The American Revolution: 1775-1783

Mr. PagliaroMr. Pagliaro

Seymour High SchoolSeymour High School

BritainBritain AmericansAmericans

AdvantagesAdvantages ?? ??

DisadvantagesDisadvantages ?? ??

On the Eve of the On the Eve of the Revolution ?Revolution ?

LoyalistLoyalist

StrongholdsStrongholds

Washington’s Military HeadachesWashington’s Military Headaches

1/3 colonists favored independence

Colony/state loyalties

CC couldn’t tax

No $ for Continental Army

Poor training

Baron von Steuben

Exports & Imports: 1768-1783Exports & Imports: 1768-1783

Military StrategiesMilitary Strategies

Attrition [the Brits had a long supply line].

Guerilla tactics [wear the British down]

Ally with one of Britain’s enemies.

The Americans The British

Break the colonies into North & South

Blockade

“Divide and Conquer” use the Loyalists.

Bunker (Breeds) Hill (June, 1775)Bunker (Breeds) Hill (June, 1775)

The British suffered over 40% casualties-1000 B, 311 C deathsdeadliest battle

Phase IPhase I:: The Northern CampaignThe Northern Campaign[1775-1776][1775-1776]

Battle of QuebecBattle of QuebecDateDate December 31, 1775December 31, 1775LocationLocation Quebec CityQuebec City

ResultResult Decisive British victoryDecisive British victory

BelligerentsBelligerents  United ColoniesUnited Colonies1st Canadian Regiment1st Canadian Regiment

  Great BritainGreat BritainCanadian militiaCanadian militia

Commanders and leadersCommanders and leadersRichard Montgomery Richard Montgomery Benedict ArnoldBenedict ArnoldDaniel Morgan Daniel Morgan 

Guy CarletonGuy CarletonAllen MacleanAllen Maclean

StrengthStrength

900 regulars900 regulars300 militia300 militia

1,800 regulars and 1,800 regulars and militiamilitia

Casualties and lossesCasualties and lossesabout 50 killedabout 50 killed34 wounded34 wounded431 captured431 captured

5 killed5 killed14 wounded14 wounded

Phase IIPhase II::

NY NJ PANY NJ PA[1776-1778][1776-1778]

““These are the times that try men’s These are the times that try men’s souls.”souls.”

T. Payne, T. Payne, The American CrisisThe American Crisis

• Aug. 1776-Howes to NYAug. 1776-Howes to NY– 32,000 Redcoats, 10,000 Hessians32,000 Redcoats, 10,000 Hessians

•Amnesty offer: 3,000 acceptAmnesty offer: 3,000 accept

– C.A. = 23,000 untrained C.A. = 23,000 untrained volunteersvolunteers•Post-Battle of NY & Long Island-8,000 Post-Battle of NY & Long Island-8,000

remainremain– Retreat/Regroup in NJRetreat/Regroup in NJ

» Dec. 31, enlistments endDec. 31, enlistments end

Battle of Long Island (Brooklyin)Battle of Long Island (Brooklyin)

DateDate August 27, 1776August 27, 1776LocationLocation Kings County, Long Kings County, Long

Island, New YorkIsland, New York

ResultResult Decisive British victoryDecisive British victory

BelligerentsBelligerents  United StatesUnited States Great BritainGreat Britain

Hesse-KasselHesse-Kassel  

Commanders and leadersCommanders and leaders  George WashingtonGeorge Washington Israel Putnam Israel Putnam William Alexander William Alexander

  William Howe,William Howe, Charles Cornwallis, Charles Cornwallis, Henry Clinton Henry Clinton

StrengthStrength10,00010,000 20,00020,000

Casualties and lossesCasualties and losses300 killed300 killedunknown woundedunknown wounded1,000 captured1,000 captured

64 killed64 killed293 wounded293 wounded31 missing31 missing

I regret that I have but one life to give for my country…

In 1778, Robert Sheffield of Stonington, Connecticut-July 10, 1778-1 of 350 prisoners"The heat was so intense that (the hot sun shining all day on deck) they were all naked…served …to get rid of vermin, but the sick were eaten up alive. Their sickly countenances, and ghastly looks were truly horrible…swearing …blaspheming…stalking about like ghosts…all panting for breath; some dead, and corrupting. The air was so foul that at times a lamp could not be kept burning, by reason of which the bodies were not missed until they had been dead ten days.”

New York City in FlamesNew York City in Flames(Fall, 1776)(Fall, 1776)

Key events of the NY/NJ Key events of the NY/NJ CampaignCampaign

• 1776– Battle of NY/LI– Loss of NY– Washington’s

Retreat– Battle of

Trenton

• 1777– Princeton– Loss of

Philadelphia– Bennington– Saratoga

Washington Crossing the DelawareWashington Crossing the Delaware

Painted by Emanuel Leutze, 1851

Saratoga:Saratoga: “Turning Point”“Turning Point” of the War? of the War?

Foreign Support

• After Saratoga, France recognized the USA

• Foreign leaders:– Von Steuben-Training Infantry– Marquis de Lafayette-Training Infantry– Comte de Rochambeau-French Army

• Expédition Particulière

– Admiral DeGrasse-French Navy– Bernardo de Galvez-Raids– Tadeusz Kościuszko-Fortifications– Casimir Pulaski-Calvary

“Local” Aid

Male Citizens

Women African-Americans

Francis Marion-SC milita

Betsy Ross Free could enlist

Haym Solomon

“Molly Pitcher”

5000 served-James Armistead

Robert Morris Brought slavery to issue

Benjamin Franklin

British offered freedom

Valley Forge

• Harsh winter, poor supplies• Drilling

– Baron Von Steuben

Phase IIIPhase III:: The Southern Strategy The Southern Strategy [1780-1781][1780-1781]

Britain’s “Southern Strategy”Britain’s “Southern Strategy”

Led by Cornwallis

Rally southern Loyalists

Preserve profitable colonies

Good US leaders: Nathanial Greene, Francis Marion (the Swamp Fox)

The Battle of Yorktown (1781)The Battle of Yorktown (1781)

Count de Rochambeau

AdmiralDe Grasse

Cornwallis’ Surrender at Yorktown:Cornwallis’ Surrender at Yorktown:

Painted by John Trumbull, 1797

““The World Turned Upside Down!” The World Turned Upside Down!”

North America After theNorth America After theTreaty of Paris, 1783Treaty of Paris, 1783

WholesaleWholesalePricePriceIndex:Index:1770-17891770-1789

Federalist vs. Anti-FederalistFederalist vs. Anti-FederalistStrongholds at the End of the WarStrongholds at the End of the War

Weaknesses of theWeaknesses of theArticles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

unicameral Congress

13 out of 13 to amend

Representatives frequently absent

Could not tax or raise armies

No executive or judicial branches

State ConstitutionsState ConstitutionsRepublicanism

Strong governors with veto power

Bicameral legislatures

Property required for voting

Some had universal white male suffrage.

bills of rights

Many had a continuation of state-established religions while others disestablished religion.

Occupational Composition of Occupational Composition of Several State Assemblies in Several State Assemblies in

the 1780sthe 1780s

Indian Land Cessions:Indian Land Cessions:1768-17991768-1799

Disputed Territorial ClaimsDisputed Territorial ClaimsBetween Spain & the U. S.:Between Spain & the U. S.:

1783-17961783-1796

State Claims to Western LandsState Claims to Western Lands

Land Ordinance of 1785Land Ordinance of 1785

Northwest Ordinance of 1787Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Major accomplishment of the Confederation Congress!

Statehood process:

1. Congress appointed 3 judges & a governor to govern the territory.

2. >5,000 adult, male land ownerselect territorial legislature

3. >60,000elect delegates: state constitutional convention.

The United States in 1787The United States in 1787

American trade w/ Britain: 1783-1789American trade w/ Britain: 1783-1789

Annapolis Convention (1786)Annapolis Convention (1786)

12 representatives from 5 states[NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA]

address limited trade and commerce between states

Limited representation

Reported to congress:

Meet in Philadelphia to solve trade issues

Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-87Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-87

Daniel Shays

Western MA

Small farmers angry: debt, taxes

Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-87Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-87

Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-Shays’ Rebellion: 1786-8787

There could be no stronger evidence of the want of energy in our governments than these disorders.

George WashingtonGeorge Washington