By 1776 American colonists were divided into 3

By 1776, American colonists were divided into 3 groups Loyalists wanted to Neutrals were remain British colonies undecided about which side to choose Patriots supported separation from Britain (independence)

By July 1776, enough Americans were “patriots” that members of the Second Continental Congress formed a 5 -man committee to draft a Declaration of Independence All men are born with “natural rights” of life, liberty, & property Thomas Jefferson of Virginia was the principal author Citizens can break their social contract with their gov’t when their gov’t becomes tyrannical It was based on the “enlightened” ideas of John Locke & explained why the colonists were rebelling

Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) Committee to draft the Declaration: Thomas Jefferson, Jefferson Ben Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, & Roger Sherman

Decoding the Declaration of Independence 1. We should explain why we are declaring independence 2. All people have natural rights 3. Government power comes from the people 4. If a gov’t cannot protect people, then the people should create a new gov’t that can 5. King George III has abused his power 6. These are the reasons we believe that the king has abused his powers 7. We have explained to the king why we are unhappy but he has ignored us and hurt us 8. Because of the king’s abusive actions, we are declaring our independence as a new nation

The Declaration of Independence was a formal demand for separation, but the Revolutionary War had already begun in 1775 Lexington & Concord Formation of a Continental Army under George Washington Americans were divided among Patriots, Loyalists, & Neutrals

Revolutionary War ■ When the war began, the British had a clear military advantage: – 400% larger & more experienced army – More money – The world’s most dominant navy – Manufacturing to make war supplies

Revolutionary War ■ But, the American colonists had: – Familiarity with the environment – A commitment to win the war – Short supply lines to their soldiers – A defensive strategy to outlast the British

Revolutionary War Britain underestimated the colonial commitment to independence To win, the English had to find & defeat the Continental Army

As leader of the Continental Army, George Washington was the symbol of the American cause He had to build a professional army & coordinate the militias Encouraged common citizens & volunteer soldiers to support the war even when the British seemed destined to win during the early years of the revolution

Differing Military Strategies The Americans The British ■ Outlast the British ■ Divide & Conquer –Use Loyalists, seize –Defend colonial property, lands & drag out encourage slave the war revolts –Guerilla tactics –Split the Northern –Make an alliance & Southern with France colonies –Blockade ports to prevent trade

Discord Turns to Violence… The American Revolution began at Lexington & Concord

British victories from 1776 -1777 made an American victory look impossible The British win at • Bunker Hill • Long Island • Ticonderoga • Quebec • Brandywine

On Christmas Eve 1776, Washington gave Americans hope by crossing the Delaware River & surprising British troops in Trenton, NJ Mr. Roberts & Mr. Fryar at Princeton Battlefield in New Jersey. (Yeah, we’re history geeks!)

From the beginning of the war, American diplomats, led by Benjamin Franklin, tried to form an alliance with the French The French gov’t was willing, but needed to see that the Americans had a chance to win The French agreed to join the American cause after the battle of Saratoga in 1777

The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point because France joined the Americans as an ally

After Saratoga, French general Lafayette helped train American troops while the French navy helped neutralize the British advantage on the high seas Marquis de Lafayette When French troops arrived in the spring 1778, the tide of the war shifted in favor of the Americans

During the winter of 1777 -1778, Continental Army troops nearly starved at Valley Forge, PA but Washington & Lafayette inspired & trained the troops to continue the fight

The Southern Theater ■ With the war a virtual stalemate in the North, British General Charles, Lord Cornwallis, opened a new front with the capture of Charleston, SC in 1780.

The Southern Battles of The Revolutionary War The role of Carolinians in the course of the American Revolution, including the use of partisan warfare and the battles of Charleston, Camden, Cowpens, Kings Mountain and Eutaw Springs, Moores Creek, and

First Battle of Charleston Patriot leaders got word the British planned to capture Charles Town. They decided to build a fort on Sullivan’s Island – Colonel William Moultrie began building a fort of palmetto logs. British fired and their cannon balls bounced safely off the soft wood. Americans severely damaged the British ships and renamed the fort, Fort Moultrie.

The Siege of Charles Town - Charleston was under siege by the British land forces for many days. - Charleston harbor was blockaded and supply lines were cut off. - Patriot troops, trapped on the peninsula, were forced to surrender to the British. - Other Patriot forces in SC also surrendered. - British hoped that SC loyalists and the large numbers of South Carolinians who remained neutral would help them to control the state and contribute to winning the war.

1780: Charleston Under Siege… • March 29, 1780 • Major General Benjamin Lincoln • severe blow to the colonies • the greatest loss of manpower and equipment of the war for the Americans • gave the British nearly complete control of the Southern colonies

British Mistakes ■ British forces treated the colonists harshly, burning churches, looting or confiscating homes and harassing and mistreating citizens. ■ This harsh treatment turned many South Carolinians against the British and they formed partisan bands. ■ Soon Patriot partisans were fighting both the British regular troops and Loyalist forces using hit and run tactics.

British in the Carolinas… ■ British hoped that they would gain control of the state through large numbers of state Loyalists and the neutral colonists to help win the war ■ But, the British changed their parole terms and forced paroled Patriots to take up arms against their countrymen – At the same time, the British, along with American Tories, treated SC harshly: they burned churches, looted & confiscated homes, harassed and exiled citizens – This behavior turned South Carolinians against the British. Partisan bands were formed as a

Partisan Troops… Carolinians faced with a British army marching through their colony resorted to guerilla warfare to stymie Cornwallis’ efforts to subjugate them. SUMTER PICKENS MARION

Patriot partisans in the Carolinas led by Francis Marion, Thomas Sumter, Andrew Pickens, & William Harden were fighting both the British regular troops and the Loyalists forces using hit & run tactics.

“Tarleton’s Quarters” ■ After British captured Charles Town, they began an offensive to conquer the whole state ■ Colonel Banastre “Bloody”Tarleton slaughtered the patriots @ Waxhaws – “Tarleton’s Quarters”! – Convinced some neutrals to join patriots

Battle of Camden ■ a major defeat for the regular Continental Army because it signified that almost all of South Carolina was controlled by the British ■ The South Carolina militia was not prepared and turned and fled in the face of the regular British forces

Horatio Gates’ command of the southern arm of the Continental Army was then transferred to Nathaniel Greene understood the need to coordinate with the work of the state’s partisans in order to fight a destructive war of attrition [termed today a “mobile war”] that would unbalance and eventually destroy the British war effort.

Battle of Kings Mountain After the British victory at Camden, Cornwallis sent Major Patrick Ferguson, Commander of the Loyalists, into the SC Up-country to rid the area of Patriots. Ferguson was ambushed by North & South Carolina mountain-men at Kings Mountain on October 7, 1780. Using guerrilla warfare, the Patriots killed Ferguson along with 1, 100 of his men. The British tried to surrender, but were offered no quarter by the Patriots in retaliation of the harsh treatment the British had bestowed upon the Patriots throughout SC Kings Mountain is considered the turning point of the war in the south. From this point on, the British began retreating from the interior of SC.

Battle of King’s Mountain – The Turning Point in the War

Battle of Cowpens – You. Tube (2: 18)

Battle of Cowpens ■ The Battle of Cowpens showed the cooperation of the regular Continental Army and the partisan forces. ■ Partisans had a reputation of turning tail and running (think Camden Cowards). Americans counted on this rep for the battle plan. ■ The partisans, led by Andrew Pickens, led the attack and then fled, tricking the British into thinking the Americans were retreating. Instead, the partisans lured the British forces into the guns of the regular American army. ■ British were defeated-retreated toward Virginia.

Guerilla Warfare ■ A tactic in which small groups of soldiers harass of launch surprise attacks on the enemy and then suddenly disappear ■ “Swamp Fox” – Francis Marion ■ “The Gamecock” – Thomas Sumter ■ “Wizard Owl” – Andrew Pickens

Guildford Courthouse March 1781 ■ Bloody battle at Guildford Court House in North Carolina ■ Cost Cornwallis one-fourth of his men ■ British victory Video: ■ https: //www. c-span. org/video/? 3240371/battle-guilford-courthouse

From 1778 -1781, both sides traded victories, but the war finally came to a conclusion at the Battle of Yorktown

The Battle of Yorktown By 1781, Washington trapped the army of British General Cornwallis between the Continental Army & the French navy

General Cornwallis surrendered The Battle of Yorktown to Washington in 1781, ending the American Revolution Cornwallis’ surrender was the “day the world turned upside down”

The Treaty of Paris in 1783 ended the American Revolution The treaty gave America: Full independence All territory east of Mississippi River, between Canada & Florida The removal of the British army from U. S. claims in America

Crash Course #7