The American Revolution between 1775-1783 saw the colonies struggle to win independence from Britain through war while also working to establish stable state and national governments. It involved both a military conflict with Great Britain and an internal political struggle. Key events included the Declaration of Independence in 1776, difficulties financing the war under the weak Articles of Confederation, pivotal American victories at Trenton, Princeton, Saratoga, and Yorktown, and eventual recognition of American independence in the 1783 Treaty of Paris after over seven years of war. The outcome was influenced by factors like America's use of guerilla tactics on its home turf against Britain's conventional army, the colonists' resolve to fight for freedom and self-govern

1. The American Revolution
1175-1783
Between 1775 and 1787, Americans
struggled to win a war, make a peace
and create a sound and stable
government on both the state and
the national levels. At first the
colonies were neither prepared for
nor united behind fighting a war with
England.

2. • In fact, the Revolution encompassed two
struggles--a military conflict with Great Britain
and a domestic political struggle.

3. The States United(?)
• Defining Americas War Aim– Second
Continental Congress
• --Complete independence? Richard Henry
Lee draws resolution
• --Reconciliation? John Dickinson—Olive
Branch Petition
•

4. 1776
• Thomas Paine-- Changed peoples mind
The King was the problem
“the island kingdom of England was no more fit
to rule the American continent, than a
satellite was fit to rule the sun”

5. The Declaration of Independence
1776-Thomas Jefferson
• America’s birth certificate
• John Locke inspired
• Jefferson states all men are equal, unalienable
rights—governments get their power from the
consent of the governed, purpose of
government is to secure the rights of the
people, people have the right to abolish
government if government fails to protect
rights

7. Divided America
• Loyalists, Patriots and Neutrals
• Articles of Confederation—first gov—loose
alliance of states—weak central government—
states not willing to give up power
• Financing the War—very difficult—no power
to tax
• Created a Continental army-Washington in
charge

8. Foreign Assistance
• Marquis de Lafayette Baron F. Von Steuben

9. Advantages
American British
Home field advantage Largest army, navy, $, and
Reason for fighting manufacturing
Support of the people

10. Goals & Strategies
• The American Colonies:
• --Defensive war
• --militia
• --home field
• The British
• --Offensive war
• --largest army
• --distant war

11. Breed’s Hill –Bunker Hill
Boston
• After the British withdrew from Concord and
Lexington, American forces started in on
British General Thomas Gage and Howe in
Boston.
• “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their
eyes” American Gen. Prescott
• http://youtu.be/yHkQCfu2cwc

12. • Br. General Gage reported to his superiors
after the battle “These people show a spirit
and conduct against us they never showed
against the French”.
• Up to this point, England thought this was
perhaps a regional conflict, not a full scale
war—after the battle, they thought differently.

13. The Crisis-Thomas Paine

14. Trenton and Princeton
New Jersey
http://youtu.be/3PwtTKSU9AU

15. • The Significance: the tide turns, volunteers
sign up, Washington becomes the hero

16. Saratoga
• Hero is Benedict Arnold
• French come to our Aid
• http://youtu.be/BXBu2NpB8DI

17. The Final Phrase: The South
• War was a stalemate—a war of attrition-Britain
lost in the North East, lost in the Middle
colonies—now the South
• Strategy: Conquer an area and put Loyalists in
charge -but they over estimated the loyalty of the
Loyalists (?)—most were not interested in
England, they just wanted to get even with
Patriots—settle old scores—fighting becomes
vicious (civil war)
• British were constantly harassed by Patriot
guerrillas—Francis Marion the “Swamp Fox”

18. The Great Irony
• The British were ready to exploit the
contradiction of the South
• What Southerners were fighting for was
freedom, while they enslaved a half million
blacks
• Page 170
• Racial Manipulation would be used by the
British to destabilize the South and yet in
another ironic situation it caused the South to
be united in opposition to the British

19. • The Revolutionary theme of Freedom and
Independence meant, in the South, freedom
to maintain their Slave system

20. Gen. Nathaniel Greene
• Remarkable General—knows one doesn’t
have to win battles in order to win the War.
• The side that wins the hearts and minds of the
South will prevail.
• Military Strategy: make the British presence so
unpleasant
• Led the Br. Gen Cornwallis on a 6 month chase
through the backwoods of the South

21. Yorktown Va.

22. Treaty of Paris 1783

23. Things to think about
• The American Revolution as a Civil War????

24. • Patriots vs Loyalists
• Colonists were of British origins now fighting
to separate themselves from it

25. Assessing the advantages and
disadvantages that affected the
outcome in the Revolutionary war.