the united states independence movement

THE UNITED STATES INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENTPart II

LEXINGTON AND CONCORD

First ‘organized’ fighting April 1775 British attempt to seize colonial arms stores

Samuel Adams and John Hancock

Concord – colonial guerilla warfare 300+ British Casualties

SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

All 13 colonies represented

Olive Branch Petition Assert rights while maintaining loyalty

George Washington chosen to lead Continental Army

MILITARY CAMPAIGNSAND THEIR IMPACT

The Importance of Foreign Intervention…

STRENGTHS - PATRIOTS

►Home Field Advantage

►Fought a defensive war

►Mostly self-sustaining (agriculture)

►Leadership

►Washington, Franklin

►Inspiring Cause

►Alliances

►French, Spanish, Dutch

WEAKNESSES - PATRIOTS

► Lack of Organization

► Undisciplined

► Untrained ‘soldiers’ (who were unreliable)

► Shortages

► Lack of funds, inflation

► Depreciation of printed money

► Lack of basic military supplies (had always relied on Britain)

► No government

► Individual states resented Continental Congress

STRENGTHS – GREAT BRITAIN

► Army/Navy

► Professional army (50K+)

► Strongest navy in the world - blockades

► Population

► 7.5 million Britons v. 2.5 million colonists

► Large number of loyalists in the colonies + Natives

► Government

► Established, well organized, well connected

► Money

► Had the funds to hire mercenaries (Hessians)

WEAKNESSES – GREAT BRITAIN

► Distance

► Delays in deliveries of goods and orders

► Unfamiliarity

► 600,000 square miles of territory without a major ‘target’

► Weak Leadership

► Poorly treated soldiers (lack of motivation)

► Sympathy for American Cause

► Concern in Britain about George III (absolute power)

ORDER OF BATTLES

► Battle of Lexington and Concord (A)► Capture of Fort Ticonderoga (A)► Battle of Bunker Hill (B)► British Evacuation of Boston (A)► Invasion of Quebec, Canada (B)► Battle of Long Island (B)► Battle of Trenton (A)► Battle of Princeton (A)► Battle of Brandywine (B)► Battle of Germantown (B)► Battle of Saratoga (A)► Battle of Monmouth (=)► Winter at Valley Forge► Battle of Savannah (B)► Battle of Camden (B)► Battle of Cowpens (A)► Battle of Yorktown (A)

BUNKER HILL/BREED’S HILL

►June 17th, 1775 2400 British

►1150 Casualties 1500 Americans

►450 Casualties

►British Victory

LONG ISLAND

►August 27th, 1776 20000 British/Hessian

►400 Casualties 10000 Americans

►2000 Casualties

►Washington was trying to protect New York

►General Howe had a chance to capture Washington and failed to act

TRENTON►December 25th, 1776

British and Hessians – 120 Casualties, 1000 captured Americans – 2400 involved, 4 wounded, 2 frozen

►Washington was faced with expiring enlistments and desertions

►Hessians ignore American advance

►The battle was a resounding physical and moral victory for Washington and his American troops.

FUN FACT: Present at the battle were three future presidents (Washington, Madison, and Monroe), the future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John

Marshall, as well as Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton.

PRINCETON

►January 3rd, 1777 8000 British

► 285 Casualties/MIA

5200 Americans► 40 Casualties, several were able officers

►Follow-up:► The battles impressed upon the European powers that the Americans were

able to confront the British Army

►General Washington showed himself to be a leader of resource and decision.

SARATOGA

►October 17th, 1777 5000 British/Hessians 13000 Americans

►British Goal – Isolate New England

►Poor communication between Burgoyne and Clinton

►Overwhelming British defeat

►Turning point in the war

YORKTOWN

► September 28th – October 19th, 1781 6000 British

► 500 Casualties 8800 Americans + 7800 French

► 80 American + 200 French Casualties

► Cornwallis expected support from Clinton (NY – who did not arrive until October 24th)

► Surrendered, ended the war

FOREIGN INTERVENTION

►Patriots needed support

►Ambassadors seek help for the colonies Benjamin Franklin

►“When one’s house is on fire, one does not inquire too closely into the background of those who carry the water buckets”

►Bailey, p. 156

LET’S WHIP THOSE CONTINENTALS INTO SHAPE!

►Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roche Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette

►Young French Aristocrat

►Friedrich Wilhelm Augustin Baron von Steuben

►Excellent drillmaster

EUROPEAN INVOLVEMENT

►France Still smarting from Seven Years War

►Spain Protection of American interests, alliance with France

►The Netherlands Traded with the colonies, naval disputes

STRESS ON THE BRITISH

►British priorities were forced to change, and they became: Protect the home islands; hold the West Indies sugar islands and the Honduras

timberlands; regain the 13 colonies; hold Gibraltar and the Mediterranean bases advance British interests in India, East Indies,

Australia and the Pacific Ocean.

TREATY OF PARIS (1783)

After Yorktown, Britain was weary of war

Terms of the treaty: Britain formally recognizes the United States

Grants territory all the way to the Mississippi River

Britain maintains Canada United States promises to not prosecute Loyalists

And to return confiscated property