American Colonies vs. British Empire

1. American Colonies vs. British Empire Who should win the American war for independence? Why?

2. American Adv • GW’s “aura” • Foreign aid • Von Steuben • Lafayette • Home field • Cause

3. British Adv • Army/Navy • Loyalists (?) • $$ • Established Gov’t • Experience

4. American Disadv • No $$ • Ask states for $ • Bonds • Paper $ • Borrow • Inflation • “Not worth a Continental” • Unproven army • Unity? • Weak central gov’t • Navy?

6. British Disadv • Supply lines • Loyalists • Distance • Generals

7. Michael Flynn is a recent immigrant to Boston from Ireland. He works when and where he can find work. He has worked as a dockhand, a bouncer in a waterfront tavern, a ditchdigger, and, for a short period, as an assistant to the hangman. Charles Hopewell is a farmer in Pennsylvania and a man of some importance in a town of about 800 inhabitants, near Philadelphia. In this colony, which is a home for many religious sects, he is one of the few Anglicans. The main crop of his farm is wheat. He does a brisk trade with Philadelphia merchants. Carl Strasser came to Pennsylvania from Germany in 1752. A skilled ironworker, he soon became the owner of a forge. His business was good until 1767 when iron was put on the list of enumerated commodities. This meant that he could not sell his iron to Europe (and his contacts in Germany), but had to send it all to England to be processed. He had to shut down his ironworks and ran the other half at a loss until he went bankrupt in 1770. Dr. Elisha Gray lives in Hingham, MA. He is the only doctor in the area. Thus he is overworked but fairly well-to-do. He owns a house and about seven acres of land, which his son farms (growing vegetables for the family’s use). One of his daughters is married to the local Congregational minister, the other to the collector of customs in Boston. James Farnham works in the British customshouse near the docks of Newport, RI. His job is to go aboard each ship docked in Newport and receive from its captain the list of the cargo he is carrying. Farnham then estimates the amount of tax on the cargo and adds on the wharf charges. When the captain or the merchant who is receiving the goods has paid all the duties and charges, Farnham issues him a bill of clearance signifying that everything has been paid up. Farnham is 52 years old and has held his job for 20 years.