America Secedes From the Empire

1. America Secedes From the Empire Chapter 8

2. After Lexington and Concord • 20,000 minute men surround British in Boston

3. 2nd Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia inMay 1775 • All 13 states represented • Independence not discussed • Continue fight util George III gives in • Wrote the British for new laws • Also get ready for war

4. Congress Drafts George Washington

5. George Washington • Choosing George Washington to head army a significant step • Colonel in army • Largest command of 1200 • Lost more than he won • Great leadership ability and outstanding character • More of a moral force than military genius

6. Perks of Washington • Wise choice though it didn’t seem so at the times • More Political • Chose a Virginian to bring support from the South for New England • Not a fortune seeker • Virginia the largest state

7. Bunker Hill and Hessian Hirelings

8. Hard choices for early America • American Contradictions • Calling for loyalty to king • Raising an army and fighting a war • Fought 14 months before they declared their independence

9. Tempo of war Increased • Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold capture Ticonderoga and Crown Point in upper New York • Great supply of gunpowder • Colonists seize Bunker Hill overlooking Boston • British launch frontal attack and suffer heavy losses • Colonists retreat when they run out of ammunition

10. Olive Branch Petition • July 1775 • Professed loyalty to king and want to stop hostilities • George III disregards petition • Formally claims colonies in rebellion • Hires thousands of Hessians

11. Hessians Deal Shocked Colonists • Thought this was within the family • Hessians known for butchery • Hessians good soldiers but more interested in booty • Some deserted and remained in America

12. The Abortive Conquest of Canada

13. Americans invade Canada • Believed Canadians want independence too • Valuable base for striking at colonies • 2,000 troups • What happened to defensive war and redress of grievances\

14. General Montgomery’s Invasion • Up Lake Champlain and captured Montreal • Joined at Quebec by Benedict Arnold coming from Maine • Montgomery killed on assault on Quebec • Arnold wounded • French Canadians did not want American anti-Catholics

15. Continued Fighting in Colonies • British burn Norfolk • Evacuation of Boston by British • Colonists win victories at Moore’s Creek in NC and Charleston

16. Thomas Paine Preaches Common Sense

17. Why did America not declare its independence more quickly? • Loyalty to Britain • Many felt they were British • Don’t want to face the Powerful Britain • Common Sense • Radical Thomas Paine • Sold an astonishing amount • Moved the colonists in direction of independence • Why have a small country control the large country?

18. Paine and the Idea of “Republicanism”

19. Republicanism • Calls for 2 ideas • Independence and creations of a republic • Does so with articulate and common language • Power should come from governed

20. Republic Not a New Idea • Britain began to have mixed government during Renaissance • Fear of excessive power in hands of King • Colonists saw monarchs acts a way to take away these liberties and excessive power • Americans receptive of Paine’s ideas

21. Civic Virtue Matters Most • Sacrifice personal self-interest for good of public • America fertile ground for this • Not all agreed with Paine • Some see advantages to natural aristocracy • End to hereditary but not social aristocracy • Did not want leveling of society

22. Jefferson’s “Explanation” of Independence • June 7, 1776 Richard Henry Lee moves for independence (Lee’s Resolution) • Adopted on July 2, 1776 • Formal declaration made verbally on this day • Want a formal explanation • Want to enlist other British colonies • Invite assistance from foreign nations • Rally resistance from home

23. Committee Appointed after June 7 Resolution • Drafting fell to Thomas Jefferson • Declaration approved on July 4, 1776 • Just as much an explanation of independence • Declaration of Independence • magnificent, remarkable • Universal appeal with “natural rights” • Colonists Justified in cutting connection • Made list of violations by George III

24. Significance of Declaration • Took liberties with truth • Editorial • “All men are created equal” haunts Jefferson because he owned slaves • Written an official declaration of war • Must all hang together or will all hang separately • Source of inspiration against arbitrary authority around the world

25. Patriots and Loyalists

26. Loyalists • Those still loyal to the King • Patriots-rebels • Loyalists called Tories in England • Patriots called Whigs in England

27. Minority Movement • Many were neutral • Opposing forces contend to loyalty of neutrals • British not liked in areas they did not militarily controlled • Patriots helped promote propaganda against British • Patriots harass detachments

28. More facts of Loyalists • 16% were loyalists • split families (Franklin and Son, William) • Loyalists also include King’s Officers’ • Anglican clergy also • Loyalists were strong around Anglican Church

29. Other Loyalists • Resettled British Soldiers • Immigrants in back country of south who resented plantation owners • Some who believed religious tolerance would be greater under British rule • Blacks seeking freedom

30. When War Lost Many • Sold Blacks back into slavery • Blacks fled to Nova Scotia • Lost property • Left for England • Some had to reestablish themselves in societies who saw them as traitors

31. Least Numerous in New England • Self government • Mercantilism weak • Presbyterians and Congregationalists

32. The Loyal Exodus

33. Loyalists-Before and After the Declaration of Independence • Before-treatment of loyalists mild • After-Harsher methods • Loyalists were traitors to traitors of England • Poor treatment but no reign of terror • Reflected Anglo-Saxon regard for order • Many fled before something could happen

34. Loyalists Continued • 80,000 loyalists were driven out • Estates confiscated and sold • Some bore arms for British • Spies • Incite Indians • British do not make full use of Loyalists

35. General Washington at Bay

36. British Concentrate on New York after Boston Evacuated • Good harbor with lots of loyalists • 500 ships arrived • Washington Could only muster 18,000 ill trained troops • Washington beaten at Battle of Long Island • Washington escapes to Manhatten • Escapes across Hudson River into New Jersey and then across the Delaware River

37. British General William Howe had a chance to crush Washington • Not a military genius • Did not want an inconvenient war • Rather have an affair

38. Trenton-December of 1776 • Surprised Hessians • First victory-very small • Won another at Princeton a week later • Washington at military best • Small military but big in moral

39. Burgoyne’s Blundering Invasion

40. British Plan • Sever New England from rest of states • 1. General Burgoyne down through Lake Champlain • 2. General Howe advances up Hudson River to Albany • 3. Barry St. Leger from west by Lake Ontario

41. Benedict Arnold • Retreat from Quebec along St. Lawrence River • British needed to win control of lake to move troops and supplies • Arnold bought time but lost battle • British had to start their invasion from Canada next year as winter set in • Burgoyne would have succeeded had he not had to start invasion from Canada

42. Begins with 7,000 Regular Troops • Heavy Baggage and women along • Progress slow-sometimes only a mile a day • American militia began to swarm his flanks

43. Howe decides to attack Philadelphia instead of joining Burgoyne • Wants to force a general engagement with Washington • Wants to capture the rebel capital • Thought he had time to do both

44. Washington moves troops to Philadelphia • Lost at Brandywine Creek and Germantown • Howe settles into Philadephia leaving Burgoyne to fend for himself • “Philadelphia had captured Howe” • Washington retires to Valley Forge • Von Stueben whips troops into shape

45. Americans begin to close in on Burgoyne • Arnold helped trap the British • St. Leger’s army forced to turn back • Surrender on October 17,1777 • Overall with Saratoga • Turning point of Revolutionary war • revived the faltering colonial cause • Much needed aid from France which helped ensure American Independence

46. After Saratoga • Significant in American and World History • Revived the faltering American colonies • Made possible urgently needed help from France which ensures American Victory

47. Strange French Bedfellows

48. France Wants to Encourage Fight • Get back at British • Colonies a big part of British Empire • Could regain its previous position • American revolution a fad in France • Intrigued by writings of Rousseau • Idea of Liberty • Had secretly been supplying arms and gunpowder • 90% of gunpowder from France

49. Open Aid Might Provoke Britian • France not ready to fight • Rebellion might die out and leave France to fight alone • Declaration of Independence and Saratoga turns tide • After Saratoga Britain gives American home rule • France is now going to have to keep America and Britain apart • Franklin plays on the fear of reconciliation

50. Louis XVI not Willing to Risk War • Minister talked him into it • Undo 1763 • America might help them seize sugar islands in West Indies • Should fight while they have an American ally