American Revolution

Unit 3
Topic 3.5

AP U.S. History
 Think About It
► To what extent did the French and Indian
War maintain continuity and foster change
in the relationship between Great Britain
and the 13 Colonies?
► To what extent did colonial politics,
economics, and culture from 1607 to 1754
influence the development of the American
independence movement?
 Lexington and Concord
(April 19, 1775)
► Organization of militia
(Minutemen) compels Governor
Gage to send 700 British soldiers
to arrest rebel leaders and
confiscate arms
► Old North Church
► “one if by land, two if by sea”
► William Dawes and Paul Revere
► Lexington
► 8 Minutemen die and 1 Redcoat
wounded at Lexington
► Concord
(about from FIU to South Beach)
► “Shot heard ‘round the world” at
North Bridge
► British march back to Boston
► Led to organization of militia men
into the Continental Army led by
George Washington
 Battle of Bunker Hill
► Bunker Hill and
Breed’s Hill
 June 17, 1775
 ”Men, you are all
marksmen—don't
one of you fire
until you see the
white of their
eyes." - Isaral
Putnam
 Second Continental Congress
► Delegates from 13 colonies begin
meeting in May of 1775
► An “illegitimate” national
government dependent on state
financing
► Established the Continental Army
► Olive Branch Petition (July 1775)
► Proclamation of Rebellion (August
1775)
► Independence Hall Debate
 John Dickinson
 John Adams
 America vs. Great Britain
► American Advantages/Tactics
 Militia’s guerilla tactics
 Familiar with the territory and
environment
 Prolong the war
 Hope for support from Britain’s
enemies (France, Spain)
► American Disadvantages
 No well-trained regular army or
officers
 Insufficient funds and supplies
 Small support among population
(1/3 loyalists, 1/3 neutral,
slaves)
► British Advantages/Tactics
 11 million Britons to America’s
2.5 million (1/3 slaves or
loyalists)
 World’s largest navy
 Disciplined and experienced
army
 Support from Loyalists,
Natives, and slaves
 Entrenched forts and garrisons
in America
► British Disadvantages
 War debt and war fatigue
 American privateers (pirates)
hounded British ships
 Unpopular home support
 Spread thin around the world
 Patriots, Loyalists, Neutrals
► Patriots (aka Whigs)
 Supported independence, but may
disagree on course of action (war,
petition, boycott, etc.)
 Advocated independence based
on rhetoric and education on
rights and liberties
► Loyalists (aka Tories)
 Loyalty to the Crown
 Agreed about excess taxes, but
against separation
 Fear of a possible American
victory
 Recent British immigrants
► Some neutral due to ignorance,
apathy, or economic reasons
 Foreign Assistance
Marquis de Lafayette Baron Friedrich
Wilhelm von Steuben
 The War
► In the North ► In the South
 Boston and New York under British  Lord Cornwalis’s strategy
control and conquest  Battle of Camden (1780)
 Battles of Trenton (1776) and  Battle of Cowpens (1781)
Princeton (1777)  Battle of Yorktown (1781)
 Battle of Saratoga (Oct 1777)
 Valley Forge (Winter 1777-78)
► Inoculation for smallpox
The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Colonies
During the War
► East and West Florida remained
strongly loyalist
► Britain considered Florida a
buffer state between 13
Colonies, their allies and Britain’s
lucrative Caribbean colonies
► It also served as a launching
point to raid Georgia and South
Carolina
► Spain, as an ally to the 13
Colonies, conquered most of
West Florida
► Britain gave up West and East
Florida to Spain in the Treaty of
Paris (1783)
 Treaty of Paris (1783)
► John Adams, Benjamin
Franklin, John Jay
► British recognition of
USA
► USA granted all lands
east of the Mississippi
► Natives left out of the
treaty
► States applying own
interests led to British
remaining in Northwest
Treaty of Paris by Benjamin West
forts
► Brand new and bigger
nation… What now?