American Revolution

I.

II.

III.

The American Revolution - The American Revolution was fought

between 1775 and 1783, and was the result of increasing colonial
unhappiness with British rule.
Coercive/Intolerable acts
A) Passed by the British parliament in 1774 as a punishment for the
American Colonies that many saws as become more defiant
B) Boston Tea Party (1773),
C) Boston Port Bill, closing that citys harbor until restitution was made for
the destroyed tea.
D) Second, the Massachusetts Government Act abrogated the colonys
charter of 1691, reducing it to the level of a crown colony, substituting
a military government under Gen. Thomas Gage and forbidding town
meetings without approval.
E) Third, the Administration of Justice Act, was aimed at protecting British
officials charged with capital offenses during law enforcement
F) Passed on June 2, 1774, the new Quartering Act applied to all of British
America and gave colonial governors the right to requisition
unoccupied buildings to house British troops
The Continental Congress- 1774
A) Congress met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, from September 5 to
October 26, 1774. Carpenter's Hall
B) All of the colonies except Georgia sent delegates
C) These were elected by the people, by the colonial legislatures, or by
the committees of correspondence
D) Were united in a determination to show a combined authority to Great
Britain, but their aims were not uniform at all.
1.) Pennsylvania and New York- seek a resolution with England
2.) Other colonies voices- defend colonial rights
3.) Evenly divided between those that sought legislative parity and
radical members who wanted separation
4.) Virginia's delegation made up of an even mix also most eminent
group of men in America. George Washington, Richard Henry Lee,
Patrick Henry, Edmund Pendleton, Richard Bland, and Peyton
Randolph
E) The first few weeks
1.) Consumed in discussion and debate- distrust
2.) Plan of Union of Great Britain and the Colonies
a) Considered very attractive to most of the members
b) Proposed a popularly elected Grand Council which would
represent the interests of the colonies as a whole
c) Would be a continental equivalent to the English Parliament
d) President General, appointed by the crown, to represent the
authority of the king in America would balance the power
e) Was narrowly defeated in Congress after news of conflict in
Boston arrived just before the vote on October 14, 1774
f) On October 14, 1774, Congress voted to meet again the
following year if these grievances were not addressed by Britain.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

g) October 20, 1774, Congress voted that unless parliament should

rescind the Intolerable Acts by the end of 1774, it would enact a
general boycott of British goods.
The Empire Strikes Back
A) Prime Minister Lord Frederick North responsible for managing the
British colonies from 1770- 1783
B) Admired for his deep loud voice, his oratory skills, and his quick wit in
negotiation and debate
C) North's strong suit was in financial and economic matters almost led
Britain out of debt following the Seven Years War
D) North felt the best way to deal with the colonies was through
enforcement and confrontation rather than negotiation
E) 1775 that North eased his position on the colonies, when he adopted a
more conciliatory policy of allowing colonies
F) North was more responsible for the financing and defense of the war
than for its unsuccessful conduct
The Shot Heard Around the World
A) About 700 British Army regulars, under Lieutenant Colonel Francis
Smith, were ordered to capture and destroy military supplies that were
stored by the Massachusetts militia at Concord
B) Dr. Joseph Warren alerted the colonists of this
C) The Patriot colonists moved most of the supplies to safety
D) The night before the battle, patriots received further information from
Paul Revere and William Dawes who alerted the patriots to the British
route
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
A) 1775 April 19 morning At sunrise, the British are challenged by a
group of 77 militiamen under Captain John Parker in Lexington. A shot
is fired, 8 militiamen die, the remaining militiamen flee, and the war
begins.
B) Later that morning British column approaches Concord outnumbered
militia under Colonel Barrett withdraws to a hill north of town
C) After reinforcements arrive the patriots engage the British who retreat
first to Concord then Boston.
2nd Continental Congress -1775
A) The Olive Branch Petition - drafted on July 5, 1775, was a letter to King
George III, from the Second Continental Congress, was the last attempt
by the moderates to avoid a war. It was shipped by boat on July 8,
1775, and received by King George III six weeks later where it was
disregarded by George III
B) The Continental Army was established by the Continental Congress on
June 14, 1775 to coordinate the military efforts of the 13 ColoniesGeorge Washington was named commander

George Washington- Was a Planter from Virginia who in 1752 was made
a major in the Virginia militia

A) during the French and Indian War in 1754 Washington was defeated
and captured at the Battle of Great Meadows on July 3, 1754
B) Washington and his men were permitted to return to Virginia
C) Washington tries unsuccessfully several times to get a commission in
the British Army, in 1758 he retires his commission
D) Serves in the Virginia House of Burgesses 1758-1775
E) Becomes active in the Patriot cause in 1767
F) After being named Commander, he rushes to Boston while ordering
Colonel Knox to Fort Ticonderoga to capture the cannon and to bring
them to Boston.
G) The British Withdraw without a fight.
Thomas Paine - On Jan, 9, 1776 publishes his pamphlet Common
Sense
A) Sets forth his arguments in favor of American independence.
B) Is considered one of the most influential pamphlets in American
history.
C) Credited with uniting average citizens and political leaders behind the
idea of independence

IX.

X.

XI

The Birth of the Declaration of Independence

A) In mid-June 1776, a five-man committee was tasked with drafting a formal
statement of the colonies intentions.
B) Made up of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert
Livingston, and Roger Sherman
C) The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independencewritten
largely by Jeffersonin Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the
birth of American independence
"Loyalists."
Stayed loyal to Britain
Were a sizable minority.
Patriots felt too much was riding on the revolution
Were persecuted for their beliefs by Patriots
Loyalists were subjected to all sorts of violent and degrading treatments
1.) Arrested
2.) Property seized
3.) Tar and feathering-strip them naked, apply hot tar to their skin, and
then mash feathers into the black hot sticky substance. Once the tar
cooled, the person would be left scarred and feathers would remain
embedded in the victim's skin essentially for the remainder of their life
F) Because of this type of treatment 100,000 Loyalists left the Thirteen
Colonies for the relative safety of England, Quebec, or Nova Scotia.
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

XII
These are the times that try mens souls Thomas Paine, The
Crisis

A) 1776 had not been a good year for George Washington's patriot forces
1. Washington lost control of New York and very nearly the entire
revolution
2. Luckily Washington was able to escape to Delaware
3. At the end of the year the majority of his men's enlistments would be
up
B) How to make a comeback?
1. Get a win, but where?
2. Wanted to attack the Hessians at Bordentown, but the local militia
in that area was too weak to offer support.
3. He then chose Col. Johann Halls isolated Hessian garrison at
Trenton.
4. When to attack - Washington decided on a predawn attack on
December 26, while the Hessian troops and officers would be drunk
and tired, and hopefully suffering hangovers.
5. It was an over whelming victory captured 1000 small arms ,
several cannon , and much need ammunition and supplies.
6. More importantly boosted moral, Showed that the Americans
could beat an European army and increased the re-enlistments.
XIII

The Battle of Saratoga

A) The initial British goal was to contain revolutionary sentiment to
Massachusetts
B) Unable to do this- In 1777, the British launched another offensive,
designed to split New England off from the rest of the colonies.
C) To Accomplish this The British planned to March an Army South From
Montreal commanded By Gen. Burgoyne while another marched north
from New York commanded by Gen. Howe
D) But Gen. Howe decided to attack the patriot capital at Philadelphia rather
than deploying his army to meet up with Burgoyne
E) Gen. Burgoynes army was met and defeated Patriot Gen Horatio Gates
and General Benedict Arnold On September 19th, British General John
Burgoyne achieved a small, but costly victory over. Though his troop
strength had been weakened, Burgoyne again attacked the Americans at
Bemis Heights on October 7th, but this time was defeated and forced to
retreat. He surrendered ten days later.
F) Importance of the Battle
1) convinced the French to publicly support the patriot cause
2) The French loaned money to the revolutionary government
3) The French Navy was instrumental in securing an American victory in
the Revolution.
4) French Government committed troops to the war.
5) Was the turning point of the war

XIV.

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania - Winter 1777-1778

A) On Dec. 19, 1777 General George Washington leads his troops to winter
quarters at Valley Forge Pennsylvania.

B) They Suffer from the cold, Lack of food and Provisions , and Disease (Small
Pox)
C) Yet Washingtons Army comes out Valley Forge Stronger
XV.

Blacks & the American Revolutionary War

A) Blacks played a major part in the History of The Revolution, The First
person to die for the Patriot side was Crispus Attucks A black seamen
killed during the Boston Massacre
B) Blacks had a decision to make Fight against British or Fight For them
C) Blacks in the British Army
1) John Murray, fourth Earl of Dunmore, the last royal governor
2) Dated November 7, it declared "all indented Servants, Negroes, or
others (appertaining to Rebels,) free that are able and willing to bear
Arms, they joining his MAJESTY'S Troops, as soon as may be, for the
more speedily reducing this Colony to a proper Sense of their Duty, to
his MAJESTY'S Crown and Dignity" This was not a general emancipation
of slaves and indentured servants. Dunmore invited only those slaves
to his banner who were owned by rebels, and of those, only males
could bear arms.
3) By December 1, about 300 runaways were fighting with Lord
Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment, the words "Liberty to
4) Slaves" emblazoned on their chests. During the Battle of Great Bridge
on December 9, they accounted for about half of Dunmore's 600 men.
After losing 17 killed and 49 wounded, he retreated to safety.
5) By early Summer of 1776 The Ethiopian regiment numbered about 800
men but by the time Dunmore had withdrawn to New York 500 of the
regiment had died of Fever and upon their arrival Gen Howe disbanded
the Ethiopian Regiment
D) Blacks in the Patriot Army
1) recruits were slow to sign up with the Patriot Army
2) By May of 1777 The Continental Congress Ordered a lottery Based
Draft but rich people could present a substitute to fight for them and in
many cases the substitutes were slaves
3) George Washington issued a general order to Patriot recruiters to sign
up Black recruits as long as they are free
4) By the end of the summer of 1778 the Patriot Army listed 755 Black
and Mulatto troops
5) By 1780 the First Black unit 2nd Company, 4th Connecticut Regiment,
was formed-48 enlisted men and 4 White Officers
6) In January 1778, General Washington gave his approval to Rhode
Island's plan to raise an entire regiment of black slaves.
7) The 1st Rhode Island Regiment Over the next five years signed 250
former slave and freedmen to fight
8) Massachusetts formed the all-black unit, the Bucks of America under
Samuel Middleton, the only black commissioned officer in the
Continental Army early in 1778.
Like Rhode Island slaves were purchased by the state and emaciated
when they joined the regiment

E) Blacks in the Hessian Army

1) By March 1777 The Hessian Army had begun to recruit black
volunteers.
2) Hundreds served as laborers or servants, but the Germans readily put
blacks in uniform.
3) 115 African-Americans on Hessen-Cassel and Hessen-Hanau
regimental rosters came from southern states. Many were very young,
mere children of 11- 13 years, who served as drummers and fifers,
freeing up older, taller whites for service with the musket. Hessian
records from 1777 to 1783 show 83 black drummers as well as 3 fifers.
4) At the end of the war, the Hessians discharged about two dozen black
men who wanted to stay in America. While about 30 soldiers plus an
unknown number of officer servants, some with their wives and
children, crossed the Atlantic for Cassel, where they arrived in late
1783.
5) In February 1781 Baron Friedrich Adolf von Riedesel encouraged his
officers to recruit black soldiers from among the refugees in New York.
Among them was James Barkes a former slave and a survivor of
Dunmore's regiment.
F) Blacks in the French Army
1) In France, Africans had served in the armed forces since the late 17th
century. When the Comte de Rochambeau's expeditionary corps
stepped ashore in 1780 it counted at least one black soldier in its
ranks: Jean-Baptiste Pandoua from Madagascar
2) The French Army did actively seek out recruits from the American
blacks
3) Marquis de Lafayette was approached by a young slave James
Armistead. He had permission from his master to serve with the
marquis as a servant. But Lafayette had other plans for him: Use him
as a spy to learn Cornwallis's plans. Which he did on August 25, 1781
XVI. Cornwallis at Yorktown October 19, 1781
A)

The Generals / Admiral

1) George Washington General Washington has overall command of the
Patriot armies.
He actually wants to attack New York City.

2) Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau Marshall

Rochambeau will command French land forces during the siege. He convinces
Washington to attack Yorktown.
3) Francois Joseph Paul de Grasse Admiral de Grasse will make the fateful
gamble to move the entire French fleet north and will defeat the British outside
Chesapeake Bay in the Battle of the Virginia Capes.
4) Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette Lafayette is a French nobleman
fighting as a general for the Patriots. He is instrumented in bringing the French
fully into the war.
5) Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis General Cornwallis played key
roles in the great British victories over Washingtons forces on Long Island and at

Brandywine. He reports to General Clinton in New York but is given an almost

independent command.
6) Henry Clinton Clinton had after relieving General Howe overall command of
British forces in North America. He will order Cornwallis to fortify Yorktown.
And he will be unable to relieve Cornwallis in time.

B) The Siege of Yorktown: The Forces

1) Patriot soldiers The Patriot army consists of 8,800 regular army
Continentals and
Militia. The militia is inexperienced and usually breaks when faced
with battle. The
Continentals generally hold their ground.
2) French -7,800 soldiers
3) British 7,500 soldiers
C) The Battle
1) Sea - the French Fleet commanded By Admiral DeGrasse defeated a
British relief convoy outside Chesapeake Bay at The Battle of the
Virginia Capes September 5, 1781
2) Land - Washington deceives British General Clinton into believing that his

intention is to attack Staten Island so Clinton does not act to save Cornwallis
army until it is too late. Cornwallis continues to fortify Yorktown expecting a
blockade and not a siege. He tells Clinton that he can hold out until the end of
October by which time the French fleet must depart. Clinton promises Cornwallis
heavy reinforcements of 4,000 troops and Cornwallis still expects defeat
Washington in a pitched battle. But with the defeat of the British fleet, the troops
cant get to Cornwallis. The Siege of Yorktown, September 28-October 19, 1871:
3) The Aftermath- The Siege of Yorktown is the last great battle in the Revolutionary
War. The war in North America. on the 19th of October, the allied troops enter
Yorktown. British and Hessian troops, in new uniforms march out between the
lines of French and American troops. Cornwallis claims sickness and avoids the
surrender ceremony and refuses to meet with Washington. British General
OHara tries to surrender to Rochambeau, but Rochambeau refuses and points to
Washington. Washington, in turn, refuses and points to his second in command,
Benjamin Lincoln. OHara surrenders to Lincoln. Over 7,000 British and
Hessian troops surrender.
XVII.

The War Rages around the World

A) The focus of the greater war turns south- to Jamaica where Admiral Graves
wins a huge victory over French Admiral Grasse
B) Britain against France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic. When France
joined the war the American Revolution became a global war. Britain had
colonies that were much more valuable such as Sugar Colonies in the
Caribbean and trading colonies in India.

XVIII. Continental congress appoints ambassadors to negotiate a Pease

Treaty

A) The continental Congress delegated John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay,
Thomas Jefferson, and Henry Laurens. Laurens, however, was captured by a British
warship and held in the Tower of London until the end of the war, and Jefferson did
not leave the United States in time to take part in the negotiations. Thus, they were
conducted by Adams, Franklin, and Jay.The Victory at Yorktown led to Lord North
Being removed as Prime Minister and Replaced by Lord Rockingham.

XIX. The 1783 Treaty of Paris

A) The preliminary articles of peace were signed by Adams, Franklin, Jay, and
Henry Laurens for the United States and Richard Oswald for Great Britain
on November 30, 1782. The final treaty was signed on September 3, 1783,
and ratified by the Continental Congress early in 1784.