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The American Revolution Comes to an End
With Cornwallis’ surrender at
Yorktown, the fighting came to an end.
How then did the colonists defeat the
might British army? Each side had its
advantages and disadvantages in fighting
the war, but few had much confidence in
the ability of colonists to succeed in their
battle for independence.
Great Britain was considered the
most powerful nation on earth at the time
of the Revolution. It had recently
defeated both France and Spain in a
contest for North American. Its army
and navy were made up of regulars – paid
and trained soldiers. The soldiers were
also well equipped with guns, munitions and
uniforms supplied by the treasury of
Great Britain. On the other hand, the
American army was made up of militiamen
pledged by the various states. In the
beginning they had little in the way of
formal training, and were unfamiliar with
the battle strategies of war. A shortage
of supplies – munitions and uniforms -vexed General George Washington
throughout the war. Sporadic and poor
pay added to these unsatisfactory
conditions, leading to problems of
desertion and low recruitment.
How then did the colonists win?
Several factors worked to their
advantage. First, while the Continental
army was not the best supplied and
trained army, they did have a strong
belief in their cause. They wanted to win
their independence and were willing to
fight for as long as it took. On the other
hand, the war dragged on it grew to be
quite unpopular in Great Britain. The
British had a difficult time understanding
why so much effort, time and money were
being spent to hang on to those rebellious
colonies – colonies not nearly as profitable
as those in the Sugar Islands. As the war
persisted, many Englishmen began to
question whether or not it was worth it.
Second, although not well trained
in the beginning, as the war went on the
Continental army received additional
training from men like Baron von Stuben, a
German army officer who taught
America’s ill-trained force how to fight
with muskets and bayonets in the
European manner. American soldiers also
adopted fighting methods used by the
Indians. These methods relied on sneak
attacks by small bands of soldiers. As the
war progressed, the Continentals became
an effective fighting force.
The colonists also had the “home
court advantage.” The British received
orders, supplies and support from England,
3,000 miles away. The colonists knew the
land and its people well, and were fighting
for their homes and families.
Finally, France and Spain gave
their support after the American win at
Saratoga. The troops, supplies, ships and
money sent went far in strengthening the
fight for independence.
The Treaty of Paris Recognizes
American Independence
While the surrender of Cornwallis
may have ended the fighting, official
independence came with the signing of the
Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783.
Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Jay
negotiated the treaty which included the
following provisions:
1. The United States would include the
thirteen original colonies and extend
from the Atlantic Ocean to the
Mississippi River.
2. The people of the United States
maintained fishing rights in the waters
off the coast of Newfoundland, and in
areas where people of both countries
fished previously.
3. The citizens of both countries would
pay the debts each owed the other.
4. Congress would earnestly encourage
state governments to pay restitution
to those loyalists who had land,
property or money confiscated during
the war. Nor would loyalists, once the
treaty had been signed, be prosecuted
for their loyalty or have any property
confiscated
5. England would remove all military
forces
6. The navigation of the river Mississippi
would remain free and open to the
subjects of Great Britain, and the
citizens of the United States.
The Peace Treaty officially ended
the American war for independence, but it
did not repair the relationship between
the two countries. For many years after
the war, the United States and Great
Britain only tolerated each other. And,
while America won its independence, it
lost the protection and support of England
which affected the nation’s economy for
several years.
America’s struggle was not yet
done. Indeed, the fighting was over, but
the more difficult task of setting up a
workable government had yet to be
accomplished.
Questions: Answer each of the
following questions on a separate sheet of
paper. Be sure to write in complete
sentences and restate the question as
part of your answer.
1. What were some of the advantages
the British had in fighting the war?
2. What were some of the advantages
the Americans had in fighting the
war?
3. What did the colonists lose by winning
their independence?
4. What did the colonists gain by winning
their independence?