Download The American Revolution Filled In Notes

The American Revolution
Objectives
• Students will be able to:
o Summarize the major battles of the Revolutionary War.
o Explain how the military tactics of the Patriots differed from the British.
o Explain how George Washington’s leadership was instrumental in the Patriot victory.
o Describe the events surrounding the end of the war, the Treaty of Paris, and the challenges that
the new nation would have to face.
The Redcoats Are Out!
• On April 18, 1775, British Commander in the American Colonies, General Thomas Gage, received
orders to march to Concord, Massachusetts to confiscate a mass of ammunition and to capture rebel
leaders, including: Samuel Adams and John Hancock who were hiding there
• Men such as Dr. Joseph Warren, William Dawes, Paul Revere, and Dr. Samuel Prescott were part of an
early warning system made up of hundreds of Patriots to alert colonial leaders and militias of British
activity
• That night, word was spread to Hancock and Adams that the “Redcoats Are Out!”
• The militia in Lexington was capable of assembling within a few minutes of notification, and therefore,
became known as the minutemen
• By 1:00 a.m., 130 civilians gathered at Lexington Green to face off against the British
Lexington Green
• By 2:00 a.m. on April 19, 1775 there was no sign of the Redcoats, so Captain John Parker’s Lexington
militia waited in a nearby tavern
• At 4:30 a.m. they heard the British drums and quickly assembled on Lexington Green. There in the early
morning hours, they faced off against 700 British soldiers under Lt. Col. Francis Smith
• Each side stood firm, taking aim at one another, though neither seemed eager to fight
• Then suddenly, a gunshot rang out- “the shot heard ‘round the world”- to this day nobody knows who
fired the fateful shot that began the American Revolution
• In less than 2 minutes, 8 colonists were dead and 10 were wounded
• The Patriots retreated and the British continued their march towards Concord
• It took 6 weeks for the word to reach London, but when it did, it was clear that the war had begun
Concord
• All along the march from Lexington to Concord, Patriot militia shot at the British from behind trees and
stonewalls
• Militia from as far as Western Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire fled to Boston to help
• When the British finally arrived in Concord, they found that the storehouses had been emptied before
they arrived
• A skirmish broke out at Old North Bridge where 400 Patriots had gathered to defend against the British
• Patriot militia fired on the redcoats all along their 16-mile march back to Boston
• In the end, out of 700 men, the British recorded
o 73 dead
o 174 wounded
o 26 missing
• The Patriots recorded
o 49 dead
o 40 wounded
o 5 missing
Challenge
• Think (1 min.), Pair (1 min.), Share (2 min.)
• What military tactics did the Patriots use at Lexington and Concord? Why didn’t the British adjust to
these unusual tactics?
Benedict Arnold
• One officer who came to help in Massachusetts was a Connecticut man named Benedict Arnold
•
He had served in the French & Indian War for the British and after the war became wealthy as a
merchant, but he also became a bitter and arrogant man
• Arnold wanted to gain fame and glory for himself as a war hero for the Patriots
• Arnold convinced the Massachusetts officials to send him on a mission to capture munitions at Fort
Ticonderoga in upstate NY
British Surrender of Fort Ticonderoga
• 30-miles from Fort Ticonderoga, Benedict Arnold ran into Ethan Allen (another officer from CT), who
had been fighting a 5-year civil war between his Green Mountain Boys from Vermont and New York
settlers over land in present-day Vermont
• Allen was on his own separate mission to Fort Ticonderoga with his 83 Green Mountain Boys
• Assuming that he would command the joint mission Arnold gave Allen his orders from Massachusetts,
but the Green Mountain Boys refused to follow Arnold so Allen took control and Arnold became second
in command
• On May 10, 1775 the joint team overtook the 50 sleeping redcoats at Fort Ticonderoga without firing a
shot and controlled the artillery of the fort
• Ethan Allen wrote back about the takeover and never once mentioned Arnold- thus deeply wounding
and disrespecting Arnold’s honor
Colonial Militias Unite in Boston
• Militia from around the Colonies began to converge on Boston to help their fellow colonists against the
British
• At the same time the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to discuss war and the formation
of a Continental Army
• The rag tag group that assembled in Boston were hardly a military force
They were mostly farmers, not trained soldiers. They had little military experience and were poorly supplied but
their mission to support Boston was one of honor and duty
The Triumvirate of Reputation
• Outraged with the rebellion and what had happened at Lexington & Concord, England removed the
General Gage from command and replaced him with three of the best and the brightest generals in
England:
o General Henry Clinton
• American-born, competent, but socially awkward
o General John Burgoyne
• Conceited and ambitious
o General William Howe
• Experienced officer who fought alongside the Colonists in the French & Indian War
• Ironically, he fundamentally disagreed with war against the Colonists
Bunker Hill & Breed’s Hill
• Since Lexington & Concord, the Colonists had surrounded and begun a siege of Boston
• On June 16, 1775 Patriot spies learned that the British planned to take the high ground on Bunker Hill
(overlooking Boston)
• All night the Colonial militia under Col. William Prescott dug in on Bunker Hill and nearby Breed’s
Hill, preparing trenches and defenses against a British attack
• In the morning, British General William Howe ordered his men to affix their bayonets and to charge up
the hill
• The British climbed and retreated twice as the Colonial militia held them off. On the third time, the
Patriots ran out of ammunition
• The British took Breed’s Hill and won the battle, but at a very high cost in casualties
o British: 1,000 out of 2,300 were dead or wounded
o Patriots: 271 out of 1,600 were dead
• Patriots gained a great deal of confidence from the battle despite their loss
Challenge
• Think (1 min.), Pair (1 min.), Share (2min)
• After the Battle of Bunker Hill, was there any turning back? How could New England convince the
other colonies to join in the cause when there were different feelings about the British across the
American colonies?
The Second Continental Congress
• With the conflict in Massachusetts, the Second Continental Congress was called to meet in the
Philadelphia Statehouse (Independence Hall)
• To date, Congress had not allowed any offensive action against the British but the rebellion had forced
them to discuss war
• Congress created the Continental Army and unanimously made George Washington its Commander
o Being a wealthy Virginian planter (a non-New Englander) and an experienced officer made him
the obvious choice to unite all of the Colonies
The Continental Army
• In the summer of 1775, Washington headed for Cambridge, Massachusetts
• What he found when he arrived was a rag tag force of untrained militia, filthy, and poorly equipped
• Washington had to begin from scratch
o Administrative tasks
o Training
• Washington called for more guns and ammunition but his requests were not met
• To make matters worse, most men were enlisted for 1-year, so as soon as they were well-trained, their
time in the army was up
The Olive Branch Petition
• In the days following the Battle of Bunker Hill the Congress decided to send one more offer of peace to
King George, III, which became known as the Olive Branch Petition
• The Petition called for American autonomy within the British Empire
o Because the message would take months to get to England and back, Washington began to
prepare for full war despite the Petition
• On October 26, 1775, King George, III flatly rejected the Olive Branch Petition and called for a military
solution
• The king also sent thousands of additional troops to Boston to reinforce General William Howe who
became the commander of the British in the Colonies after Gage returned to England
Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation
• The Southern delegates of the Congress grew concerned with one group of soldiers- blacks
• They urged Washington not to arm blacks. In the end Washington agreed despite having Billy Lee, his
personal slave and friend, beside him everywhere he went
• As the Continental Congress outlawed black soldiers- the British welcomed them
• The royal governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore issued a proclamation that any blacks that joined the
British army would gain their freedom after the war
• Thousands of slaves fled their plantations and headed to the British lines
o In Virginia: 30,000 slaves left their owners
Challenge
• Mini-Debate: Think (1 min.), Debate (3 min.)
• Was the Patriot position (not to arm black slaves) a missed opportunity for the Patriots and a clear
advantage for the British? Explain.
Dorchester Heights & Evacuation
• The winter of 1775 was crippling to the Patriots who had little food, money, munitions, or clothing
• On January 25, 1776, Henry Knox returned to Cambridge with cannons and supplies from Fort
Ticonderoga
• Impressed, Washington made Knox the commander of artillery
• With the cannons from Ticonderoga , Washington decided to take the high ground above Boston at
Dorchester Heights
•
On March 4, 1776, as a decoy he ordered his men to fire on the British from Cobble Hill, Lechmere, and
Roxbury as he hauled the cannons up to Dorchester Heights
• On March 5, 1776 (6th anniversary of the Boston Massacre) the British awoke to 20 cannons aimed at
them- the decision was made by the British to Evacuate Boston
• By March 17, 1776, 120 ships with 9,000 redcoats and 2,000 loyalists left Boston
The Battle of Quebec
• On November 13, 1775, Patriot General Richard Montgomery captured the city of Montreal and planned
to march to the capital of Quebec City, a British stronghold in Canada
• Whoever controlled Quebec City, controlled the St. Lawrence River, and all of Canada
• British General Guy Carleton prepared for the defense of Quebec City immediately after fleeing from
Montreal
• General Montgomery marched from Montreal and General Benedict Arnold marched from
Massachusetts to come together and attack Quebec City
• As the battle began it became obvious that due to the frozen ground and lack of heavy artillery, the
Patriots did not stand a chance
• British suffered few casualties but the Americans lost General Montgomery and 400 soldiers were taken
prisoner (including hard fighting Daniel Morgan). Benedict Arnold was also wounded in the battle.
The Empire Strikes Back
• In April, 1776 the Continental Army marched to New York City as the British began returning with a
large armada- there Washington set up his headquarters
• Washington knew that without a navy, defending New York against the world’s strongest naval force
would be virtually impossible
• The British sent 130 warships and 25,000 troops to New York City in an attempt to quickly end the
rebellion
• The British plan was to take the Hudson River, and thereby, divide New England from Philadelphia and
the other colonies
“Common Sense”
• In December, 1775, Thomas Paine wrote his pamphlet, “Common Sense” which called for American
independence from England
• Over 100,000 pamphlets were sold in 1776 alone, and word of “Common Sense” spread rapidly
throughout the Colonies
• The public began discussing and debating independence
• The public discussion now clearly divided colonists
o Loyalists- remained loyal to the king
o Patriots- favored the rebellion and a break from England
• Enlistments into the Continental Army exploded after “Common Sense” though Washington would have
his work cut out for him in training the new recruits
Debate in Congress
• With the Patriot victory and British evacuation of Boston, many people in Congress believed the time
had come to declare independence from England
• Richard Henry Lee of Virginia called for independence
• Congress debated the issue and voted to declare independence
• Thomas Jefferson was called upon to draft the Declaration of Independence
o Jefferson was a slave holder but knew that slavery was wrong
o He knew that every word in the declaration was critical and radical but the question remainedwho was to be a free American? Who was to be “in” and who was “out”?
o Would they fight a war over guaranteed rights yet allow slavery to remain?
The Declaration of Independence
• On July 1, 1776 after several drafts, Thomas Jefferson delivered the Declaration of Independence to
Congress
• Congress tore it apart and Jefferson sat there fuming at their “butchery” of his document
o Took out 89 different things
o Took out anything relating to slavery
• Congress knew that slavery was wrong but did not know how to deal with it. If it was removed, half of
the colonies probably would have left
• On July 2, 1776 the Declaration was put to a vote and passed- John Adams announced that forever July
2, 1776 would be a day of celebration- he was off by 2 days as the final changes were finally completed
on July 4, 1776
• Copies of the Declaration of Independence were set to print and spread throughout the Colonies.
• Those who signed the Declaration knew that they had committed treason and would be hanged if the
revolution failed
• In New York, a statue of King George was torn down and the lead melted to make 42,000 musket balls
Challenge
• Think (1 min.), Pair (1 min.), Share (2 min.)
• Should the Second Continental Congress have ended slavery at the time of the Declaration of
Independence? Why or why not.
Preparations in New York
• Throughout the early summer months of 1776, the Continental Army dug in on the bluffs of Brooklyn
Heights overlooking New York Harbor and waited
• Every day the British brought more troops into their base at Staten Island but they didn’t attack
• Washington was dumbfounded as to why the British were not attacking
• Then in early July, Washington released a secret weapon, the first combat submarine, called the “Turtle”
• The Turtle was a one-man sub that snuck up to an enemy ship, drilled into the side of the boat, and
attached an explosive
• The Turtle failed at its only mission and was spotted by the British- in its retreat, it sent a tower of water
into the air but made no damage to any British ships
The Battle of New York
• On July 12, 1776 at 3:00 p.m. the British began firing their cannons and began a barrage of gunfire
• Citizens of New York and the Continental Army froze with fear
• Then just as suddenly as they started, the British stopped
• General Howe sent a message to General Washington to discuss peace, but because he failed to properly
address Washington as the Commander of the Continental Army, Washington never read it
• In late August, 15,000 British marched towards the Patriots in a frontal assault
• The two sides faced off in massive lines about 100-yards apart (European-style)
• The Americans struggled in open field and forest skirmishes around New York, little did they know
they were actually fighting a decoy- the bulk of Howe’s army was attempting to flank them
• The rebels retreated and staggered back to Brooklyn Heights – they were now surrounded
The Foggy Escape
• In a state of panic, Washington ordered a dangerous nighttime retreat across a narrow slip of water
separating the Patriots at Brooklyn Heights and Manhattan
• As luck would have it, an eerie dense fog rolled in that night, blanketing the area, making visibility
nearly non-existent, and hiding the Patriots as they made their way across the water into Manhattan
• The next morning as the British stormed into the Patriot camp, they found it empty
• This failure of the British to end the war in 1776 was a critical error
• At the same time, it was clear to Washington that he had to abandon New York City if the Continental
Army was to live to fight another day
Defeat at Fort Washington
• By September 1776, the Patriots abandoned New York City
• Only one outpost remained in Patriot hands, Fort Washington but Washington’s inner circle of generals
advised him to abandon the fort and order his 3,000 men to retreat
• One of Washington’s most trusted advisers, Nathaniel Greene disagreed. He believed the fort could be
saved and convinced Washington not to abandon it- he was wrong
• Within a few hours, Fort Washington fell to the British and Hessians and the Patriots were forced to lay
down their arms
•
When the smoke cleared both sides were surprised to see a woman manning one of the Patriot cannonsit was Molly Corbin who took over after her husband was killed (the British sent her home)
Challenge
• Think (1 min.), Pair (1 min.), Share (2 min.)
• Washington’s army was very weak early in the war. The Continental Army was embarrassed at New
York and Washington did not listen to his advisers about abandoning Fort Washington. In fact, many
people considered removing Washington as commander of the army.
1. Were his shortcomings and mistakes understandable or not?
2. Were there other factors that caused the Continental Army to struggle?
3. Why was Washington’s army so badly supplied and trained?
The Hessians
• Along with 8,000 redcoats, the British used thousands of Hessian soldiers in New York and New Jersey
• Hessians were highly trained mercenary soldiers from an area of Germany, hired by the British to
supplement their forces in the Colonies
• Hessians were known for their distinctive oval metallic hats, bright uniforms, and mustaches
• They were often forced into military service and were made up of men from the lowest classes of
German society
• They were also known for their brutality, pillaging, and assaults on American civilians
Prisoners of War
• In November of 1776, Washington retreated into New Jersey in order to regroup and wait out the winter
• At the same time dozens of Patriot prisoners of war died every day on British prisoner of war ships
docked in New York Harbor
• The British were not prepared to take so many prisoners so they used abandoned buildings, Sugar
Houses, and decommissioned warships as jails for captured rebels
• The prisoners received terrible treatment; sickness and starvation were everywhere; and the British
treated the rebels as traitors, essentially leaving them to rot on board
• Most of those who died as prisoners of war were buried in shallow graves on the beaches of Long
Island or in the ocean
Questions of Leadership
• Throughout the war Washington’s judgment and leadership was constantly questioned
• This was especially true after terrible defeats, as supplies grew scarce, food, munitions, and clothes
failed to arrive, and soldiers abandoned the army
• Even Washington’s own generals, such as General Charles Lee, generated plans to force Washington out
of his command
• General Lee and Joseph Reed exchanged letters about Lee’s plan to convince the Congress to remove
Washington and give Lee the title of Commander
o Washington intercepted the letter but elected to do nothing about it
o He knew his power was dwindling after the loss of New York and that he needed a victory badly
o Ironically around the same time, General Lee was captured at a tavern by a British scouting
brigade- this event could have saved Washington’s job
The Winter of 1776 An American Low Point
• The winter of 1776 was a trying time for the Patriots who lacked clothes, food, and supplies
• At the same time, the British and Hessians occupied New Jersey. When the local population refused to
provide the Hessians with supplies they simply took what they wanted and assaulted the citizens
• This provided the perfect opportunity for propaganda against the British
• Patriots and loyalists fought in the streets of every major city
• With support dwindling and troops deserting, Thomas Paine (who had traveled with Washington’s army
as a war correspondent), took action
“American Crisis”
• Washington knew that the British planned to take Philadelphia in the spring of 1777
• His plan was to defend the city (the location of Congress) but confidence in Washington was so low
following the loss of New York, few colonists believed he could do so
•
About the same time that people were fleeing from Philadelphia in fear of a British attack, Thomas
Paine went into the city to print his new pamphlet, “American Crisis”
• Paine revived the passion of the movement and explained that “these are the times that try men’s souls”
• His book was read to the troops and spread through the nation like wildfire- confidence was restored yet
again but Washington still knew that he needed a victory to rally his men
The Battle of Trenton
• Howe positioned Hessian regiments along the Delaware River for the winter- but the troops were spread
thin. Washington knew that a surprise attack could greatly boost morale
• On Christmas Day, 1776 Washington took his 5,000 troops and crossed the Delaware River under cover
of night and by 5:00 a.m. all of his men began marching towards Trenton
• The Hessian commander Colonel Johann Rall was awaiting reinforcements under Dunlop but they never
came
• The Patriots caught the Hessians off guard and unprepared. The Hessians fought bravely but it was too
little, too late as the battle only lasted only about one hour before the Hessians surrendered.
• Rall was killed and Washington had a much needed offensive victory
• His new strategy was not to win every battle, but to wear down the enemy, make surprise attacks, and
retreat before losing too many men
• On December 31, 1776 when his men were about to leave to go home, Washington offered them a $10
(one month’s salary) to stay and fight for him, one by one most of his men reenlisted as they had a new
confidence in their general and more money
Challenge
• Think (1 min.), Pair (1 min.), Share (2 min.)
• It has often been said that “the pen is mightier than the sword.” On New Year’s Eve 1776 was this true?
What saved the Continental Army, or was it a combination of things? Explain.
The French
• Throughout 1776, Benjamin Franklin was in France. Few people in Paris knew why he was there, but
they loved him. They not only loved the idea of the American Revolution (France had extreme wealth
and extreme poverty), but they also loved his personality and fashion
• Ultimately Franklin was looking to get the support of the French in the American Revolution
• France, and specifically the Comt. de Vergennes (who hated England) had been secretly giving rifles,
uniforms, gunpowder, and ammunition, to the Americans, but they wanted money, troops, and France’s
navy
The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
• By June 1777, General John Burgoyne had returned. The plan was to divide the colonies by taking the
Hudson River. Burgoyne would march south from Montreal to New York City to meet up with General
Howe but along the way he was to take back Fort Ticonderoga
• Burgoyne and 8,000 redcoats faced off against 2,500 Patriots. Skirmishing occurred around the fort
• Burgoyne had his men bring several large cannons to Mount Defiance overlooking the fort, which
forced the Patriots to surrender Ticonderoga without a fight
• Burgoyne left 1,000 men to defend the fort while 7,000 followed the retreating Patriots south along the
Hudson River towards New York City
Brandywine Creek
• Although the British plan was for Howe to reinforce Burgoyne, Howe couldn’t pass up the opportunity
to capture Philadelphia. He had his 13,000 redcoats board 260 ships and set sail for Philadelphia,
thereby abandoning Burgoyne in upstate New York and abandoning the plan to take the Hudson River
• Washington heard about the British movement towards Philadelphia and positioned his forces on the
banks of Brandywine Creek
• On September 11, 1777 a bloody battle raged, but by 4:00 p.m., the Continental Army began to break.
Once again the Patriots were fighting only half of the British troops while the other half was attempting
to flank them
• The Patriots retreated. and gave up Philadelphia to the British
•
It was also at Brandywine Creek when a British officer had the opportunity to kill Washington but did
not shot him as it was dishonorable to shoot officers
The Battle of Freeman’s Farm
• British General Burgoyne had no idea that General Howe had abandoned him or the plan to take the
Hudson River. He and 500 natives of the Iroquois Confederacy marched towards New York City
• Most natives were unable to avoid the war, but chose sides based on what each could offer
• Burgoyne issued a proclamation to the people to surrender or else the natives would attack. In one
instance the natives scalped a girl named Jane McCray. This was yet another opportunity for propaganda
against the British
• Patriot General Horatio Gates, joined by Daniel Morgan’s riflemen drew the British towards Saratoga
• Morgan fought using guerilla warfare and picked off every British officer except for 1 and 600 Regulars
at Freeman’s Farm. The British now learned Washington’s dangerous new fighting tactic.
The Battle of Saratoga
• Patriot generals Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold met to discuss war plans over dinner- but an
argument broke out between the men
• Although British General Burgoyne discovered that Howe would not be reinforcing him- he faced off
against the Patriots at Saratoga anyways
• The next day at the battle, Arnold knew the Patriots would lose without him so he disobeyed orders, led
a charge, and organized snipers. He ordered one of those snipers to shoot British Officer Frasier. Upon
his death the British were disorganized and fell apart
• Once again, Benedict Arnold was disgraced. Horatio Gates took all of the credit for the victory at
Saratoga despite the actions of the true hero Benedict Arnold
• Horatio Gates was yet another officer looking for Washington’s job
• After a 7-month campaign, General Burgoyne surrendered his 6,000 men. Those in England blamed
Howe for abandoning him and the victory solidified French support of the Americans
Challenge
• Think (1 min.), Pair (1 min.), Share (2 min.)
• Why was the Battle of Saratoga the turning point in the Revolutionary War?
o It was a terrible failure for the British (who abandoned their divide and conquer strategy
o It was a decisive win for the Patriots and brilliant military move by Benedict Arnold
o It was the news that France needed in order to agree to join the war against England
Valley Forge
• After the loss of Philadelphia, Washington’s Continental Army set up camp for the winter 23 miles
north of Philadelphia at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
• The winter turned out to be a bad winter and supplies and morale were low. There were also those who
wanted Horatio Gates to head the Patriot forces instead of Washington
• At Valley Forge 2,500 men died of disease, cold, and starvation
• At the same time Frederick Wilhelm Augustus Heinrich Ferdinand Baron von Steuben arrived
o Prussian officer and knight who trained the 100 Continental Officers in European drills (they
would in turn train men)
• Nathaniel Greene led foraging parties for supplies and took much from the locals by force on IOU
• Despite the bitter cold these men gave a little hope to the Patriots
John Paul Jones
• In April of 1778, the American merchant ship, the Ranger, under the command of 31-year old, Scottishborn sailor John Paul Jones, raided English coastal villages, burned British ships, and surprise attacked
merchant ships
• Jones had left Europe for a new beginning in America and was now attempting to wear down the
English desire to fight the war
• Jones was known as a pirate in England but a hero in America
• In one expedition, Jones attacked the British warship, the Drake. After an hour, the Drake surrendered.
Jones quickly boarded his new prize and fled to France with the British following in the ship he later
named the Bon Homme Richard
British Retreat to New York
• After hearing about the victory at Saratoga, Benjamin Franklin convinced King Louis XVI of France to
support the Americans
• Upon hearing of the new alliance, the British decided to abandon Philadelphia and move the bulk of
their forces to New York City in order to defend against a French naval attack
• On June 20, 1778 the British began their march from Mount Holly to New York City and Washington
wanted a fight
Battle of Monmouth Courthouse
• On June 28, 1778, Washington ordered newly released General Charles Lee to march 5,000 men to
attack the rear of the British lines as they marched towards New York City and Washington and 7,000
troops would wait behind to fight if the British responded
• Lee did not attack, but instead retreated- partly due to the 104 degree day (which exhausted and
dehydrated the men). He was later court-martialed for his disobedience
• Furious, Washington rode his horse ahead of his troops and led an attack
• 20,000 soldiers fought an intense battle but sunstroke was the biggest killer
• To help the men Mary Hayes McCauley, later named Molly Pitcher, brought water to the dehydrated
Patriots on the battlefield
• In the end, the battle was a draw but the Americans gained confidence that they could hold their own
against the British
Benedict Arnold
• After being injured at the Battle of Saratoga, George Washington appointed Benedict Arnold the
military governor of Philadelphia
• After the British left it was clear that the people of Philadelphia were poor, starving, and regularly
engaged in violent protests
• As military governor, Arnold closed stores to take an inventory of goods in order to supply the military
• This angered the elected governor of Pennsylvania Joseph Reed, who believed that he should have
control
• Reed accused Arnold of abuse of power by closing the stores for his own benefit
• Arnold went before the Congress, which cleared him of these charges, but secretly Reed gave
Washington an ultimatum to either try Arnold or Pennsylvania would withdraw its troops from the army
• Hoping this would blow over quickly Washington publicly reprimanded Arnold
• Washington actually had Arnold in mind for a new field post as one of his top generals
• Unaware of the ultimatum, Arnold was crushed
Betrayal & Treason
• The public criticism by Washington, the disrespect from Ethan Allen, and the slight to his honor by
Horatio Gates had all sent Benedict Arnold over the edge
• Arnold contacted the British head of intelligence John Andre and made a deal
o Arnold would give information about the Continental Army and surrender Fort Arnold (West
Point) to the British
o The British would give Arnold 20,000 pounds and the title of Brigadier General
• John Andre was caught by the Patriots, taken prisoner, and hanged just before Arnold was able to put the
plan into effect. Washington learned about Arnold’s treason
• Benedict Arnold was able to escape to the British camp and served out the rest of the war as a Brigadier
General in the British army
The Winter of 1780
• The winter of 1779-1780 was the worst in recorded history. There were 26 snowstorms, 6 blizzards, and
only 2 days above freezing
• The Patriots were camped in Morristown, New Jersey, only 30 miles west of New York City
• The British unveiled a new war strategy- the southern strategy- to bring the war that had cost it 160
million pounds closer to an end. It hoped to gain a foothold in the wealthy south where there were more
loyalists and more exports
• The new commander of the British forces was General Sir Henry Clinton
Charleston, South Carolina
• On December 26, 1779 British General Sir Henry Clinton received his orders to take Charleston. He
loaded 100 ships and 8,700 men in New York City and left for Charleston
• George Washington learned the British plan but could do nothing to stop them as they were buried in
snow in Morristown
• The defense of Charleston would be left to a Massachusetts farmer named Benjamin Lincoln
• Lincoln asked South Carolina’s governor for more troops or even slaves to defend the city but to no
avail
• Lincoln attempted to ready the city with earthen walls, trenches, and obstacles but these would be
useless without additional troops
• Clinton arrived 20-miles from Charleston on February 11, 1780 and began to build parallel circles
around the city to carry out a siege. Each day the circles would tighten around the city like a noose.
From February until May Lincoln maintained control but on May 12, 1780 Lincoln had no choice but to
surrender Charleston and his 5,000 men to the British
Slaughter at Waxhaw
• The capture of Charleston was a devastating blow to the Patriots
• As 300 Patriots were fleeing from Charleston under Colonel Abraham Buford a British officer Banastre
Tarleton and his cavalry caught up with them
• Fighting lasted only a short time before the Americans flew the white flag in surrender. Despite this,
Tarleton butchered the surrendering Colonials
• For this crime Tarleton was merely reprimanded but the incident became the subject of propaganda and
known as the “Waxhaw Massacre”
• After Charleston the British gave the colonists a final ultimatum- pledge allegiance to the king or be
considered a rebel, but this backfired and pushed neutral colonists into rebellion against the British
The Battle of Camden
• As the British began to focus their attention into the wild southern backcountry, resistance grew deeper
• Sir Henry Clinton returned to New York City and left General Charles Cornwallis in command of the
south
• In July 1780, Horatio Gates took command of the southern branch of the Continental Army and faced
off against Cornwallis at Camden, New Jersey (5,000 British vs. 3,000 Patriots)
• Unfortunately for Gates, he made a tactical error facing his weakest militia off against the strongest
British regiment. The militia quickly lost and Gates, along with his men, fled for their lives
• It was said that Gates cowardly rode his horse as fast as he could for 200 miles without stopping,
destroying his honor
Battle of Cowpens, S.C.
• After the cowardly retreat of Gates, Nathaniel Greene was sent to lead the southern forces
• Greene quickly learned that Cornwallis was on the march. Greene divided his forces
o Half marched under Patriot legend Daniel Morgan and lead the British on a wild goose chase
through the backcountry
o Half remained with Greene- a quicker and lighter regiment to outrun the British
• The British responded by dividing its forces
• On January 17, 1781 Daniel Morgan faced off against Banastre Tarleton and his men
• Morgan placed his lesser-trained militia in the front and ordered them to fire two volleys and then fall
back, when the British charged, his well-trained regular army would attack
• The plan worked perfectly and within an hour, Tarleton’s men surrendered. This time Tarleton
cowardly rode off as fast as he could
Money Issues
• One of the major problems the Continental Army faced was a lack of money
• Though Spain and France had been supporting the American cause, the Continental Congress did not
have the right to tax the people, and therefore, could not raise the money needed for war
•
On January 1, 1781 the Continental soldiers at Morristown had reached their limit. 200 New Jersey
militiamen began to rebel. Washington quickly stopped them and ordered the six ringleaders executed
by firing squad. The firing squad consisted of their closest friends
• At the same time, Benjamin Franklin continued to beg King Louis, XVI for more money despite the fact
he already gave over $100 million towards the war
• In March 1781, Admiral François Joseph Paul Comt. de Grasse readied his ship the Ville de Paris with
cargo headed for the Caribbean. After unloading there, he was to head to America with his fleet of ships
Challenge
• Think (1 min.), Pair (1 min.), Share (2 min.)
• What was the reason for the American money issues? What were their strategies for solving the
problem?
Battle of Guilford Courthouse
• British General Cornwallis was obsessed with following General Greene throughout the southern
backcountry. Greene’s goal was to wear Cornwallis out without getting into a major confrontation
• Cornwallis realized that his troops were carrying too many supplies and ordered a large bonfire to burn
the unnecessary supplies
• On February 22, 1781 it was clear that the two would face off in battle. Greene positioned his men on
favorable territory across the Dan River into North Carolina and prepared for battle
• The two fought in a bloody melee in close quarters and in hand-to-hand combat.
• To gain the upper hand, Cornwallis had his men fire a cannon into the chaos, killing as many of his own
men as the Patriots
• The Patriots retreated and Cornwallis won the skirmish but it proved nothing. More than anything is
showed that months of chasing Greene through terrible terrain was a waste
The Convergence at Yorktown
• In 1781 British General Henry Clinton ordered General Cornwallis to set up a base in the southern coast
at Yorktown, Virginia
• In July, 1781 French Admiral de Grasse left the Caribbean during hurricane season and headed for
Yorktown. It was the French who wanted to strike the British at Yorktown and Washington agreed
• Washington marched his Continental Army with every cannon, gun, and man, as well as 5,000 French
ground troops under the Marquis de Lafayette to Yorktown as well
• Cornwallis frequently wrote to General Clinton seeking reinforcements and supplies, but Clinton would
not respond quickly enough
Yorktown: The End Game
• On September 5, 1781 Admiral de Grasse took on and defeated the British navy in the Chesapeake Bay.
The battle took 4 days but by the end, the French controlled the waters around Yorktown
• One by one Cornwallis’s escape routes were blocked
o The French controlled the York River
o Washington took the south
o French ground troops took the north and west
• On October 6, 1781 a combined French-American force of 17,000 began a siege of Yorktown
• On October 19, 1781 the British surrendered at Yorktown. 7,000 redcoats laid down their weapons
• Washington and Cornwallis met on October 27
The Surrender of Yorktown
• On November 19, 1781 in France, Benjamin Franklin learned about the surrender at Yorktown
• King George, III did not plan to give up, but 6 months after Yorktown, Parliament voted to end the war
• Sir Guy Carleton to oversee the end of the war
• Washington and his men also remained alert to oversee the British and loyalist evacuation
• In April 1782 peace negotiations began in Paris (Franklin, Adams, and Jay)
• Adams and Jay infuriated the French but Franklin was there to smooth things over
Treaty of Paris
• A preliminary peace treaty was reached on November 30, 1782
•
•
•
o Recognized the United States of America
o American fishing rights off of Nova Scotia
o Western Boundary along the Mississippi River but England and the United States would have
navigation and fishing rights
o The treaty completely left out France and Spain
In the fall of 1783, the official Treaty of Paris was signed and one by one, the nations of Europe
recognized American independence
By November 1783, the last of the British, most of the loyalists, and freed slaves left the United States
(many of the former slaves were brought to Canada as freedmen or to the West Indies as slaves)
On December 23, 1783 Washington gave his farewell address to the Congress- retiring from all future
public service- and returning home to Mount Vernon