A War for Independence

A WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE

Chris AndersonRandolph-Henry High School

1775: near Boston, anger and hostilities break

out between the colonists and the British the Bostonians were angered by the British

govnt. Port of Boston remained closed British “red-coats” flooded the city the Bostonians began spreading may rumors

about these soldiers

Parliament new that tensions were

increasing in Boston and vowed to keep order in the city

Parliament orders the governor of Massachusetts--General Thomas Gage--to seize and guard the colonial military supplies in Concord, Massachusetts

General Thomas Gage

April 19, 1775: Gage sends 700 British troops to Concord, Mass. To collect and destroy the colonial weaponsConcord was about 18 miles from Boston2 Colonists learn of Gage’s plan--Paul Revere &

William Dawesthese two men ward the colonial soldiers of Gage’s

planfor the British soldiers to reach Concord, they had

to 1st pass through a small town--Lexingtonwhen the British reach Lexington, they are met by a

group of colonial farmers and villages wielding weapons

these villagers were blocking the road to Concord

These colonists refused to let the British soldiers pass

eventually a shot was fired--no one knows from which side

the British killed 8 colonists and were able to defend themselves from other colonial attacks

the British troops turned around and marched back to Boston

while retreating, the British were constantly being ambushed by the colonists

in the end--300 British troops were killed; only 100 colonists had been killed

the British were surprised by the colonists’ skills and were embarrassed by the British failure

Battles of Lexington and Concord

Moving Toward Separation The rest of the colonies quickly heard about

the Massachusetts quarrel and colonial victory

May 1775: the Second Continental Congress met, again, in Philadelphiathis Second Continental Congress organized a

colonial army and elected George Washington as the commander

Second Continental Congress

George Washington

many colonies still did not believe that going to war with Britain would solve any problemsthe Second Cont. Cong. Attempted to find a peaceful

solution with Britainthe peaceful proposition has been called the Olive

Branch Petitionthe Olive Branch Petition was sent straight to King

George IIIBritain refused the petition--a peaceful solution was,

thus, unattainablemost colonist saw independence as the only solution

Olive Branch Petition

Thomas Paine One of the most verbal individuals in favor of

independence from Britain was Thomas PainePaine had only been in the colonies for a short

periodJanuary 1776: Paine writes a pamphlet called

Common Sensethis pamphlet urged the colonists to break from

Britain and become totally independentmany colonists read his pamphlet

Thomas Paine

Many colonials began asking for a declaration of independence after reading Paine’s work and a declaration of Independence will be authored

the main author of the colonial Declaration of Independence was Thomas Jefferson the colonial Declaration gave reasons by the colonies wanted

to bread from GBJefferson used many ideas from John Locke the Declaration stated that all individuals have certain rights

that no government should take away it also urged for a contract to be created between the

colonists and the government the document also listed many of GB’s wrong doings last line of Dec. of Ind.: “these United colonies are and of

Right ought to be Free and Independent States.”

Thomas Jefferson

July 4, 1776: the Second

Continental Congress adopted the Declaration Of

Independence

War for Independence Once the Declaration of Independence was

signed, war was certain by signing the Dec. of Ind., the colonists were

declaring war on GB the colonists who headed the revolution knew

that losing the war would mean the loss of their life

the very early battles of the American Revolution occurred in New York and New Jersey

Great Britain wanted to control the Middle

Colonies if they could control the Middle Colonies,

then they could separate the Southern Colonies from the New England Colonies

by separating the colonies, GB believed they would have an easier fight

British Forces Great Britain had one of the most powerful

forces in the worldGB had well trained and disciplined soldiersGB also had a very good navy--the most powerful

navy in the world GB also hired German mercenaries to fight

against the colonists

Colonial Forces The colonists were not as prepared for war

as the Britishsoldiers were not well trainedno colonial navynot enough food, money, or weaponsno uniforms for the soldiers and officers

it would seem that the colonists would not have a chance, but they made the best of what they had

General George Washington was a good

and experienced leader the colonial forces also received help from

the French--the French wanted to retaliate against the British over the French losses incurred in the French and Indian Warthe French will give the colonists much

needed weaponry and ammunition

The Fighting In the very beginning, the British won many

battles against the inexperienced colonists slowly, the colonists began to strike their

own victoriesthe colonists used ambush tactics to surprise

the “red-coats”the British were at a disadvantage because they

had to wait months for supplies to come from overseas

October 1777: the colonials get a major victory at Saratoga, New Yorkthe colonists will make 6,000 British soldiers

surrender this victory showed the French that the

colonists did have a chance against the British

the French will formally enter the war on the side of the American Coloniststhe colonials now had enough troops and supplies

to drive the British out

1779: the colonists get more help from

another European nation--Spain Spain will declare war on Great Britain both Spain and France will used their

navies to help the colonists 1780: the Netherlands also join in and

declare war against Great Britain

October 1781: the American Colonists

were finally able to defeat the British the British surrendered to Washington the war was now over the colonists now had the problem of

creating a new government

British surrender @ Yorktown

Creating a new Govnt. 1783: the British finally admit defeat and recognize their

former colonies as an independent nation--the United States of America

the colonists now had to create a government for their new nation the Americans wanted a government that would unite the separate

states and one that would not be too centralized no one wanted an all powerful central government

the 1st U. S. government was a confederation--a league of independent states

this new government was set up under the Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation The government under the Articles of

Confederation was very weaknational government could not collect taxescould not force the states to pay national debtscould not raise armiescould not regulate states’ economies

○ different states could compete with one another○ states began arguing with one another over trade

a new type of government needed to be created

A stronger central government would be needed to totally unite the different states

1787: a convention was called to make some changes to the Articles of Confederation

eventually, the Articles were thrown away and a new constitution was written

1788: the U. S. Constitution was ratified 1789: the U. S. Constitution was put into

action

U. S. Constitution The constitution created a federal system--

power shared by a central government and the states governments

central government was divided into 3 branches--executive, legislative, and judicial--and a system of checks and balances was established

the new constitution turned the U. S. into a republic

1789: elections were held and George Washington was elected the 1st President under this new constitution

Congress soon developed a Bill of Rights and added these rights to the constitutionfreedom of religionfreedom of speechtrial by juryprotected individual states’ rights