The American Revolution

The American The American RevolutionRevolution

Chapter 6, pg. 150 - 183

Section 1: The Revolution Begins

• Pg. 152 - 156

• Objectives• Determine how colonists tried to find a

peaceful solution with England• Evaluate how the fighting at Lexington and

Concord affected the colonies’ conflict with England

First Continental Congress

• Meeting of American leaders• John Dickinson - we should

make peace

• Patrick Henry - there’s no way to avoid a fight

• A compromise• Continue boycott of

English goods

• Tell militia to get ready to fight

• Send list of grievances to King

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The “shot heard round the world”

• American “minutemen” gather weapons• English General Thomas

Gage sends out troops to capture weapons

• Paul Revere warns Americans

• English met at Lexington by 75 Americans• Shot rings out, both sides

open fire• English move on to

Concord

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American victory at Concord

• English move on to Concord• Americans pour into

Concord from all directions

• English retreat, Americans pursue

• 250 English soldiers killed

• News of victory gets more American support for war

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Second Continental Congress

• American leaders have to respond to fighting• Don’t break away from

England yet• Appoint Washington

commander of army• Send out Olive Branch

Petition - last chance for peace

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Americans gather strength

• Americans have manpower, but few good weapons• Ethan Allen and

Benedict Arnold seize Fort Ticonderoga

• Henry Knox transports cannons down to Boston

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Meanwhile, in Boston

• A siege, almost• Americans have Boston

surrounded, but no cannons yet

• English attack American position at Bunker Hill

• 1,000 English dead, 400 Americans

• Washington and Knox arrive• English General Howe

evacuates Boston

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The story so far …

• Americans• Have plenty of troops, but little experience or good

weaponry

• Excited after early victories

• English• Have more troops on the way from England

• Very experienced, very good weaponry and training

• Embarrassed and angry after early defeats

• Tough times ahead for Americans

Section 2: Declaring Independence

• Pg. 158 - 161

• Objectives• Evaluate the influence of Thomas Paine’s

Common Sense on the colonies• Identify the main ideas expressed in the

Declaration of Independence• Explain Americans’ reaction to the Delclaration

of Independence

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

• Pamphlet that argued for American independence• One of the best-selling

books in American history

• Convinced many Americans to support independence

• Paine’s arguments• Why should an island rule a

continent?

• Would we get dragged into European wars?

• If England is our “mother country,” why would she want to punish her “child”?

• How efficient is it for them to rule us?

• How are we an “English” nation?

Declaration of Independence

• Second Continental Congress votes for independence from England• Thomas Jefferson drafts the

declaration

• Ideas in declaration – most from the Enlightenment• We have inalienable rights

(life, liberty, pursuit of happiness)

• King George had violated those rights

• We have the right to break away from England

Declaration of Independence approved on July 4, 1776

The colonists choose sides

• Americans choose sides

• Patriots support independence• Include Patrick Henry, Ben

Franklin, and Washington

• Intimidated or beat Loyalists

• Loyalists support the king• Include Sam Curwen,

William Franklin, and Tom Fairfax

• Some fled to Canada or the Caribbean

An imperfect declaration?

• Some groups felt ignored by the declaration• Women

• “All men are created equal.” What about women?

• Slaves• How can we value liberty

and value slavery at the same time?

Dark Hours for the Revolution

• Pg. 166 – 269

• Objectives• This • Also that

Comparing strengths and weaknesses

American forces

• Had very little money and resources

• Had no navy at all

• Soldiers were mostly poorly-trained and equipped militia

• Had a cause to believe in

• Most of the civilians in the colonies supported the Patriots

English forces

• More money and resources

• Best army and navy in the world

• Soldiers were all well-trained professionals

• Included Hessian mercenaries (guns-for-hire)

A call to arms• Both sides gathered forces,

but had some problems• Americans - problems with

pay, problems with enlistments

• English – problems with supplies

• Problems with slaves• Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation

• Slaves who joined the English would get their freedom

• Washington’s about-face• First banned blacks, then allowed

them later

Other sources of help

• Both sides got help from unexpected places• English – alliance with Joseph

Brant got the Iroquois tribes on their side

• Many potential American soldiers stayed home to protect their homes form Indians

• Americans – women contributed by providing supplies and inspiration

• “Molly Pitcher”

The low point of the war for the Patriots

• Thomas Paine’s The Crisis• “These are the times that

try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he who stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered.”

British victories• We show our inexperience

• Quebec in 1775• Our attempt to invade Canada

collapses entirely

• Long Island in 1776• Washington’s first major battle is a

disaster• English easily defeat us – a mistake

keeps us from losing the war in that battle

• Continental Congress looks to replace Washington

• Replacement is captured by English outside a bar