Chapter 8: America Secedes from the Empire 1775-1783

Intro:

• 2nd Continental Congress - May 1775 - 13 colonies.
• Just wanted to keep fighting until parliament redressed grievances.

Congress Drafts George Washington:

• Washington had great leadership qualities and moral values
• Him being chosen was largely political: from Virginia (most populous colony), already wealthy.

Bunker Hill and Hessian Hirelings:

• May 1775, American force under Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold captured British garrisons at Ticonderoga and Crown Point. Secured gunpowder and artillery.
• Colonists seized Bunker (Breed's) Hill - Americans just shot those redcoats down - US victory
• Continental Congress developed "Olive Branch Petition" - American loyalty was still to the crown, asked British to end hostilities. Rejected.
• Britain hired German (Hessian) soldiers

The Abortive Conquest of Canada:

• October 1775 - British burned Falmouth (Portland), Maine
• Rebels invaded Canada (in hopes for a 14th colony and to get that area away from British control) - offensive warfare
• Generals Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold launched assault on Quebec - but were beaten off.
• Jan 1776 - British burned Norfolk, Virginia
• March 1776 - British forced to evacuate Boston.
• Rebels won victories at Moore's Creek and Charleston harbor.

Thomas Pain Preaches Common Sense:

• American colonies were still "loyal" to king
• Common Sense by Thomas Paine - why shouldn't tiny Britain control huge America?

Pain and the Idea of "Republicanism":

• Paine not only called for independence, but a new government called "republics" - all public officials were elected
• Citizen "virtue" fundamental to republican government
• Some worried it would promote too much social "leveling"

Jefferson's "Explanation" of Independence:

• July 2nd, 1776 - Richard Henry Lee made motion for independence
• Congress assigned Jefferson to write a formal declaration of independence - July 4th, 1776.
• Invoked "natural rights" of humankind

Patriots and Loyalists:

• Loyalists=Tories, Patriots=Whigs
• Rebel militias important. Spread Revolutionary ideals, harassed British detachments.
• 16% population Loyalists. People of education and wealth, of culture and caution. - Anglican church.
• Patrick Henry "give me liberty or give me death!"
• New England mostly rebels

Makers of America: They Loyalists:

• Loyalists (wealthy, educated) thought breaking from Britain would lead to anarchy
• Tory brigades: Volunteers of Ireland, N. Carolina Highlanders
• African-American Loyalists hoped for escape from bondage. After war, some black loyalists freed, some betrayed.
• White loyalists faced arrest, exile, loss of legal rights - fled to Britain and Canada

The Loyalist Exodus:

• After DoI, loyalists imprisoned, some hanged
• 80,000 Loyalists driven out or fled - their properties were sold to finance the war.

George Washington at Bay:

• Huge British fleet New York - July 1776
• 35,000 British vs. 18,000 Americans
• Americans got pwned and routed at Battle of Long Island. Washington crossed the Delaware with the British close behind.
• British General William Howe did not crush American forces.
• Dec 26, 1776, Washington surprised and captured 1,000 Hessians

Burgoyne's Blundering Invasion:

• British General Burgoyne pushes down Lake Champlain from Canada. Howe advanced up Hudson to meet Burgoyne at Albany. Smaller force would come by Lake Ontario
• Washington transferred his armies to Philadelphia - got beat at Brandywine Creek and Germantown
• Washington winter at Valley Forge
• Burgoyne forced to surrender at Saratoga. 1777.

Strange French Bedfellows:

• French thought siding with America could weaken the British.
• Sent American gunpowder and firearms
• After Saratoga, British granted Americans home rule - but not revolution. France feared reconciliation.
• 1778 French-American treaty of alliance. "Fight Until Freedom!"

A Colonial War Becomes a World War:

• 1779 - Spain and Holland against Britain.
• Russia's Armed Neutrality riled up all European neutrals against Britain.
• 1778-1783: France provided rebs w/ guns, money, equipment, half of America's armed forces, and naval strength
• June 1778 Washington attacked red coats

Blow and Counterblow:

• 1780 powerful French army of 6,000 troops arrives at Rhode Island
• 1780 Benedict Arnold turns traitor.
• British overrun Charleston, SC
• "Fighting Quaker" Nathanael Greene cleared most troops out of Georgia and SC

The Land Frontier and the Sea Frontier:

• 1777 "Bloody Year" on the frontier. Indians split between British and American loyalty.
• Mohawk chief Joseph Brant believe Britain could restrain Americans from expanding West.
• 1778-1779 George Rogers Clark captured British forts
• America had a tiny navy

Yorktown and the Final Curtain:

• British General Cornwallis - Chesapeake Bay at Yorktown to await supplies and reinforcement
• French Admiral de Grasse and General Washington marched to Yorktown - cornered! Cornwallis surrendered.
• Fighting continued for more than a year after Yorktown.

Peace at Paris:

• Whigs replaced Lord North 1782
• Ben Franklin, John Adams, John Jay met in Paris
• France wanted America independent, but weak, so it could be good for France.
• Pre-treaty signed in 1782
• Treaty of Paris 1783: British formally recognized independence of USA. Granted boundaries to the Mississippi, Great Lakes, Spanish Florida.

A New Nation Legitimized:

• New Whigs in Britain more friendly to Americans than Tories
• America alone gained from the war