American Revolution: Early Battles, Leadership, and Forces

Opening Shots of the American Revolution:

• The American Revolution effectively began with two crucial battles: Lexington and Concord, fought on 04/19/1775.
• These battles involved thousands of British troops marching to capture key figures like John Hancock and Samuel Adams.
• The outcome of these initial skirmishes favored the American Patriots.

Second Continental Congress (May 1775):

• Convened roughly three weeks after Lexington and Concord, in May 1775.
• This was a direct follow-up to the First Continental Congress, which met in September 1774.
• The First Continental Congress had decided to reconvene in 1775 to assess progress on preparations, such as stockpiling gunpowder, building weapons, and forming militias, in anticipation of potential British aggression.
• By May 1775, the war had already started, shifting the Congress's focus to managing the conflict.
• A primary question for the patriots in 1775 (May, June, July) was the ultimate purpose and goals of the war.

George Washington: Commander-in-Chief:

• Washington projected a commanding and organized presence, appearing as a natural leader.
• His physical stature was notable; at 6'2'' in the 1770s, he was exceptionally tall, akin to someone 6'8'' today, considering the average European/American male height then was around 5'7'' or 5'8''.
• He possessed significant military experience from the French and Indian War, where he was actively involved and, arguably, bore some responsibility for its instigation due to his ventures in the Ohio Valley.
• Washington's leadership decisions were crucial, including the strategic placement of capable individuals, contributing to the American victory.
• His greatness as a general can be partly attributed to his ability to survive and avoid fighting to the death in every engagement, which preserved the nascent United States.

Marquis de Lafayette: French Support:

• By 1776, France, though not directly involved in the war yet, began assisting the Americans.
• France recruited officers to provide military guidance to the American "farmers who don't know how to fight."
• Marquis de Lafayette, a young, 18-year-old Frenchman with a military background and education, was one such officer.
• Upon meeting Washington, Lafayette demanded to be made a general in the Continental Army, an extraordinary request for someone his age.

Composition of British and Loyalist Forces:

• The total approximate British-aligned forces numbered around 120,000.
• British Regulars: Approximately 50,000, representing a professional, experienced, and well-equipped army.
• Loyalists (Tories): About 20,000 to 25,000 colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown and fought against the Patriots.
• Hessians: Approximately 30,000 German mercenary soldiers hired by the British.
• Enslaved People: About 20,000 enslaved individuals, some of whom were promised freedom by the British in exchange for service.
• Native Americans: Roughly 10,000 to 15,000 highly skilled fighters.
  • Their motivation varied; many realized little difference between fighting for the British or Americans in the long run and eventually returned home as the war progressed.
  • The Cherokee, however, largely remained on the British side, having been promised that their land would not be taken.

Initial Theaters of War:

• The American Revolution primarily originated in Massachusetts, a hub for "loud-mouthed rabble-rousers" like Samuel Adams and John Adams.

Relative Strengths and Weaknesses (1775-1776):

• England's Overwhelming Advantage:
  • Possessed a formidable, professional, and experienced army.
  • Commanded a large, powerful navy, considered the "state of the world."
  • Financially, England was immensely powerful; the speaker uses an analogy of "lawsuits from here around 2 ext{ trillion} dollars," equating to England's national budget at the time, to illustrate the perceived economic damage or scale of resources.
  • The British were overwhelmingly favored to win, akin to a betting line of negative thousands for the United States. This meant that to win 100 if betting on England, one would have to wager thousands of dollars, whereas a 100 bet on the United States would yield a thousand dollars.
• United States' Position:
  • Lacked a professional national army at the outset, relying initially on militias.
  • Possessed a respectable, albeit smaller, navy, noted for figures like John Paul Jones (and later Stephen Decatur in the early 1800s), which was decent for a fledgling nation but incomparably smaller than England's.
  • Had no significant initial advantages against the global superpower.