War of Independence Notes
War of Independence (1776-1783)
Page 2: Lexington and Concord (1775)
Context: Minutemen organized for rebellion; British General Thomas Gage ordered arrest of rebel leaders and seizure of supplies at Concord.
Alarm: Paul Revere and William Dawes warned patriots, leading Sam Adams and John Hancock to flee.
Battles: Redcoats defeated Minutemen at Lexington and Concord, but targets escaped. Minutemen used 'Indian Warfare' tactics, decimated British, and then besieged Boston.
Page 3: Second Continental Congress and Virginia
VA Delegates: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry selected for the Second Continental Congress.
Patrick Henry: Delivered his "Give me liberty or give me death!" speech advocating support for Massachusetts.
Washington's Appointment: The Second Continental Congress appointed George Washington as General of the Continental Army.
Page 4: Bunker Hill and Olive Branch Petition (1775)
Bunker Hill (June): Minutemen seized hills in Boston; British forced retreat with heavy casualties, retaining Boston.
Political Divide: 2nd Continental Congress was divided between independence and autonomy (return to Salutary Neglect).
Olive Branch Petition (July): Final appeal to King George III for peace and loyalty in exchange for Salutary Neglect.
King's Response: King George III declared colonies in 'open rebellion', stating "blows must decide".
Page 5: Dunmore and Philipsburg Proclamations
Dunmore Proclamation (Nov 1775): Virginia's Governor Dunmore offered freedom to enslaved Africans who joined the British Army; ~ joined
Sets a precedent for……
for southern slave owners and northern… the war for independence was a war for Slavery
Philipsburg Proclamation (June 1779): British Commander Clinton extended Dunmore's offer to all colonies; ~ enslaved people fled to the British.
Page 6: Washington and Thomas Paine (1776)
Siege of Boston (Winter '75/'76): Washington's Continental Army forced a British retreat from Boston.
Common Sense (Jan 1776): Thomas Paine published a pamphlet advocating for independence using accessible language, promoting service in the Continental Army.
Page 7-8: Adam Smith's 'Wealth of Nations' (1776)
Critique of Mercantilism: Scottish Professor Adam Smith's book criticized Imperial Mercantilism and advocated for Free Market Capitalism.
invents the common idea of capitalism (so they base it upon this dead guy)
Free Market Capitalist society: Gov will not protect any bank or and private business
Capitalism and Natural Rights go hand n hand
okay so America is Neo-merchantalism
Key Ideas: Opposed government-backed monopolies, slavery, and high tariffs. Supported the 'Invisible Hand of the Market' (minimal government regulation), proportional taxes, and independence for colonies to promote trade.
Influence: Smith is considered the 'Father of Capitalism'; his anti-imperial, anti-slavery, and anti-monopoly views were controversial.
Page 9-10: Declaration of Independence and Social Contract (1776)
Drafting: A committee of five, with Thomas Jefferson as primary author (edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams), drafted the formal statement.
Locke's Influence: Restated John Locke's Social Contract theory, emphasizing Natural/'Inalienable Rights' of Life, Liberty, and the "Pursuit of Happiness" (changed from 'Property' for wider support).
Government's Role: Governments derive "just powers from the consent of the governed" and can be altered or abolished if destructive to these rights.
Page 11: Declaration of Independence and Grievances List
Grievances: Listed grievances against King George III (not Parliament) to justify independence, drawing from Paine's Common Sense and the English Bill of Rights.
Examples: Maintaining standing armies in peacetime, quartering troops, cutting off trade, taxation without consent, depriving trial by jury, and plundering colonial resources.
Page 12: Anti-Slavery Clause Removal
Removal: Jefferson's clause condemning King George for slavery was removed due to opposition from Southern and New England delegates dependent on slavery and the slave trade.
Consequence: This omission influenced the continuation of slavery despite the Revolution's ideals of liberty.
Page 13: William Whipple: Founding Emancipator
Advocacy: New Hampshire merchant and Declaration signer William Whipple, initially involved in the slave trade, later opposed slavery, freed his enslaved person, and supported emancipation/abolition.
Support for African Americans: Supported the formation of African American Patriot units like the 1st Rhode Island Regiment. Notably, Washington, Henry, and Jefferson did not free their enslaved people during the war.
Page 14: Choosing Sides
Patriots (Whigs): Most dedicated, concentrated in New England, Middle Colonies, and some Virginian plantation owners. Profited from trade with Spain/France.
Neutrals: The largest group, swayed by direct impacts on their homes or livelihoods.
Loyalists (Tories): Concentrated in seaports and along rivers. British policy offering freedom to enslaved Africans alienated Southern Loyalist plantation owners, pushing them to neutrality or the Patriot side.
Page 15: Pros & Cons: Colonies vs. Empire
Colonists: Financial strain (reliant on elite/French), largely untrained army, inexperienced generals, divided population. Benefited from a long war of attrition causing 'imperial exhaustion'.
British: Financial reliance on loans/mercenaries despite large empire, internal rebellions (Scotland, Ireland, India). Possessed the world's largest, best-funded, trained, and led military. British citizens also protested taxes.
Page 16: Game Plans
Washington's Plan: Avoid direct battles unless victory was highly probable, use insurgent 'Indian Warfare' tactics, and form alliances with Britain's enemies (France, Spain).
British Plan: Naval blockade, 'Divide & Conquer' strategy (separate New England from the South), and promote colonial division by employing Loyalists, enslaved Africans, and Native Americans.
Page 18: Cherokee Campaign (1776-1783)
Alliance: The Cherokee (led by Dragging Canoe) allied with British forces and other Native Tribes, defending homeland and attacking colonial frontier settlements across multiple states.
Outcome: By , Cherokee were forced out of some tribal homelands but retained lands in the Appalachian Mountains of TN and GA.
Page 19: Early British Offensives
Retreats (1776-1777): Washington retreated from New York City (British HQ for the war) and Philadelphia (provisional capital).
Winter '76-'77: Patriot forces severely reduced by desertion despite minor victories at Trenton and Princeton. Congress offered incentives (, acres of land, pension) for military service.
Thomas Paine: Wrote "The American Crisis" during this period, motivating soldiers.
Page 20: Saratoga - The Turning Point (1777)
British Strategy: British invasion of New York from Canada aimed to divide New England from the South, with Iroquois League support.
American Victory: Patriots effectively used insurgent 'Indian Warfare' and European tactics (Horatio Gates, Benedict Arnold) to achieve a significant victory.
Arnold's Disaffection: Benedict Arnold's lack of credit began his eventual defection to the British.
Page 21: French-American Alliance (1778)
Diplomacy: The victory at Saratoga and Benjamin Franklin's diplomacy convinced France to form an alliance, providing loans, military supplies, and troops (Marquis de Lafayette).
Expanded Conflict: The alliance also convinced Spain to join in , attacking British colonies elsewhere.
Page 23: Winter of '77/'78: Valley Forge
Winter Encampment: The Continental Army wintered at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, facing low supplies.
Training: Washington employed German and French mercenaries to train Patriots in European combat.
British Retreat: British retreated from Philadelphia in Summer ; Washington focused on besieging New York.
Page 24: Molly Pitcher and Republican Motherhood
Women's Roles: Women managed farms/shops, served as nurses, cooks, washerwomen, and spies. The Homespun Movement promoted self-sufficiency.
Combat Support: 'Molly Pitcher' (Mary Hays) and other women aided in combat or fought disguised as men.
Republican Motherhood: Idealized women as moral and civic educators of the family 'at home'.
Page 25: Revolution's Impact on Women
Limited Rights: Women were excluded from Natural Rights definitions, could not own property, initiate divorce, possess bank accounts, vote, or hold office.
2nd Class Citizenship: Maintained limited rights and privileges compared to male citizens.
Page 26: Freedom Policy and African American Patriots (1778)
Continental Army Policy: Washington persuaded Congress to offer a 'Freedom Policy' (pay/benefits for free African Americans, freedom for enslaved Africans) to join the Continental Army; less effective than British promises.
African American Units: New England and Pennsylvania formed African American units (e.g., 1st Rhode Island Regiment, ~ joined), influencing post-war emancipation in Northern states. Southern assemblies largely ignored this policy.
Page 28-29: Benedict Arnold: American Traitor or British Loyalist
Defection: Arnold married a loyalist and began providing British intelligence after Saratoga. Criticized for self-enrichment, he was offered the demotion of West Point command.
Treason: Offered to surrender West Point to the British, was caught, fled, and joined British forces. He subsequently launched raids in Virginia, burning Richmond.
Page 30: Genocide of Iroquois League
Iroquois Alliance: The Iroquois League (led by Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant) allied with the British and Loyalists, raiding Patriot towns.
Scorched Earth: Washington ordered 'Scorched Earth' and 'Total War' (Sullivan Campaign, ) against the Iroquois, destroying their power in New York. Brant and Mohawks moved to Canada.
Page 31: Britain's Southern Campaign and Yorktown (1781)
Southern Strategy: After Saratoga, the British, under General Cornwallis, focused on a Southern campaign from Charleston, SC, expecting Loyalist support.
Loyalist Shift: The Philipsburg Proclamation and insurgent warfare turned many Loyalist plantation owners into Patriots, as the war became a 'Defense of Slavery' for some.
Yorktown Siege: Cornwallis, worn down by insurgent warfare, was trapped in Yorktown, VA. Washington (Continental), Lafayette (French Army), and a French fleet besieged and bombarded the town.
Surrender: Cornwallis surrendered on October , .
Page 32: Treaty of Paris (1783)
Recognition: Britain recognized American victory and independence on September , .
Negotiators: Patriot negotiators included Ben Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay.
Terms: USA's western border was set at the Mississippi River. Britain agreed to remove troops/forts. USA agreed to repay pre-war debts to English banks. Northern and Southern borders remained disputed.