The American RevolutionChapter 4 - The Strategy of War

“A World Turned Upside Down”

Music Video Intro

“We are Never Getting Back Together”

Time Line of America Revolution

Website

American Strengths

The colonists are fighting for independence

George Washington can inspire his men to fight

France will aide the colonies with weapons, supplies and their navy

Patriots and Loyalists

Patriots were colonists who supported the break from England.

Loyalists are colonials support the English.

Colonists are divided as to whether or not they should rebel against England!

American Weaknesses

The colonists are not a trained army

Colonists enlist for months instead of years

Short on money, weapons and supplies to fight a war

British Strengths

The British have an experienced professional army

Outnumber the Continental Army

The British army is well supplied with equipment and weapons

British Weaknesses

The British are not fighting for a cause British officers are careless and poor leaders

– rank due to birth, not skill. The British have a to cross the Atlantic

Ocean to send men and supplies for the war The support at homes is rather weak

Horrible Histories – Life in British Army

The Strategy of War

American Colonies Keep the Colonial

Army together Washington seeks

to stretch the British army away from supply lines

Harass the enemy, defeat the British in a major battle

Get allies to help win!

Britain

Seeks to destroy the Colonial Army

Regain control of the colonies by region

Take the fight to the Colonial Army using European war tactics

Use loyalists support against the colonies

The Strategy of War

Paul Revere

Was really just a messenger, employed

by the Sons of Liberty to deliver messages.

Dispatched the Night of April 18th, 1775 to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the

British were coming to arrest them.

Several different messengers sent, Revere never even made it all the way to Concord….

100 Years later, poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow made him famous, wrongly….

Truth v. FictionPoem

Lexington and Concord, April 1775

British attempt to capture Samuel Adams and weapons stockpile around Concord

The colonists are warned by Paul Revere and 40 other riders that “The Regulars are coming”

1,000 colonial “militia men” exchange fire with British troops along the main road, harass them all 20 miles back to Boston.

This battle is considered the beginning of the American Revolution

Second Continent Congress

May 1775 – following Lexington & Concord Battles, No Accident like Boston Massacre.

Second Continental Congress

meets in Philadelphia, Penn. Appoint George Washington Instructs him to build

Continental Army Congress send peace

offering to King

Olive Branch Petition

Congress send Olive Branch Petition (traditional Greek peace offer)

Rejected by King George III King hires Hessian Troops from

Germany to help put down colonists.

Hessian troops are extremely viscous and highly feared fighters.

End of Part One