RevolutionaryWarReviewSheet

Section1:TheStirringsofRebellion
MAINIDEA:ConflictbetweenGreatBritainandtheAmericancoloniesgrewoverissuesoftaxation,
representation,libertyandconflictingideologiesregardingvirtueandgovernment.
Tensionsgrewagainin1765whenParliamentpassedtheStampAct.ThiswasthefirstBritishtaxto
directlyaffecttheaveragecolonist.Thecolonistswereoutraged.MerchantsvowedtoboycottBritish
goodsuntiltheactwasrepealed.Leadersfromthroughoutthecoloniesmetanddeclaredthatonlycolonial
assembliesnotParliamentcouldpasstaxlaws,resultingintheRevolutionarymottoofNo
taxationwithoutrepresentationParliamentrepealedtheStampActbutalsoinsistedthatithadthe
powertogovernthecoloniesinallmatters.ItbackeduptheclaimbypassingtheTownshendActs,which
imposedindirecttaxes.
RiotsinBostonpromptedtheBritishtostationtroopsthere.Inatusslewithlocalworkersin1770,the
soldiersopenedfire,killingfiveBostonians.FanningangeragainsttheBritish,SamuelAdamscalledit
theBostonMassacre.Tocalmfeelings,theBritishgovernmentwithdrewthetaxesexcepttheoneon
tea.In1773,theBritishtriedtohelpanearbankruptBritishcompanybygivingitamonopolyonthetea
tradetothecolonies,freezingoutcolonialmerchants.Inresponse,agroupofBostoniansdressedasNative
AmericansboardedthreeshipsanddumpedcratesofteaintoBostonHarbor.Parliamentpassedasetof
punishinglawsthatcolonistscalledtheIntolerableActs.TheportofBostonwasclosedandtroops
maintainedlaw.In1774delegatesfromthecoloniesmetinPhiladelphiaintheFirstContinental
Congress.Theyissuedadeclarationofcolonialrights.
Section2:IdeasHelpStartaRevolution
MAINIDEA:TensionsincreasedthroughoutthecoloniesuntiltheContinentalCongressdeclared
independenceonJuly4,1776.
In1775,thecoloniesagainsentdelegatestoPhiladelphia,tomeetintheSecondContinentalCongress.
JohnAdamsofMassachusettsurgedthatthecoloniesdeclarethemselvesindependentofGreatBritain,but
theCongresscouldnotagreeonthisaction.Itdidcreateanarmy,however,placingGeorge
Washingtonincommand.
InJune1775,BritishtroopsclashedagainwithcolonialsnearBostonintheBattleofBunkerHill.The
Britishtookheavylosses.Hopingforpeace,CongresssentapleatheOliveBranchPetitionto
KingGeorgeIII.Thekingrejectedit.Morecolonistsbegantofavorindependence.
ManywerepersuadedbyapamphlettitledCommonSense.Init,ThomasPaineblamedthecolonists
troublesontheking.ThomasJeffersonofVirginiawasaskedtowriteadocumentstatingthecolonies
reasons.OnJuly2,1776,thedelegatesvotedtofreethecoloniesofBritishrule.Twodayslater,they
approvedJeffersonsDeclarationofIndependence.Thinkloyalistsv.patriots.
Section3:StrugglingTowardSaratoga
MAINIDEA:Afteraseriesofsetbacks,AmericanforceswonatSaratogaandsurvived.
TheBritishplannedtosplitNewEnglandfromtherestofthecoloniesbyseizingNewYorkCity.
Washingtonassembledanarmytoopposethem,buthissoldierswerepoorlypreparedandequipped.The
BritishbeatthembadlyinAugust.
Washingtonretreatedsouth.OnChristmasDayof1776,hestagedasurpriseattackacrossthe
DelawareRiver.Histroopscapturedalmost1,000enemysoldiers.Patriotsgotsomeneededgoodnews

latein1777.AnarmyofBritishtroopsandNativeAmericansmarchedsouthfromCanada.APatriotarmy
beatthematBennington,Vermont,andwonaclearvictoryatSaratoga,NewYork.
SaratogacheeredthePatriotsandconvincedtheFrenchthatthecolonistshadachancetowinthe
war.Hopingtohurttheirlongtimeenemy,theBritish,theFrenchrecognizedAmerican
independence.Theyalsoagreedtosendtroopsandsupplies.BeforeFrenchaidcouldarrive,however,
WashingtonandhissoldiersspentamiserablewinteratValleyForge,Pennsylvania.Shortonfood,
blankets,andclothing,theAmericansoldierssufferedhungerandfrostbite.Morethan2,000soldiersdied.
Congresscouldnotprovidetheneededsuppliesbecauseithaddifficultyraisingthemoneyneededto
conductthewar.Itmanagedtodosobyborrowingmoneyandbyprintingpapermoney.Printingmoney
hadabadeffect,though,aspricesforfoodandsuppliesbegantorise.(Thiswillmatteralotmoreonce
thewarends)
Section4:WinningtheWar
MAINIDEA:StrategicvictoriesintheSouthandatYorktownenabledtheAmericanstodefeatthe
British.
DuringthewinterofValleyForge,aGermanofficerbegantotrainthePatriotarmy.Theseeffortsturned
theragtagbunchintoafightingarmy.WashingtonwasalsoaidedbyaFrenchofficer,Marquisde
Lafayette.
ThefirstyearsafterSaratogaprovedhardonthePatriots,though.TheBritishhopedtorallyLoyalist
supportintheSouthandmovedoperationsthere.Attheendof1778,theytookSavannah,Georgia,andin
May1780theycapturedCharlesTown,SouthCarolina,taking5,500Patriotsoldiersasprisonersofwar.
Withyetanothervictory,theysoonhadasecureholdonGeorgiaandSouthCarolina.
WashingtonsentGeneralNathanaelGreenesouthtostoptheBritish.OnepartofGreenesarmydefeated
redcoatsatCowpens,SouthCarolina,inJanuary1781.TheBritishmovednorthtoVirginia.The
commander,CharlesCornwallis,foolishlyoccupiedanarrowpeninsulanearYorktown.Patriotand
FrenchforcesmovedinandtrappedCornwallisstroops.Meanwhile,aFrenchfleetblockedBritishships
fromdeliveringsuppliesorrescuingtheirsoldiers.OnOctober19,1781,Cornwallissurrenderedto
Washington.
QuestionsforConsideration
1. WhatmethodsdidcolonistsusetoprotestactionsbyParliamentbetween17651775?Howdid
colonistsideasofvirtueandgoodgovernmentaffecttheirrelationswithGreatBritain?Howdid
theviolationofcolonistscivilliberties(naturalrights)affectthecourseoftheRevolution?
2. Whydidsomanycolonistsnotsupportindependence?GiveexamplesofhowPatriotsrallied
supportforindependence.
3. WhatdidJeffersonmean,andnotmeanbythephraseallmenarecreatedequal?Whyistheword
enumeratedthemostimportantwordintheDeclarationofIndependence?
4. HowdidFrancehelpthecoloniesduringtheAmericanRevolution?
TermsandNames
StampAct
BostonMassacre
ThomasJefferson
OliveBranchPetition

CommonSense
DeclarationofIndependence
Saratoga
ValleyForge

MarquisdeLafayette

Yorktown