British southern strategy

When did the British use the southern strategy

1778-1781, last half of the war

What was the southern strategy

a plan by the British to concentrate their forces in the southern states of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia

When did France become America’s ally

after Daniel Morgan’s decisive win at the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777

Why did the British reevaluate the war

it had become a military quagmire (swamp, complicated and prolonged military conflict with no easy way out)

What did the southern strategy rely on

the assumption that many southerners remained loyal and that native Americans and freed slaves would fight for the British with promises of freedom and land rights

Where did the British begin their campaign

the sparsely populated colony of Georgia, at their major port, Savannah

What happened at the capture of port Savannah

the defection of thousands of colonists to the British, joined the British side

What happened in Charleston

the British performed a six week siege

Who is Charles Cornwallis

the main british general

After capturing Charleston, what did cornwallis do

fanned his troops into the southern Backcountry

where was Cornwallis’s base of operations

Charleston

What started to happen in the south as the British achieved success

their harsh practices began to incite feelings of resentment among southerners, specifically Colonel Banistre Tarleton, who was infamous for cruelty in the South, this fueled the militia

Who was Banistre Tarleton

British Colonel, infamous for cruelty in the south after letting his cavalrymen to slaughter most of an American force, he was the one in the movie who locked the people in the church and burned it

What happened as Cornwallis tried to control the backcountry

guerilla bands (non traditional warfare) led by militia like Francis Marion, began attacking supply trains, which boosted the morale/lifted the spirits of southern patriots

Who was Francis Marion

ben Martin in the movie, known as the swamp fox, an American who led the militia

Who was Nathan Greene

an American general who led Cornwallis to Virginia

How did Cornwallis get to Virginia

Greene divided his army and let Cornwallis chase him through the Carolinas and into Virginia, in early 1781, greene’s army fought evenly at the Battle of Guilford, Cornwallis lost a lot of men and needed supplies, he had to move towards the coast for this, he decided to go to Yorktown, this allowed Greene’s army to reclaim the backcountry

what is the backcountry

the places inland from the coast

Describe the events of the battle of Yorktown

George Washington snuck his army down to Yorktown while Cornwallis was being led there, French Navy supported them on the York river, greene’s army, washington’s army, and the French circled the British and put them under siege, Cornwallis decided to surrender

who was Rochambeau

French general who led the French in the siege of Yorktown

Why did Cornwallis go towards yorktown

he needed food and supplies

How did the French make a difference at yorktown

land and naval support

what were the 2 reasons for the surrender at Yorktown

the main British army that was operating in the south had surrendered and pressure from the British citizens to stop spending money on the war after 5 years