American Revolution Part One
Thomas Sumter
"the Gamecock." Lead a militia that bloodied loyalist forces throughout the Central part of South Carolina.
Continental Army
A standing army created by Congress when not enough people volunteered. Terms were a minimum of 3 years service or the duration of the war. Each state had to raise certain number of troops, men who enlisted offered cash bounty and clothing for the duration. Also offered 100 acres of land. Still had trouble recruiting.
Smallpox Epidemic
Added to the political instability. Broke out in American troops besieging Quebec. Spread to New England where Washington secretly gave soldiers vaccination. Continued to spread down coast all the way to New Orleans and Mexico City. From New Orleans it spread to via fur traders up the Mississippi River. By the time it ended more than 130,000 died. This compared to 8,000 American soldiers who died in battle, and 13,000 from the disease.
Siege of Charleston
After a siege that began on April 2, 1780, Americans suffer their worst defeat of the revolution on this day in 1780, with the unconditional surrender of Major General Benjamin Lincoln to British Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton and his army of 10,000 at Charleston, South Carolina. Having suffered the humiliation of surrendering to the British at Charleston, Major General Lincoln was able to turn the tables and accept Cornwallis' ceremonial surrender to General George Washington at Yorktown on October 20.
Morristown Winter Camp
After victories in Trenton and Princeton, he sets up winter headquarters in Morristown. Hills allowed them to keep eye on British and protected roads leading to Philadelphia, where leaders were.
John Burgoyne
Also known as Gentleman Johnny. Led an attack on New York from Canada. Marched with 9,500 men, 2,000 women and children and a baggage train. Would lose not only the battle of Saratoga, but also his army.
Nathanael Greene
American General in the Revolution and served with Washington in Siege of Boston, Led troops at Trenton, Brandywine, and Germantown. Risked dividing his forces to also make British divide their forces
Loyalists/Tories
Americans who did not back the rebellion, supporters of the king and Parliament. About ⅕ of population in 1775. Called themselves Loyalists, rebels called them Tories.
Hessians
Approximately 30,000 mercenaries from Germany brought to America to help the British
The Crisis
Articles written by Thomas Paine
Olive Branch Petition
Drawn up by John Dickinson. Affirmed American loyalty to George III and asked the king to disavow the policies of his principal ministers. Adopted by Congress in July 1775.
Foreign Nations in the War
France - Allied with Americans, Spain - Allied with Americans Germans/Hessians - Mostly British
France/Spain
France and Spain both allied with Americans in hopes for revenge on British and for land
Marquis de Lafayette
French aristocrat that fought in Continental army and became powerful in France during French revolution.
Charles Gravier de Bergennes
French foreign minister who after the American victory at Saratoga wanted to get the French officially involved as allies of America in the fight against Britain. France wanted revenge against Britain for Seven Years' Wars.
Rochambeau
French general that was supporter of American Revolution. Commanded French forces that helped defeat British at Yorktown
Horatio Gates
General who lead the New England militia and Continental soldiers to victory at Saratoga.
Women of the Army
Had to run farms, businesses, raise children. Helped supply troops with clothing blankets bandages etc. Poor women followed troops and cooked and washed their clothes. Served as nurses
Admiral Richard Howe
Head of British naval operations in America. Brother of General William Howe. Stopped short of pressing British advantage owing to his personal desire for reconciliation.
John Adams
In 1774, Adams attended the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia as a Massachusetts delegate. (The Continental Congress served as the government of the 13 American colonies and later the United States, from 1774 to 1789.) In 1775, as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, Adams nominated George Washington (1732-99) to serve as commander of the colonial forces in the American Revolutionary War (1775-83), which had just begun. As a congressional delegate, Adams would later nominate Thomas Jefferson to draft the Declaration of Independence.
Benjamin Franklin
In 1776, he was part of the five-member committee that helped draft the Declaration of Independence, in which the 13 American colonies declared their freedom from British rule. That same year, Congress sent Franklin to France to enlist that nation's help with the Revolutionary War.
Yorktown
In the fall of 1781, a combined American force of Colonial and French troops laid seige to the British Army at Yorktown, Virginia. Led by George Washington and French General Comte de Rochambeau, they began their final attack on October 14th, capturing two British defenses and leading to the surrender, just days later, of British General Lord Cornwallis and nearly 9,000 troops. Yorktown proved to be the final battle of the American Revolution, and the British began peace negotiations shortly after the American victory.
Banastre Tarleton
Leader of 1,100 British soldiers after Cornwallis divided the army. Sent with British soldiers into the west to chase Daniel Morgan and Continental troops. Was defeated by Morgan at the battle of Cowpens.
Henry "Lighthorse Harry" Lee
Major General and early Patriot. 9th governor of Virginia. Father of Robert E. Lee.
Cornwallis
Major General under Sir Henry Clinton, captured New York and was a main general for British in American Revolution
Joseph Brant
Mohawk leader that rallied the Pro-British Indian nations (Mohawk, Onondaga, Seneca, and Cayuga). Bilingual, literate, and formidable in war. Helped lead devastating raids across the frontiers of New York and Pennsylvania.
Minutemen/Militia
Most Americans preferred to fight as members of local militia units, the irregular troops who turned out to support the regular army whenever British forces came close to their neighborhoods.
Battle of Long Island
On August 27, 1776 the British Army successfully moved against the American Continental Army led by George Washington. The battle was part of a British campaign to seize control of New York and thereby isolate New England from the rest of the colonies. Washington's defeat could have led to the surrender of his entire force, but his ingenuity instead allowed him to escape and continue the fight.
Princeton
On January 3, 1777, Continental Army soldiers under the command of General George Washington defeated a force of British troops near Princeton, New Jersey. The action was part of a larger campaign to regain momentum following a string of defeats in the New York City area throughout the summer and fall of 1776. With the main Continental Army able to threaten major British supply lines following the Battle of Princeton, Crown forces pulled back to more defensible positions near the Hudson River freeing much of New Jersey from British occupation.
Brandywine
On the afternoon of this day in 1777, General Sir William Howe and General Charles Cornwallis launch a full-scale British attack on General George Washington and the Patriot outpost at Brandywine Creek near Chadds Ford, in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, on the road linking Baltimore and Philadelphia. The one-day battle at Brandywine cost the Americans more than 1,100 men killed or captured while the British lost approximately 600 men killed or injured. To make matters worse, the Patriots were also forced to abandon most of their cannon to the British victors after their artillery horses fell in battle.
George Rogers Clark
One of the American fighters who helped cause upheaval in the West. Captured outposts without materially affecting the outcome of the war
General William Howe
One of the British officials charged with overseeing the war. Concern for preserving troops led him to be overly cautious.
George Washington
Over the course of the grueling eight-year war, the colonial forces won few battles but consistently held their own against the British. In October 1781, with the aid of the French (who allied themselves with the colonists over their rivals the British), the Continental forces were able to capture British troops under General Charles Cornwallis (1738-1805) in Yorktown, Virginia. This action effectively ended the Revolutionary War and Washington was declared a national hero.
Baron von Steuben
Penniless Prussian soldier of fortune who arrived in 1778. Taught discipline to American soldiers. Taught them how to make proper formations and to handle bayonets. Helped morale to rebound.
Henry Clinton
Replaced William Howe as commander-in-chief of the British army.
Treaty of Paris
Signed September 3, 1783. Diplomatic triumph. American negotiators were Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and John Jay. Suggested to British that generous settlement would weaken American ties to France. British recognized independence of the United States and agreed to boundaries of new nation--Mississippi River to West, 31st parallel to south, Canada to North. Got French to agree by saying they were allies and needed to present united front. Spain settled by keeping Florida and Minorca. Marked the end of the war and the start of a new nation.
Declaration of Independence
Statement adopted by Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, and stated that the 13 colonies were no longer under British control.
British Strategy in the North/South
Take over all colonies and make all land east of the Mississippi British territory
King George III
The American Revolution began on April 19, 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The next year, the Declaration of Independence laid out the Americans' case for freedom, portraying George III as an inflexible tyrant who had squandered his right to govern the colonies. In reality the situation was more complex: Parliamentary ministers, not the crown, were responsible for colonial policies, though George still had means of direct and indirect influence. The king was reluctant to come to terms with his army's defeat at Yorktown in 1781. He drafted an abdication speech but in the end decided to defer to Parliament's peace negotiations. The 1783 Treaty of Paris recognized the United States and ceded Florida to Spain.
Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought on April 19, 1775, kicked off the American Revolutionary War (1775-83). Tensions had been building for many years between residents of the 13 American colonies and the British authorities, particularly in Massachusetts. On the night of April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord in order to seize an arms cache. Paul Revere and other riders sounded the alarm, and colonial militiamen began mobilizing to intercept the Redcoat column. A confrontation on the Lexington town green started off the fighting, and soon the British were hastily retreating under intense fire.
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting in the spring of 1775 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Created Declaration of Independence.
Francis Marion
The Swamp Fox. Lead a band of white and black raiders to cut British Line of Communication between Charleston and the interior.
Bunker Hill
This was the second battle of the revolutionary war. On June 17, 1775, early in the Revolutionary War (1775-83), the British defeated the Americans at the Battle of Bunker Hill in Massachusetts. Despite their loss, the inexperienced colonial forces inflicted significant casualties against the enemy, and the battle provided them with an important confidence boost.
Partisan Warfare
Used gorilla warfare to fight British at first, especially at Lexington and Concord
Valley Forge Winter Camp
Valley Forge was the military camp 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia where the American Continental Army spent the winter of 1777-78 during the American Revolutionary War
Lord Dunmore
Virginia's royal governor. Offered to free any slaves who joined the British. Had an ambitious scheme to raise a black army of 10,000 and another to create a sanctuary for black loyalists on the southeastern coast. British opposed his plans and they never happened.
Benedict Arnold
Was an early American hero of the Revolutionary War (1775-83) who later became one of the most infamous traitors in U.S. history after he switched sides and fought for the British. At the outbreak of the war, Arnold participated in the capture of the British garrison of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. In 1776, he hindered a British invasion of New York at the Battle of Lake Champlain. The following year, he played a crucial role in bringing about the surrender of British General John Burgoyne's (1722-92) army at Saratoga. Yet Arnold never received the recognition he thought he deserved. In 1779, he entered into secret negotiations with the British, agreeing to turn over the U.S. post at West Point in return for money and a command in the British army. The plot was discovered, but Arnold escaped to British lines. His name has since become synonymous with the word "traitor."
Trenton
When: December 26 1776 Where: Trenton New Jersey Who: George Washington and the Continental Army vs Hessians (German auxiliaries that were paid by British to fight) Importance of Battle : George Washington devised a plan to cross the Delaware River and surround the enemy Hessians. The Hessians were surprised that the American Forces made it and were not ready to fight. The Hessians surrendered and the Battle of Trenton became a big morale boost for the Americans and caused more people to enlist in the Army.
Quebec
When: December 31, 1775 Where: Quebec City, Canada Who: The Continental Army vs the British Defenders of Quebec City Importance of battle: The battle of Quebec was first major loss American forces had taken. The Americans moved in during a winter storm to hide their movements from the British, however, around 400 American troops were captured, General Richard Montgomery was killed, and Benedict Arnold was wounded. First major loss the Americans took, 400 troops captured, Arnold was wounded. Guarantees Canada could not enter war with the colonies since British have Quebec
Saratoga
When: Fought on September 19 1777 Where: Saratoga, NY(Modern day Schuylerville, NY) Who: The British led by General John Burgoyne and the Continental Army led by Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold Importance of Battle: The British attempted to attack the Continental army but were overpowered and forced to retreat. The British then ambitiously disobeyed the orders of the Continental army to stay in their quarters and attacked again, being defeated and surrendered. The French joined the colonists.
Cowpens
When: January 17, 1781 Where: Cowpens, SC Who: Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and half of Greene's Continental army vs. Lt. Colonel Banastre Carleton and half of Cornwallis's British Army (1,100 men) Importance of Battle: For two weeks Morgan led Tarleton's troops on a chase across the Carolina countryside. In an open meadow, Morgan routed Tarleton's forces.
Monmouth
When: June 28, 1778 Where: Monmouth, New Jersey Important People: British and German Commanders: Lt. General Sir Henry Clinton, Major-General Lord Cornwallis, Major-General Knyphausen American Commanders: General George Washington, General Charles Lee Importance of Battle: Lt. General Sir Henry Clinton marched his troops north-east, leaving Philadelphia. When General George Washington heard this news, he wanted to intercept a slow-moving British Army. And they met at Monmouth. Result was a draw.
Guilford Courthouse
When: March 15, 1781 Where: Guilford Courthouse, NC Who: Morgan and Greene with united Continental Army vs. Cornwallis and the British Army Importance of Battle: Greene wanted to make a show of force, but both sides had severe casualties. Greene was forced to retreat. Although the British won, the high cost of victory convinced Cornwallis that he could not stop the rebellion in the Carolinas.
Germantown
When: October 4, 1777 Where: Germantown, PA Who: Washington and the Continental forces vs. General Howe and the British forces Importance of Battle: Washington engaged Howe with an early dawn attack. Rebels were beaten back and Washington was unable to prevent the British from occupying Philadelphia.
Kings Mountain
When: October 7 1780 Where: Kings Mountain, SC Who: Patriot irregulars under Colonel William Campbell and the Tories under Major Patrick Ferguson Importance of Battle: Ferguson positioned himself atop a hill and was attempting to shoot down the Patriot irregulars. Ferguson in a suicidal attempt ran down the hill with his army but was easily shot down with a hail of bullets.
Thomas Paine
author of Common Sense. Thought Americans had their own identity and didn't need to be British. Denounced monarchy and believed in Republicanism. Born in England before landing in Philadelphia where he wrote "where liberty is, there is my country." Was a corset maker, then a tax collector.
Daniel Morgan
sent by Nathanael Greene with 600 men into western South Carolina. Led Tarleton and British troops on a two week chase across the Carolina countryside. In January 1781, defeated Tarleton at Battle of Cowpens. Rejoined Greene at the battle of Guilford Courthouse.
"The World Turned Upside Down"
song played by British musicians on the Yorktown Green as British formally surrendered to end the war. Also symbolic since American independence had "turned the world upside down."
Common Sense
written by Thomas Paine. Informed colonials of their identity as a distinct people and their destiny as a nation. Denounced monarchy as foolish, dangerous form of government that was against reason as well as the Bible. Called George III the "royal brute of Britain" and said he had enslaved American people. Nature fashioned America for independence.
Thomas Jefferson
young planter and lawyer from Western Virginia. Was 33 years old when he did most of the writing of the Declaration of Independence, We hold these truths to be self evident--life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
