America Secedes from the Empire
1775-1783 American Pageant Chapter 08
Introduction
After Lexington & Concord
20,000 Minutemen in Boston
Second Continental Congress
May 10, 1775 Still wanted reconciliation Measures to raise $--just in case
Congress Drafts George Washington
Cons
No military genius Limited experience7 Yrs. War
Only colonel Largest command1,200 20 years earlier
Congress Drafts George Washington
Pros
Gifted leader Patience, courage, selfdiscipline, & sense of justice Great moral force Symbolpeople rallied to him Sacrificelife for a cause & $
Political choice
Virginian & wealthy
Bunker Hill & Hessian Hirelings April 1775-July 1776
War of inconsistencyraising armies, but seeking reconciliation
Fort Ticonderoga & Crown Point --May 1775
Seized vital gunpowder & artillery
Bunker Hill & Hessian Hirelings
Bunker HillJune 1775
Any more wins like that & the British would lose the war
Bunker Hill & Hessian Hirelings
Olive Branch Petition July 1775 George IIIAugust 1775
Rebelstreason Hired thousands of German mercenaries or Hessians
Colonistsshocked
Notice that John Hancocks signature stands out on this document too.
Exaggerated tales of butchery
The Abortive Conquest of Canada
Rebels2 pronged attack
French would want to resist British 14th colony Deprive British of base Contradiction offensive war
The Abortive Conquest of Canada
Bare missQuebec December 31, 1775
Irish General Richard Montgomery & Benedict Arnold (his starving troops had to eat shoe
leather & dogs)
Beaten off Montgomery killed & Arnold wounded French didnt welcome anti-Catholic invaders
Illustration of a British charge at the Battle of Quebec by Allan Daniel. Arnold's men are correctly depicted in summer uniforms, while the British are shown in heavy overcoats.
Evacuation of BostonMarch 17, 1775
On March 17, 1776, the 11-month siege of Boston ended when the Continental Army, under George Washington, fortified Dorchester Heights with cannons captured at Ticonderoga, forcing General Howe's garrison to attack or flee. To prevent what could have been a slaughter of his troops, Howe agreed to retreat to Nova Scotia via his ships without setting the city on fire as he left. Boston was one of the most important ports in the New World, and one of the most defensible (there is only a single channel into Boston Harbor which is ringed with islands). That the Americans were able to drive off several thousand hardened troops and 1,100 loyalists with only a few warning shots fired and no loss of life or property was a major accomplishment and was Washington's first victory of the war. It was also a huge morale boost for the new country, as the city where the rebellion against England started was the first to be liberated. Boston was never attacked again.
Thomas Paine Preaches Common Sense
Still hope for address of grievances 1776 Thomas Paine published Common
Sense
Best seller in few months 120,000 copies
(Washington in NY with many loyalists, grateful for the document.)
Paine & the Idea of Republicanism
Radical ideas:
Republic
Authority from common consent Ideas from Greece & Rome John Locke
Colonist government
Prepared for ideas Citizen virtue But Natural aristocracy to preserve social order
Jeffersons Explanation of Independence
Second Continental Congress June 7, 1776
Richard Henry Lee proposed independence
July 2, 1776
Motion approved
July 4, 1776
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson Natural rights George IIIs misdeeds
Jeffersons Explanation of Independence
Reaction
Can get foreign aide America Patriots: now rebels Later inspires French Revolution
Patriots & Loyalists
Patriots:
Whigs Minority movement Younger people energy i.e. Patrick
Henry, Samuel Adams
Militias
Took over when British troops left Agents of revolutionary ideas political education Harassed British forces The Americans would be less dangerous if they had a regular army.
No. They didnt have cameras then. These are people who reenact battlesfor fun!
Patriots & Loyalists
Loyalists:
16% of American people Families often split on issue More numerous among older 80,000 fled abroad lost land Kings officers, Anglican clergy
(aristocracy exceptionVA because of debts)
NY city, Charleston, PA, & NJ Least numerous in N.E. Spies, bore arms, incited Indians
American Loyalists arriving in Canada
General Washington at Bay
March 1776moved from Boston to NY July 1776British fleet
500 ships; 35,000 men
U.S.18,000 ill-trained Lost Battle of Long Island
Colonel John Glover organizing the evacuation of General George Washingtons Army from Brooklyn
Fog, windescape Manhattan Island Crossed Hudson, then Delaware River
General Washington at Bay
General Howe
Did not pursue Patriots Could have destroyed army Didnt want winter campaign
Mistress in NY
General Washington But not for long! at Bay
Bedraggled Patriot Army What do you do then? ATTACK! Two Lifesaving victories
December 26, 1776
Washington crosses the Delaware Surprised & captures Hessians
Then defeats troops at Princeton
Burgoynes Blundering Invasion
1777British plan:
Capture Hudson River Valley Cut off N.E. from other states Led by General Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne Colonel Barry St. Ledger met them from west
Burgoyne
Benedict Arnolds forces
Stopped plan (w/help of winter) British must retire for winter to Canada
Arnold
Burgoynes Blundering Invasion
Retried invasion next year
Slow progress- forests, no roads, large company
(women)
Bogged down in Albany Face Benedict Arnolds forces
General Howe
Attacked Philadelphiadid not join Burgoyne Settled down in Philadelphia
Burgoyne surrendered in Saratoga, Oct. 17, 1777
General Burgoyne surrenders to American general Horatio Gates
Revolution in Diplomacy?
American Revolutionary ideas -- international diplomacy
End to colonialism & mercantilism Drafted sample treaty
John Adams:
No political connections No military connections Only commercial connections
Revolution in Diplomacy?
Benjamin Franklin
France to negotiate alliance Plain appearance Extremely popular Persuades French with:
Saratoga victory Played on fears of AngloAmerican reconciliation Americarecognized separate nation February 6, 1778 alliance treaty
The Colonial War Becomes a Wider War
American Revolution = multipower world war
France v. England 1778 Spain v. England 1779 Holland v. England 1779 Spanish + French fleets > British fleet
1778-1783 France provided:
Guns, $, equipment, & of regular forces
Consequences:
British evacuate Philadelphia Monmouthbattle indecisive but 1/3 of Hessians deserted Washington hems in British in NY area
Marquis de Lafayette in the American Revolution