Transcript Battles of American Revolution ppt

The
Revolutionary War
Vocabulary
• Redcoats: British soldiers
• Minutemen: American
colonial militia
• Militia: Army of citizens
• Continental Army:
Colonial Army
Lexington - Concord
• colonists, warned that the British
were coming, were waiting in
Lexington when the British arrived
the next morning.
• The British soldiers fired a volley
into the colonial militia, killing eight
men and wounding 10.
• The British then moved on to
Concord where minutemen drove
back three British infantry units
guarding Concord’s North Bridge.
• On their retreat back to Boston
they were peppered by patriot
snipers. By the time the redcoats
reached Boston, they had suffered
273 casualties compared with fewer
than 100 for the patriots.
• “Shot Heard Around the World”
American Strengths and
Weaknesses
• 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
American Strengths and
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 and
Weaknesses
• The British have an
experienced
professional army
• Outnumber the
Continental Army
• The British army is
well supplied with
equipment and
weapons
British Strengths and
Weaknesses
• The British are not fighting for a cause
• British officers are careless and poor
leaders
• The British have a to cross the Atlantic
Ocean to send men and supplies for the war
• The support at home is rather weak
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
George Washington
Founding father. Member
of the Continental
Congress, commanderin-chief of the
Continental Army,
presiding officer of the
Constitutional
Convention, first
President of the United
States.
People in the Revolution
Charles Cornwallis
British general and colonial
governor, served with
distinction in American
Revolution, won battle
of Brandywine, captured
Philadelphia in 1777 and
Charleston in 1780,
forced to surrender to
Washington at Yorktown
in 1781 ending the war.
Marquis de Lafayette
French citizen who joined
Continental Army during
Revolutionary War,
ardent supporter of
American Revolution,
voted Major General by
Continental Congress,
commanded light
division in Battle of
Yorktown, close
associate of George
Washington.
Henry Knox
Major figure in
American
Independence, first
Secretary of War,
General in
Continental Army,
principal founder of
U.S. Military
Academy, cofounder of U.S.
Navy.
Nathanael Greene
Revolutionary War
General, studied law
under Thomas
Jefferson, led American
forces in major battles,
supreme commander of
Continental Army in
Sept., 1780; his
battlefield strategy
forced Cornwallis to
Yorktown.
African Americans in the
War
During the revolutionary period in America,
the word "liberty" was everywhere: the
liberty tree, the Sons and Daughters of
Liberty, and slogans such as "give me
liberty or give me death." The concept of
liberty was everywhere, but its reality was
limited. Much of the American economy was
based on the complete opposite of liberty,
slavery. African Americans used the
Revolution to try to obtain their personal
freedom.
African Americans in the War
• 5,000 black men served in
the Continental Army, and
hundreds more served on the
sea.
• African American Patriots
fought in every major battle
of the Revolutionary War.
• When the American
Revolution ended, most
African Americans were
denied the promises of
liberty that were written in
the Declaration.
Native Americans in the
War
Native Americans were in a difficult position during the
American Revolution. It was ironic to Native Americans
that the colonists and British were waging a war over
land that the indigenous people considered theirs.
Indians knew that the Revolution was a contest for
Indian land as well as for colonial liberty. At first,
Native Americans remained uninvolved in the conflict
between the British and colonists. As one Iroquois
stated, “It is true I am tall and strong but I will reserve
my strength to strike those who injure me.” However,
Native Americans were drawn into the fighting.
Women during in the War
The role and status of women underwent a
dramatic change during the Revolution.
Women, whose husbands went off to war,
had to assume the responsibilities that had
formerly belonged to men. Jobs such as
farming, bookkeeping and trade became
woman’s work while the men were off
battling for independence. Not all women
were satisfied by taking up the chores of
men; some wanted to fight.
Women in the War


•
When John Corbin joined the army, his
wife, Margaret Cochran Corbin,
followed him to war. Wives of the
soldiers often cooked for the men,
washed their laundry and nursed
wounded soldiers. During a battle, her
husband was in charge of the cannon..
Margaret continued loading and firing
the cannon by herself until she was
wounded. She was the first woman to
receive pension from the United States
government as a disabled soldier
Deborah Samson fought disguised as a
man named, Robert Shirtliffe in the
Continental Army. Deborah served for
three years and was awarded a pension
for her military service.
Despite their contributions to
America’s war of independence, once
the war was over, women were
relegated to their usual role and their
contributions to the war were many
times ignored.
“At every house women and children
are making cartridges, running
bullets…and at the same time
encouraging their husbands and sons to
fights.”
According to the quote, was the revolution
important to the colonial families?
Do you believe that all races, genders, and
ethnic groups shared this belief in the war
effort?
Key Battles of the American
Revolution
Battle of Bunker Hill
• American troops are dug in along the
high ground of Breed's Hill (the
actual location) and are attacked by
a frontal assault of over 2000
British soldiers who storm up the
hill.
• The Americans are ordered not to
fire until they can see "the whites of
their eyes." As the British get within
15 paces, the Americans let loose a
deadly volley of rifle fire and halt
the British advance.
• The British then regroup and attack
30 minutes later with the same
result.
• A third attack, however, succeeds as
the Americans run out of ammunition
and are left only with bayonets and
stones to defend themselves.
• The British succeed in taking the
hill.
Battle of Trenton
• The Battle of Trenton began on Christmas Day, December
1776, when General Washington's army was in a pitiful
condition, and growing weaker. Troops were deserting, it was
bitter cold and they lacked food, shoes and blankets.
• It was under these conditions that Washington made his
famous crossing of the Delaware river. He had heard from a
scout that the Hessians, (German mercenaries) were
spending the evening relaxing and enjoying food and wine.
• Washington decided to cross at night and surprise them in
the morning. So while the Hessians were enjoying their wine
and song, the Continental Army was preparing to attack. The
army silently advanced to the Delaware River. They crossed
the icy Delaware eight miles north of Trenton and nine hours
later 2400 men gathered around Washington to hear the
order for the assault on Trenton.
The famous crossing:
Washington and his army cross the Delaware River at
night to attack the Hessian mercenaries at Trenton.
• The Hessians were sleeping at 8:00 a.m. when the Americans
entered the City. Minutes later, Washington's army attacked
- killing five Hessian officers, one non commissioned officer,
and sixteen privates. There were 918 prisoners taken to
Newtown, Pennsylvania. Of the American losses, two soldiers
supposedly froze to death, one or two American privates
were wounded, and three officers were wounded, (including
future president Lt. James Monroe).
The Battle of Saratoga, AugustOctober 1777
• The British are
harassed by colonial
guerilla forces and end
up stretching their
supply lines.
• The British will
surrender to the
Colonial forces led by
General Horatio Gates
• Saratoga is important
because it is a major
defeat for the British
and shows the French
that the colonies may
be able to win the war
Victory at Saratoga !!
Britain's loss at Saratoga proved disastrous, in that it signaled
to the European powers that the rebels were capable of
defeating the English on their own. More than any other single
event, it would prove decisive in determining the eventual
outcome of the War.
The Battle of Yorktown, October 1781
• The French are helping the Continental
Army with men, weapons and warships
• The Americans and the French will
corner the British on a small peninsula
and bombard them with cannon fire.
• The British will surrender and end the
American Revolution.
• The colonists will win the American
Revolution with this victory.
The British surrender!!!
The Treaty of Paris, 1783
• THE WAR ENDS WITH THESE
CONDITIONS
• “free, sovereign and independent states”
• British must remove all troops from forts
• Boundary for United States is the
Mississippi
• Loyalist would have rights and property
protected
• captured slaves must be returned to
owners