iroquois Tribes and most other tribes
Navy
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460 ships
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Military Leaders
Experienced in all things war. They’ve fought the
French and the Spanish for centuries
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General William Howe
General Henry Clinton
General Charles Cornwallis
General John “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne
Germans
German mercenaries – hired guns - were
Used by the British
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Colonel Johann Rall
Advantages
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Military Power
Superior Numbers
Indian Support
Loyalist Cooperation
Hefty War Chest
Bright Red Uniforms
Disadvantages
It’s hard to stay positive about a war when it’s
So far from home
Our territory is HUGE – and the Patriots know all of
The good hiding spots
Bright red uniforms make them easy to spot
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Weak Motivation
Non-aggressive Officers
3,000 miles from British Home Base
1,500-mile-long Enemy Coastline
Vast Land
Easy Targets
European Aid to Americans
Goals – Force Continental Army to surrender; restore
British control
Strategies – Capture seaports. Divide and Conquer 1st
New England, 2nd Middle Colonies, 3rd South
Tactics – 18th Century European War Tactics – meet in
Nice straight lines, take turns shooting and when
All else fails, fight hand to hand combat with
Swords (bayonets)
Lexington & Concord = first battle (shot heard round the
world)
Saratoga = turning point (American victory convinces
France to help them out)
open fields standing in lines, all fire at once, and
bayonet charge
Major Battles
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Lexington and Concord April 19, 1775
Bunker Hill June 17,1775
Trenton/Princeton December 26, 1776
Saratoga October 17,1777
Cowpens January 17, 1781
Yorktown October 19, 1781
Yorktown = last battle (Americans win)
Battle of Long Island
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British Victory, Washington narrowly escapes in
a fog to PA
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Gloomy Crisis
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“summer soldier and sunshine Patriot” these are
like bandwagon fans. When the going gets tough
They are the first ones to jump ship to another
Team.
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Washington needs a victory to keep his army
together
Thomas Paine – The American Crisis
o These are the times that try men’s souls
o …Summer soldier and Sunshine Patriot
Washington decides on a surprise attack in
winter on the day after Christmas in the dark
Washington Crosses the Delaware
This is a HUGE morale boost for the Patriots, it
Gets them thinking that they can actually win this
war
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Captures Trenton in a decisive victory – defeats
Hessians
Cornwallis counterattacks, but Washington
tricks him and attacks Cornwallis from the rear
and captures Princeton
Everyone’s Revolution
 Mercy Otis Warren (African American) 1st
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written account of the Revolution
Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man
and fought for 2 years
“Molly Pitcher” Molly Corbin/ Mary Hays
McCauley – brought first aid and helped fire
cannons
Phillis Wheatley – African American writer/poet
Peter Salem fought at Lexington-Concord and
killed British Major Pitcairn at Bunker Hill
John Paul Jones – America’s 1st Naval Hero
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Girls are trouble! Arnold got himself into this
Predicament because of his WIFE!
French give him a ship the Bon Homme Richard
Famous victory – Bon Homme Richard defeats
the British Serapis
John Paul Jones with his ship sinking refuses to
surrender and actually takes over the British
ship
“I have not yet begun to fight!!”
Benedict Arnold – Traitor
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Hero at Saratoga but did not receive the
recognition he deserved.
Became bitter and involved with a MUCH
younger woman who convinced him to switch
sides. Tried to give plans of West Point to the
British
Washington is enraged when he discovers
Benedict is a traitor… who can he trust?
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American Revolution pg. 149-150
1776-1783
Victory: From Saratoga to Yorktown, 1777-1783
Battle of Saratoga
This is the TURNING POINT in the war.
France gets involved after this!
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Now England has to fight two different enemies
British 3 prong attack to isolate the radical New
England Colonies
Utter failure because British Generals would not
work together…British General Howe never
even showed up!
Results: France sees that we can beat the
British and they decide to come and help in
1778
By 1779 Spain also declared war on Britain and helped
the Patriots
 Galvez attached the British in Florida and
protected our southern boundary. (Galveston,
TX named in his honor)
Valley Forge
Remember…supplies are low and it gets REALLY cold
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Very cold winter made the survival of the
Continental Army very difficult
Baron Freidrich von Steuben trained the
soldiers and formed them into professionals
Battle of Yorktown
Cornwallis’s only escape would be by sea.
The French show up with their Navy and block his exit.
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October 19,1781
George Washington’s Continental Army, along
with the French Army, trap British General
Cornwallis on a peninsula in VA.
French Navy finally shows up and traps
Cornwallis by sea… we could not have won this
without the French.
Cornwallis agrees to surrender but claims he
has a belly ache and will not formally surrender.
He sends his 2nd in command to surrender, and
tells him to surrender to the French, not the
scum bag Americans. The British try and
surrender to the French, but the French General
refuses and makes the British officer surrender
to Washington. Washington refuses and makes
the British officer surrender to Washington’s 2nd
in command. As the British march out, they
refuse to look at the Americans…until they hear
the Americans playing Yankee Doodle.
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Washington refuses to be king, but will become the first
President of the United States
Washington refuses to be the King
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Washington’s soldiers are angry about not
getting paid right away, so they want to make
Washington king.
Washington refuses, reminding his men that
they just fought a war to get rid of a king, why
would they want another king?
Treaty of Paris, 1783
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Officially ends the war
United States must restore loyalist property and
pay debts to British merchants
Great Britain gave recognition of U.S.
independence, land all the way to the
Mississippi River, and fishing rights off of
Canada
Spain gets Florida from Great Britain
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