British Military Colonial Military

Large navy Best professional army Hired 30,000 mercenaries,

2,000 loyalists Supply problems – 2 tons of

food per person per year Home hard to maintain

support Bad maps, bad roads DEBT

Recruiting bonuses Paid men to enlist

Guerilla tactics Needed to fight openly to gain

respect Lacked discipline, training Lacked experienced officers Lacked ability to march and

maneuver No draft; had to ask for

troops; low [ay, no pension Lacked navy Finance – Dutch Army of 20,000

Revolutionary War

Revolutionary War

Uniqueness of the Revolution:did not devour its children: med who lead went

on to create new governmentMild, relatively bloodless no reign of terrorno alliance with anarchy but with order and lawbeginning of new political order, needed certain

qualities on the part of the peoplebased on popular government; less capable of

infringing civil liberties

Revolutionary War 1775 – 1781: Two Phases

A. The War in the North. Brits can move along coast, but not inland. Hostile rural pop, lack of loyalists.

1. Boston: 1776. British have to leave Boston. Why? Americans had cannon on surrounding hills. General Gage is British commander. British could not dislodge them (Bunker Hill). Also…active patriot presence in Boston

2. British move to New York City (General How). Central location, easier to defend, interior access on Hudson R, more loyalists, spacious harbora. Washington tries to attack the British from New York, and he almost loses the army/war. GB will maintain control until end of war.b. hired Germans

3. Washington’s goal becomes survival. Try to avoid capture, try to gain a few small victories (Trenton) a. This strategy turns the war in North into a stalemate; tough for either side to win…and very taxing on the support base for the war on both sides. Who will lose patience first?

The Northern Phase

4. Major exception to this situation is Battle of Saratoga in rural New York in Oct. 1777. a. It’s a two-fold disaster for British; 5,700 Brits and Gen Burgoyne surrender AND the French begin to feel the Americans may have a chance

b. Colonial army lacks supplies and has low morale

5. Colonies quarreled over boundary disputes and Native American trade

6. June 1776 work begins on Articles of Confederation: John Dickinson

7. Articles ratifies in March 1781

Southern Phase: 1779-1781

B. The War in the South. British war south by end of 1770’s. More loyalists, EZ land, possible slave help; allowed them to use navy

1. Georgia then Carolina’s

2. The British win a stunning victory at Charleston in 1780. 5,400 Americans captured. The worst defeat of war for the Americans. But despite this, British success was limited. Why?

a. Inland areas hard to control. Away from naval support, lots of hostile settlers/guerillas

b. American Gen. Greene effectively leads the Southern Continental Army. He uses guerilla style tactics The colonial’s tend to strike British on coast…then retreat to interior.

c. By 1781, the war has become a costly stalemate for the British. They try to force an end.

 

Southern Phase 1779-1781

2. 1781. The war is stalemated. The frustrated British try to force a showdown with Washington.

Cornwallis/British move to Yorktown peninsula on Virginia coast to try to get Washington

a. The French fleet shows up and takes control the Chesapeake Bay…cuts off British escape route from peninsula; the English army is trapped by the forces of Washington/French.

b. Oct 1781, The trapped British surrender an entire army, and Cornwallis.

3. This humiliating defeat stuns the British. The War is over.

Treaty of Paris

Franklin, John Adams, John Jay are our reps at the conference.

1. Our French allies initially try to keep the conflict going (keep Brits and us weak!). We bypass them

2. Terms:a. recognition of US east of the Mississippib. fishing rights off the Grand Backc. Spain received FL; leads to dispute over northern boundary until 1795d. Britain refused to return slavese. states promised to urge states to compensate loyalists for property losses, pay prewar debts (several refused to do both)f. Native Americans that supported British were still in question

Why did we win?

Key Factors in our favor:1. Size: The American colonies were enormous…and mostly wilderness. Hard to control

2. Military Forces: The Continental Army grew in size and skill throughout the war. Our militias had impact (large numbers), but were unreliable.

3. Washington: His strategy to simply survive frustrated the British.

4. British Errors: Poor communication (overseas). Supply problems. Not adapting to American strategy “A guerilla force can win if it does not lose…but a regular army loses if it does not consistently win.” (Vietnam?)

5. Cost: Simply put overall, winning the war became too costly a project for the Brits.; enthusi

6. British were traditional: would only fight certain times of year, formal maneuvers

7. Worried about fighting spilling in to Europe, Caribbean

Loyalists

Concentrated along the coast…especially in NYC (where there was a large military presence)

1. Why stay loyal? Financial connections to British. The feeling that the rebellion will probably fail.

2. 10,000’s flee the states during/after the war. Most go to Canada or Great Britain.

3. During Revolution, lost right to vote and lost property in a lot of colonies

African-Americans

At 1st, Slaves feel revolution will mean freedom!

1. The need to keep Southern colonies in the war means abolition is not an option.

2. The British offer freedom to slaves who help them. Approx 20% do so. But Britain’s loss means that offer is void. Many slaves take opportunity to flee to Canada or out West. (Lord Dunmore – royal governor of VA)

Native Americans

Most powerful NA’s are in the interior…west of Proc line

1. Both sides try to get NA support, but the Iroquois/others join British and devastate interior PA/NY- Counterattacks by the Colonials in 1779 demolish much Iroquois settlement (1/3rd of pop!)

- Since the British stayed near coast, NA’s had to deal with colonials by themselves

2. By siding with the Brits, colonial hatred/impatience of the NA’s continues to grow.

Our government during the Revolution

The Articles of Confederation was faulty…but it was all we had, and it did guide the new nation through the War

A. The Articles of Confederation gov’t was a compromise. Power to govern was weighted towards the states1. Federal: Power to do foreign affairs, declare war, post office, and Indian affairs. WEAK

2. States: Had all powers not assigned to federal gov’t. Taxation, law, currency, etc. STRONG

3. Any change to gov’t needed unanimous OK by all states…so change was tough.

4. Even ratification of this gov’t needed unanimous consent. Disputes keep the Articles from being ratified until 1781.

Our government during the Revolution

5. The weak nature of the Article’s federal gov’t made for disastrous problems in the wara. Congress could NOT TAX; only ask for $ from the states. Unanimous consent meant one state could derail actions from being taken. Petty squabbles consume the gov’t.

b. Eventually, Gen Washington is granted “extraordinary

powers” to wage the war…Congress concedes it cannot run this war successfully.

Structure of Articles

1. Unicameral2. One vote per state3. Usually two reps per state4. 9 out of 13 had to approve a law5. Unanimous to amend the Articles

Powers given to the national government

1. Declare war2. Ask for troops3. Settle disputes between states4. Admit new states5. Borrow money, coin money6. Navy7. Post Office8. Native American affairs

Powers denied the national government

1. TAX2. Raise an army3. Regulate commerce4. No executive or judicial branch

Two successful pieces of legislation:

1. Land Ordinance 1785 – uniform procedures to settle land; 6 sq miles= township

2. Northwest Ordinance 1787 – admission of new states

1. Forbade slavery while region remained a territory; citizens could legalize after statehood

2. Congress would appoint territorial governor, judges3. 5000 males could write a temporary constitution and elect

legislature; pass laws4. Population reached 60,00 settlers could write constitution

to have it approved by Congress** precedent for banning slavery, opened up the west

State governments

State constitutions give us options for a more workable gov’t. Most limit the power of the gov’t, try to make gov’t officials accountable for actions. The most important state models for our gov’t are…

1. Massachusetts: They created the procedure by which a fair constitution could be drawn up. a. Constitutions would be drawn up by specially elected conventions, and their results must be ratified by the people…thus sovereignty resides in the people. John Adams is a key author

b. Mass gov’t was moderate. It features a balance of power based on a bicameral legislature.

- Assembly based on the common people. Senate based on wealth and talent.

c. The gov’r would have veto power and serve as commander-in-chief

State governments

Pennsylvania’s was the more democratic/radical than Mass, and really not workable. It will be replaced by a more moderate one after a few years….but its ideas were influentiala. No Governor, All taxpaying white males over 21 vote (not just property owners)

b. Bill of citizen rights including religious freedom, jury, speech

Most new state governments hada. 11 out of 13 were bicameral; GA, PA unicameralb. 9 out of 13 reduced property requirements to votec. most had a Bill of Rights – protected prop, worship, speech, prompt hearing, trial by juryd. Governor was an elected official

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The Articles Gov’t found itself dealing with major issues other than the war. Since power resided in the states, these issues created conflict as states didn’t agree.

Religion. Some states guarantee some aspect of religious liberty in their constitutions (RI,NJ,PA,DE) but others with powerful religious groups had religious interests built into the constitutions (MA)a. In Virginia, Jefferson writes the “Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom” that rejected all connections between church and state (C/S). This is a very influential document for future. b. Most supporters of C/S separation didn’t want total freedom; many were anti-Catholic/Jewish.

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Slavery. Slavery was still a major component of Southern economy, importation booms in 1760’s

a. The revolution halted most slave imports. All states ban slave importation by 1790 except SC and GE…but they do not abolish slavery. A major internal slave trade develops.

c. In South, Virginia and Maryland passed laws making it easier for Blacks to gain their freedom, but the Deep South does not flex on support of slavery

1. Anti-slavery feeling grow during the revolution in the North. Some states abolish slavery…but most are ones with little slavery anyway. Anti-slave societies form.

d. The weak Articles gov’t can do little to deal with the volatile issue of slavery