American Military History Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards generated from American military history lecture notes covering early military history from the American Revolution to the Mexican-American War.

Causes of the American Revolution

Taxation without representation, British control/restrictions, and growing colonial resistance led to the Revolution.

Lexington & Concord, 1775

British troops marched to Concord to seize colonial military supplies; colonial militia resisted, forcing the British retreat to Boston.

American advantage in the Revolution

Home-field advantage: Americans knew the terrain, had local support, and could sustain a long war while Britain had to send supplies across the Atlantic.

American disadvantage in the Revolution

The Americans lacked a navy powerful enough to compete with Britain's dominant Royal Navy.

Burgoyne's strategy, 1777

British General John Burgoyne planned to move from Canada toward Albany and split New England from the other colonies.

Saratoga, 1777

Burgoyne's army surrendered to the Americans; Saratoga was a major American victory and helped bring France openly into the war.

Policy vs. Strategy

Policy = what you want to accomplish. Strategy = the overall plan for how you will accomplish it.

Strategy

The overall plan for using military forces to achieve political objectives.

Washington at Trenton, 1776

Washington crossed the Delaware River and defeated Hessian troops at Trenton, boosting American morale.

Greene's Southern strategy

Nathanael Greene avoided risking his entire army in one decisive battle and used maneuver, smaller engagements, and attrition to weaken the British.

British evacuation of Boston

American forces placed artillery on Dorchester Heights, overlooking Boston; the British evacuated the city in March 1776.

Continental Navy's role

Attacked or disrupted British shipping and helped interfere with British supplies and commerce; American privateers also played a major role.

Cornwallis at Yorktown, 1781

American and French forces surrounded Cornwallis by land while the French navy blocked British escape or reinforcement by sea; Cornwallis surrendered.

Madison and the War of 1812

Key grievances included British impressment of American sailors, interference with neutral trade, and other British violations of American maritime rights.

Early U.S. strategy in the War of 1812

The U.S. attacked British positions on multiple fronts, including Canada, which spread American forces and made concentration difficult.

Battle of New Orleans, 1815

British General Pakenham attacked strong American defensive positions; American defenses and artillery caused heavy British losses.

Calhoun's expandable army plan

Maintain a small permanent trained core/cadre of officers and experienced soldiers that could be expanded rapidly during war.

Jomini's military lesson

Concentrate military forces at the decisive point rather than unnecessarily dividing them.

Flying artillery

Highly mobile artillery that could rapidly move and support troops; it helped General Taylor at the Battle of Palo Alto.

Battle of Veracruz, 1847

The U.S. demonstrated military professionalism through a successful amphibious operation, coordinating forces moving from sea to land.

Polk's objective in the Mexican-American War

Territorial expansion; the war was connected to the broader idea of Manifest Destiny.