The American Revolution

1. 1763-1776 + 1776-1783 The American Revolution

2. Timeline for American Independence • Timeline • The American Revolution was one of the most significant events in world history: • For it to take place a lot of things had to add up to trigger the war • Even when the war began it was not inevitable that the colonists would declare independence

3. Taxation without representation • The #1 catalyst for the American war for independence was taxation without representation • Colonists understood taxes were necessary, but they felt they should get a voice in government if they were to be taxed • Parliament felt that the colonists should be responsible for the massive debt created by the French & Indian War

4. Acts of Parliament • Sugar Act of 1764 • Lowered tax on molasses, but because it was imposed without their consent it was resisted • Stamp Act of 1765 • Any printed material that was going to be sold had to have a stamp from the British government, this applied to newspapers, books, pamphlets, wills, playing cards, etc. • Colonists organized the Stamp Act Congress to arrange a series of boycotts

5. Acts of Parliament • Writs of Assistance 1767 • A Writ is an order • These authorized agents of the government to search any place they needed to without consent from the owner • Townshend Acts 1767 • Parliament tried to avoid taxing the colonists directly so these taxed imported goods • The colonists resisted them because the merchants were forced to raise their prices

6. Paul Revere’s engraving

7. Problems in Boston • Boston Massacre • In 1770 colonists marched toward a tax collecting building, when they arrived the tense situation resulted in soldiers firing into the crowd

8. Trouble with Tea • Tea Act 1773 • Parliament passes the Act to drive colonial prices up to protect the East India Trading Company • This was also an insult to the English because it was an attack on their culture • The Sons of Liberty respond by having the Boston Tea Party • Sam Adams led his men in disguise to board British ships and dump the tea into Boston Harbor

9. Britain responds to Tea Party • Intolerable Acts/Coercive Acts 1774 • These laws were designed as punishment for the people of Boston because of the Tea Party and other actions • The Acts closed Boston Harbor until the tea was paid for, and prevented the colony of Massachusetts from using its most valuable port • Ironically it was the Intolerable Acts that unified the colonies, people from all over sent supplies to keep Massachusetts alive

10. The Colonies Unite • 1st Continental Congress • Met in Philadelphia in the fall of 1774 to organize resistance against the Intolerable Acts • 12 of 13 colonies sent representatives (Georgia did not) • Agreed to start training a proper army in case they had to go to war • Some notable members include: • George Washington • John Jay • Patrick Henry • John & Samuel Adams

11. “…if they mean to have war, let it begin here!” • April 18, 1775 the British Army is tipped off about an arsenal of weapons in Concord, Mass • Paul Revere and William Dawes ride ahead of them from Boston to alert the militia known as the minutemen • The militia at Lexington mobilizes to slow the British down before they can reach the weapons

12. Battle of Lexington & Concord

13. The “shot heard ‘round the world” • The Battle of Lexington and Concord marked the start of the American Revolution • It was the 1st time in history a group had stood and fought against its European masters • The colonists lose at Lexington but manage to keep the British occupied long enough to have the weapons at Concord moved • On the way back to Boston the colonists attack the British using Guerrilla Warfare and kill or wound almost half the British

14. Battle of Bunker Hill • Bunker Hill was the 1st fight between two large army’s in the Revolution • The hill was a strategic point necessary for defending Boston • The Americans held the hill with 1,200 men • The British charged up the hill suffering heavy losses (1,000+ dead and wounded) • In the end the British win the battle because the colonists ran out of gunpowder and they were forced to retreat

15. 2nd Continental Congress • In summer of 1775 delegates gathered again to discuss how to handle the war • They offered the Olive Branch Petition to George III: • It was our last attempt at peace • George III responds by hiring 30,000 Hessian soldiers • The vote to put George Washington in command of the Continental Army

16. 1776 • In January Thomas Paine tries to convince common people that a break with Britain is just Common Sense • In April Richard Henry Lee proposes that all ties with Britain be formally cut • The President of the 2nd Continental Congress, John Hancock, authorizes Thomas Jefferson to draft a Declaration of Independence • The Declaration is signed on July 4, 1776 and marks the birth of the United States of America

18. The Declaration of Independence • The Declaration is divided into four parts- • Preamble: the introduction • Declaration of Rights: explains unalienable rights; it is an example of the influence of the Enlightenment • List of Grievances: specific complaints against King George III and Parliament • Resolution of Independence: explains the new position of the colonies

20. Not all colonists agreed with the Declaration… Loyalist Patriot Colonials who supported the idea of America and staying free and independent • Colonials who were loyal to Britain and supported them in the war, also known as Tories (Tory)

21. The turning point in the war

22. Saratoga • In the first 2 years of the war the colonials had limited success, and were not able to gain allies because of this • At Saratoga the British tried to cut the New England colonies off from the others • Saratoga is the turning point in the war because the Americans defeated a British force of over 5,700 men

23. Saratoga • The Battle of Saratoga accomplished three things: • Stopped the British from dividing them up • Showed the Americans they had the ability on their own to defeat the British • Ben Franklin was able to convince the French government to lend the Americans financial support, and eventually soldiers and the French Navy

24. New allies • The Marquis de Lafayette, a French noble, after reading the Declaration bought a ship and hired a crew to take him to America. • When he arrived he found George Washington and helped him throughout the war because: • “The future of America is closely bound up with the future of all mankind.”

25. Allies • The Spanish governor of Louisiana, Bernardo de Galvez, organizes an army to attack British positions along the Gulf • His attacks forced the British to divert their attention

26. Allies • Freidrich von Steuben, was a former member of the Prussian military, he came to help George Washington train his army

27. Allies • Jean-BaptisteDonatien de Vimeur (comte de Rochambeau) • Rochambeau was the French commander who helped defeat the British at Yorktown

28. Winter at Valley Forge • Traditionally armies did not fight during winters, so Washington camped his army 20 miles outside of Philadelphia in Valley Forge during one of the coldest winters • The toughest job for Washington was holding his army together • The army was not equipped properly and most of the troops had no blankets, shoes, etc. • Valley Forge was a unifying experience for the Continental Army because they had to work together to survive

29. Yorktown

30. The Battle of Yorktown • The British army was trying to recover in Virginia from other defeats • Washington and his French allies convinced British forces in New York they were attacking there, and then marched south to surround Cornwallis • After a month long siege the British finally surrendered

31. The Treaty of Paris (1783) • The war is officially ended in 1783 • The Treaty of Paris formerly established the borders of the United States • Field Trip