CHAPTER 8 AMERICA SECEDES FROM THE EMPIRE. LOYALISTS AND OTHER BRITISH SYMPATHIZERS Early 1776, most still favor reconciliation with England Approx 20%

C H A P T E R 8

AMERICA SECEDES FROM THE EMPIRE

LOYALISTS AND OTHER BRITISH SYMPATHIZERS

• Early 1776, most still favor reconciliation with England• Approx 20% actively opposed revolution

• “Loyalists”/“Tories” (for Parliamentary majority party) • For independence - “Whigs”, (minority party in

Parliament, whose support they consistently overestimated) • Remained loyal to Crown, while many disagreed with Royal

policies• Fewest where Whig gentry had convinced masses revolution was

necessary (New England, VA, Carolinas)

• Most recent English immigrants had settled, or moneyed classes had most to lose and hesitated to choose sides (New York, New Jersey, Georgia (est. 1739!), western Carolinas (high recent Scots-Irish population, 25-40% loyalist)

LOYALISTS AND SYMPATHIZERS

• Canadian Catholics also Loyalist (Quebec Act gave religious toleration, feared loss if absorbed into a Protestant America) • Early attack on Quebec failed,

(polarized Canadians even more),

• Nova Scotia, Floridas (Spanish) left alone throughout war.

• Non-whites• British offered freedom to

slaves aiding British (Lord Dunsmore in VA started it)

• 20,000 ran away, joined British during war

• Most Native Americans favored British, some openly led against colonists

BRITAIN

• Major advantages• 11 million population opposed to

2.5 million colonists (1/3 slaves or loyalists)

• World’s largest Navy, professional Army

• Liabilities• Still had to recruit from Loyalists

and/or hire mercenaries• Long supply line, ridiculously

expensive • Ships not in good repair (many

waiting repair due since Seven Years’ War) after 1763

• Vulnerable to American privateers, converted from American merchant marine

• Secure in cities, but countryside was Patriot territory, supplies dangerous to get for British

• Need to import food, other supplies took Navy from its principal purpose

• Debt very hard to sell at home (Britain)

THE UNITED STATES

• Liabilities• 20% openly Loyalist• Poorly trained Army, no

professional soldiers• Money in Short supply, foreign

loans hard to get (Need to fight guerrilla war seen by other European nations as weakness)

• All “European style” battles resulted in defeat for Continental Army

• Advantages• George Washington• Dignified, impressive (6‘3" half

foot taller than most contemporaries)

• Experienced in French and Indian War

• Inspired confidence, understood colonial soldiers (most volunteers, not professionals like British)

EARLY FIGHTING – THE SIEGE OF BOSTON

• British forced to evacuate Boston to Nova Scotia (courtesy of Henry Knox)

• Early losses• Move 32,000 troops from

Nova Scotia to New York • Defeat Washington’s army

at Long island • Washington leads masterful

night withdrawal• Saves most of Army, artillery

• Washington finally driven into PA by Dec. 1776

• Fewer than 7,000 troops left

EARLY FIGHTING – MORALE BUILDERS

• Trenton• Washington crosses Delaware,

Christmas, 1776• Overwhelms Hessian garrison,

captured over 900, lost 4

• Princeton• Does it again, Jan 3, 1777• Killed/captured 1/3 of Brits with only 40

casualties

• Neither was major victory, but huge morale boost for miserable army

• Caused British to evacuate New Jersey, as many loyalists fled to New York, and “fence sitters” leaned to patriots, local militias gained confidence

• Marquis de Lafayette joins Washington’s staff

• Led some to believe Louis XVI might support American cause

• Needed major win to convince him

JEAN-BAPTISTE DONATIEN DE VIMEUR, COMTE DE

ROCHAMBEAU (1725-1807)

• As a lieutenant general, Comte de Rochambeau commanded the French expeditionary army sent to help the American Revolution during 1780 to 1782. His skillful leadership and professional wisdom were vital to the American-French allied victory at Yorktown in September 1781.

MARIE JEAN PAUL JOSEPH ROCHE YVES GILBERT DU MOTIER, MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE

• French soldier, statesman, and liberal leader, who was a general in the American Revolutionary army and a close friend of George Washington, was made an honorary Doctor of Laws by the Trustees of the College of Princeton in 1790 in recognition of his contribution to the American cause of independence.

THE TURNING POINT – BATTLE OF SARATOGA

• The British plan• (Brit General) Barry St Leger would

cut across New York from west• (Brit General) John Burgoyne come

South down Lake Champlain, link near Albany, NY with St Leger from the west. Isolate new England from rest of colonies

• Howe to remain in NYC, available to help them if attack failed

• Howe’s blunder (British leader North America)• Decides to move south to

Philadelphia, press Washington’s Army

• Wanted to take capitol (it was Philadelphia), build Loyalist support in middle colonies

• Left only small force under Clinton in NYC

THE RESULT OF SARATOGA

• St. Leger delayed in West, retreated back to Canada• Burgoyne, short of supplies, besieged by

(American) General Horatio Gates near Saratoga, NY • No help available from either Howe (in Philly) of St Leger

(back in Canada) • Outnumbered 17,000 to 5800, Burgoyne surrenders October

1777

• Franklin, now US ambassador to France, convinces French King that Saratoga victory means Colonies can win• Feb., 1778 France officially recognized the USA – declare

war and Britain and Spain will follow suit• Fr. & Sp. Join in the war (LA, FL, Caribbean)

• Howe is relived by General Clinton

VALLEY FORGE

• Howe enters Philadelphia, beats badly trained and prepared continental Army at Brandywine and again at Germantown• Still not trained as well as British• Always lost when numbers were

equal

• Continental morale worsens during miserable winter at Valley Forge

• Paine’s “The Crisis” widely circulated bucks up morale somewhat

• Baron Von Stueben arrived, took over training, whipped Continental Army into shape• After Valley Forge, Continental

Army (not militias!!) was equal or superior to British regulars

WAR OF ATTRITION

• A process of wearing away or wearing down by constant pressure

• British war weary after 1778• British army is desperate for

soldiers• Recruited many Irish Catholics• Resulted in Protestant violence

• Attrition weakened American forces and undermined economy• Continental dollar collapses• “Not worth a continental”

• Continental soldiers left unpaid, ill-clothed, poorly fed, and mutinous

THE SOUTH

• Impact of French and Spanish entry into the war• Need for Naval bases closer to Caribbean

• Plan to take key Southern ports (Savannah, Charleston) tap into loyalist support• Mobilize combined loyalist and British

regular forces to move Northward, pacify regions as they went

• The result• Brits under Clinton take Charleston,

1780• Clinton return to NYC, leaves Cornwallis

to sweep North, mop up as he moves

• Problems• Fewer loyalists than expected

• Perhaps result of Cherokee supporting British/British offer to free slaves who fought with them?

• Tories in South had made many enemies among Fence sitters, outright Whigs

THE TREATY OF PARIS

• Overspent, overtaxed and tired of war, Britain begins peace talks• Recognized American independence• Awarded all lands East of the Mississippi to

Americans (which of course totally ignores Native American rights in the area)• East and West FL back to Spain (separate

treaty)• Prewar debts still valid• Congress must urge states to restore

confiscated loyalist property

REVOLUTIONARY SOCIETY

• Erosion of class distinction • Became more egalitarian• Dealing with militia, different• Rise through merit in the Army• African Americans• Some State militias recruited black soldiers• Revolutionary era saw most Northern states end slavery

• Few rights for freedmen, North or South• Lower wages , same work• social discrimination, still property qualification to vote

(discriminated against poor whites too)

• Self help• Religious groups, break away• separate Baptist and Methodist congregations• African Methodist Episcopal Church est. Philadelphia, 1816• principal sources of aid post war

THE FIRST EMANCIPATION

• Revolutionary Era: freedom for many slaves

• Some freed because of Revolutionary War

• Courts say Massachusetts and New Hampshire slaves can walk away to freedom

• Pennsylvania 1780: first gradual emancipation statute, model for slave emancipation in North

• Manumission of slaves allowed in Virginia and Maryland

• Slaves were essential to plantation economy and a valuable asset in the South

WOMEN

• Revolution had no largely significant effect on women’s “role” or “place” as defined by males• Some changes• More chose own husband• Lower birth rate• More debate on sexual

roles, equality• “Republican Motherhood”• duty to raise children in

values of liberty, independence

• more private school for girls, advanced education