African Americans Slaves

Slavery seemed inconsistent with the new ideas of the revolution. In 1776, 1 of every 5 Americans had African ancestors, and majority of African were enslave. The Loyalists and British used this to mock the Patriots. Some African Americans saw the Revolution as a fight for liberty, but their own liberty and freedom from slavery. Also some slaves sue their owner in court. They even enter the Patriots militia and Continental Army or the small navy. In return to that, the slaves would get freedom, but the Southern didn´t like the idea of black people using guns, they fear that they could rebel against them.
In the revolution it occur the idea of emancipation, to free slaves, but some people didn´t had the goodness of letting them free, but that was not all people, there were some that let the slaves free and gave them a paper that said that they were free but they were capture and slaved again.

In the North the slaves were only 5% of the population. There was a law going on of emancipation, this would free the slaves in the North, but this “good people” sold them to the south before the law was even passed. So emancipation failed.
The slaves were so important that they were necessary for plantation economy. There could even be a family of 5 members that owned 200 slaves. But some slaves were luck because their owners would free them but eventually they got caught again. This process was called manumission, but after 1800s the South passed a law to discourage manumission. But in the end, in 1810, more 20000 in the south were free, including 300 slaves from George Washington.

Treaty of Paris

Although Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown in the Fall of 1781 marked the end of the Revolutionary War, minor battles between the British and the colonists continued for another two years.

The Treaty of Paris officially ended the Revolutionary War on September 3, 1783. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay signed it in Paris. Britain recognized the independent nation of the United States of America. Britain agreed to remove all of its troops from the new nation. The treaty also set new borders for the United States, including all land from the Great Lakes on the north to Florida on the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River. The United States agreed to allow British troops still in America to leave and also agreed to pay all existing debts owed to Great Britain. The United States also agreed not to persecute loyalists still in America and allow those that left America to return. In addition to giving formal recognition to the U.S., the nine articles that embodied the treaty: established U.S. boundaries, specified certain fishing rights, allowed creditors of each country to be paid by citizens of the other, restored the rights and property of Loyalists.
The treaty was named for the city in which it was negotiated and signed. The American War for Independence was actually a world conflict, involving the United States and Great Britain but also France, Spain, and the Netherlands. The peace process brought a vaguely formed, newly born United States into the arena of international diplomacy, playing against the largest, most sophisticated, and most established powers on earth.

Cornwallis Surrenders

In late summer 1781, General George Washington knew that Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis' army was camping near Yorktown. Washington´s plan was to boldly and rapidly move to south, his plan was to capture Cornwallis in Georgetown. After discussing options with his French ally, Washington decided to quietly move his army away from New York City with the goal of crushing Cornwallis' isolated force. Departing on August 21, the French began marching south. As any success would be upon the French navy's ability to prevent Cornwallis being resupplied, the fleet supported this movement.
For Washington´s plan, he needed that a French fleet arrived on time to block Chesapeake Bay; they had to be there when the British tried to exit by the port.

All this needed timing, and there was, the French arrived on time on August 1781, while the British arrived in early September. Cornwallis was in a trap, the French and Patriots surrounded them with more than 18500 soldiers; he had no exit, nor land, nor sea. He tried everything he could, even sending some infected soldiers that had small pox, he did everything he thought to do but without success. He tried everything, at the end his ideas banished and he had no choice than surrender his army of 8000 soldiers in October 1781.

Patriots drive British back

How can you win most battles and not win the war? Well the British won most of the battles but Patriots never surrender, so the British fail to control the colonies. In the colonies it became a brutal civil war between Patriots and Loyalists. In October 1780 in King Mountain, the Patriots defeated Loyalists and executed many prisoners. That cause that neutral civilians took the Patriots side, they blame British troops for bringing chaos into their lives.

Funny, the British instead ok killing and destroying Patriots, they made some Loyalists to side with Patriots, they continue making mistakes. Incredible the way they were helping their enemy. General Cornwallis became more and more frustrated with what was happening, they couldn’t defeat the Patriots and in an unconscious way they were helping them out.
The Continental Army was small but with huge spirit, they were lead by Nathanael Greene. In early 1781 the Patriots won a couple of battles on the British in Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse. So Cornwallis had this brilliant idea of going to the north into Virginia, but this brilliant mind didn’t thought of the trap he was going into, a trap very well design by the Continental Army.
The victory in the battle of Cowpens convinced many Americans that the war could be won by them.

Europeans Allies enter the war

   The Battle of Saratoga. This battle was so important because now the French saw that there was a slightly possibility for the Americans to win the war, it was a turning point in the Revolution.

   In late September and during the first week of October 1777, the American army was positioned between Burgoyne's army and Albany. On October 7, Burgoyne took the offensive. The troops crashed together south of the town of Saratoga, and Burgoyne's army was broken. In mop-up operations 86 percent of Burgoyne's command was captured. That victory gave new life to the American cause at a critical time. Americans had just suffered a major setback from the Battle of the Brandywine along with news of the fall of Philadelphia to the British.

   French saw that as an opportunity to ally with American, in a good time, and weaken an old enemy, such as England.

   During early years of the war, they doubted to join the Patriots. That´s why they only shipped some ammunition and other stuff secretly, because they thought that allying with the weaker army was not correct. But the help they gave was so helpful and kept the Patriots alive and fighting. Some French volunteers provided military expertise; Marquis de Lafayette was one. He joined Washington at Valley Forge.

   Finally after that battle ended with favorable results for the Americans, French decide to open a risky allegiance with the Americans that was negotiated in 1778. Americans went to Paris and Benjamin Franklin represented negotiations. He was a good negotiator. The French army and Navy were so strong, but the first charge they did, failed. But the British suffer a blow when Spain enters the war in 1779. They enter as a French ally because they didn´t want the colonies they had, to revolt to them as the Americans did.

   That´s why the Battle of Saratoga was so important.  

The war shifts to the middle states

   In 1776 the British left Boston, they decided to attack and capture New York, so they could cut off New England from the other colonies. A peace conference is held on Staten Island with Lord Richard Howe, meeting American representatives including John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. The conference fails, as Howe demands the colonists revoke the Declaration of Independence. In September 15 of 1776 they capture New York with about 30,000 British and German troops. The Continental army was force to retreat to New Jersey; Washington barely saved the Army and the Revolution retreating on time. After evacuating New York City, Washington's army repulses a British attack during the Battle of Harlem Heights in Manhattan. Several days later, fire engulfs New York City and destroys over 300 buildings. In September 22 1776 Nathan Hale is caught spying on British troops on Long Island, so he gets executed without a trial, his last words were, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

   In November came more victories for the British as Fort Washington on Manhattan and over 100 cannon, thousands of muskets and cartridges is captured by Howe. The Americans also lost Fort Lee in New Jersey to Gen. Cornwallis. Washington's army suffers 3000 deaths in the two defeats. Washington abandons the New York area and moves his forces further westward toward the Delaware River. Cornwallis now pursues him. Later on in December Washington takes his troops across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. The next day, over concerns of a possible British attack, the Continental Congress abandons Philadelphia and went to Baltimore. On Christmas day, Dec. 26, George Washington takes 2400 of his men and crosses the Delaware River. He surprised 17 Garrisons; 1000 Germans were attacked. This was called the Battle of Trenton, this was a modest victory, but it would surely raise the spirit of the Patriots and their followers.

   In 1777 Washington started with yet another victory, he moved his troops at night against Cornwallis at the Battle of Princeton.

   In fall of 1777 he suffer a defeat, and lost Philadelphia to Howe´s army. John Burgoyne another British, came from Canada to invade Hudson Valley; felt into a Patriots trap in Saratoga. Burgoyne surrender in October that same year, in the Battle of Saratoga, this battle was so important because now the French saw that there was a possibility for Americans to win the war, so France and Spain decided to side with the Patriots. 

Colonists endure hard times

   What did the Continental Army needed to succeed? Well, they needed support, so wifes helped a lot by letting their husbands and son free to go to military services or to war. Wifes also made clothing, blankets, and foods for the soldiers, so they could keep on fighting. Without women´s help, what would it be for the Patriots? Who knows if they would be able to survive as individuals, much less as an army.
   British decided to block the ports, but they created more inflation, this means that a specific product is scarce, and then it will turn more expensive because of the demand of it. As always there is one person who thinks he is better than everyone else and took advantage of the situation and started selling rare items at a very high price, and they saw the offers for who offers more and the one that is higher was the one getting the product. The Patriots also contributed in the inflation because they use paper to make money, also known as Continentals, it was a risk that the Continental Congress printed the money because if Patriots suffer a loss in the war, they worth nothing. On the other hand, the British pay for food in gold.

     Women follow husband and son to war, they made and repair cloth; a few help fire canons and masquerading men. Mary Hays went with her husband John, a member of the 1st Pennsylvania Artillery, into the Monmouth, New Jersey Campaign of 1778. During the battle she supplied water to the troops, that is how she  received the name of Molly Pitcher. Like Corbin before her, when Mary's husband was wounded, she assumed his duties in the canons assisting the other artillerymen in the Company.

   

  

The British make mistakes

   They didn't take the Patriots very seriously, as they really were. Two months after the Battle of Lexington they fall in the same rock again in the battle of Bunker Hill. Boston hope to drive British away from the seaport.

   Lord William Howe order a frontal assault by his soldiers in the afternoon, with heavy backpacks, red uniforms, and going uphill.  The Colonists were entrench. Howe wanted to win the battle whatever it takes despite giving the Patriots some advantage. He just wanted to prove that a well prepare and wealthy army was better than one that is not so prepare.

   They tried twice attacking the Colonists, they failed but finally the third time they were able to capture the hill, but they won just because the Patriots run out of ammunitions. The battle was so important for the Patriots because psychologically they won, they now thought that after they gave the British a headache in this battle, because it was difficult for the Brits to win, that they can win other battles to the British.
   The British suffered approximated 1,150 soldiers and wounded or nearly half of the force engaged, while he Americans were estimated at 450 soldiers killed and wounded.

   In January 1776, six months after, Henry Knox arrive with the canons to take the Patriots out of Boston to re force them. They howled the canons hundreds of miles, when Ethan Allan capture Fort Ticonderoga so they could take some canons all the way to boston. Fort Ticonderoga was a major point of conflict in the French and Indian War, and was now an easy target for some reasons: it occupied a strategic point between lakes Champlain and George, the fort held a supply of cannon and other artillery, items badly needed by the rebel forces, the fort was lightly defended.

 Patriots bomb and destroy the ships so finally the British left Boston. 

Thomas Paine's Radical Proposal

   In 1776 their was a book called "Common Sense" written by Thomas Paine. In this book he expressed his radical ideas in simple, but forceful language.Paine propose a radical course of action. Some ideas he wrote in the book were grievances and were used in the Declaration of Independence. He thought that the enemy was not the Parliament, but the King, also denounce that the king and aristocrats as frauds and parasites.In this book he says that people had to elect the government, not that anyone can inherit the power because they come from a wealthy family, he thought as a Republic. He definitely hated rigid class structure of Britain for smothered hopes for poor people to have success. He also talk about the advisability of separation, the nature of society, and makes some proposals for a new type of government.  He also with other countries in Europe that, Americans can trade freely with other countries without the British checking them.  He considers the issues of population, resources, and the navy and concludes that it is possible to win to the British army.  To conclude, he applies rational argument, supporting his points not only with philosophical but also with economic and political advantages.

Loyalists oppose Patriots demands

   In the colonies 1/5 of the colonists remain loyal to the British government and many others were neutral, bur there was more neutral than there were loyalists. The loyalists fear the Patriots were going to lose a war against one of the most if not the most powerful army in the world like the British were. They also dislike taxes, the Oath of Allegiance, and the militia draft from the Patriots.
   Patriots argue that if they were not independent from the British, their liberty would be in danger, also argue that some laws that the government passed were sort of oppressing them and were not going with colonists rights, no representation in British Parliament, The Quartering of British troops, closing of the port of Boston, British control over the trade.
   In the other hand we have the loyalists arguing that they had common heritage and culture with British, Benefit from trade around the world, many had close relatives in Britain, strong sense of duty to British crown, farms and farm products could be greatly reduced in value, separate government could      degenerate into anarchy, actions taken by revolutionary committees were “illegal”, and it felt like internal tyranny.

Second Continental Congress

   In May 1775 when delegates from all the rest of the Colonies meet in an assembly in Philadelphia. Boston was hoping that the other colonies help them out fighting with the British. It was directed by John Hancock, who had scape from Lexington, replacing Peyton Randolph. Volunteers from the other colonies march to Boston to help the Patriots. Congress agree to give command of the continental army to George Washington.    Some Members recognize that some colonists were not ready for independence from Britain, they still wanted to remain uder British power but they still didn't want to pay taxes.   The congress autorize the printing of money, cause they needed to pay for supplies. They created a committee to deal with other governments.   Then came in July of 1775 after 3 long months of shed, the Congress agree on sending a petition for peace to the king, called "The Olive Branch Petition". The apparently didn't like the request so he rejected it and and even more troops.    

Lexington and Concord Battles

   In April 19, 1775, the war erupted this two cities that were located west of Boston. This battles were provoke by Gage who send troops to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington. The night of April 18th, Paul Revere went to Concord to warn everybody that the British troops were going to attack them. So when the British came, the Minutemen were waiting for them at Lexington. Suddenly someone fired a shot, and the British troops started to fire at the Minutemen. But nobody knows who shot first. It doesn´t matter who it was, the British started shooting and killed 8 colonists and hurt 10 more.
   After that fight, the British found out that Hancock and Adams had escaped. The British were looking to destroy weapons and ammunition. As they were looking, they ran into a group of minutemen at Concord's North Bridge. There was a big fight, and the Minutemen made the British surrender. The Minutemen tried not to let the British retreat, but it was successful.
   The Battles of Lexington and Concord . By the end of the war, British troops had lost around 200 soldiers, the Colonists lost only 94. 18 of these Colonists had died during the battle. This meant that the Revolutionary War had begun.

The Boston Massacre

   In 1767 the Parliament passed another act, the Townshend act, colonists in response to that act, they started again their boycotts. The Massachusetts´ Legislator send a circular letter claiming the Townshend duties. Few payed attention to it, until the Governor dissolve the legislator. This was called "Massachusetts Governor Act". This meant that the colony was in complete control of the Governor, elected assemblies, nor town meetings were allow.
   In June 1768 the merchant ship liberty was seized for smuggling. John Hancock setup riots, and sent 4000 troops to Boston that only had 16000 people. This led to March 1770 that a patriot mob start a fight with snowballs, stones, and sticks to a group of British soldiers. Several colonists were killed and this led to a campaign by speech-writers to rouse the ire of the colonists.
   The presence of British troops in the city of Boston was increasingly unwelcome. The riot began when about 50 citizens attacked a British soldiers. A British officer, Captain Thomas Preston, called in additional soldiers, and these too were attacked, so the soldiers fired into the mob, killing 5 colonists. A black sailor named Crispus Attucks, ropemaker Samuel Gray, and a mariner named James Caldwell, and wounding 8 others, two of whom died later Samuel Maverick and Patrick Carr.
   Later on, John Adams created the Committee of Correspondence, this provided leadership and cooperation.
   But still the parliament tax the tea colonists continue their boycotts from the tea imported from Britain, by smuggling the Dodge tea.
    The Boston Massacre was a sign of an event leading to the American Revolution. It led directly to the Governor evacuating the occupying army from the town of Boston. It would soon bring the revolution to armed rebellion throughout the colonies.

The Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston, a town in the British colony of Massachusetts, against the British government and the East India Company that controlled all the tea coming into the colonies. On December 16, 1773, after officials in Boston refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, a group of colonists boarded the ships and destroyed the tea by throwing it into Boston Harbor.

   Colonists objected to the Tea Act for a variety of reasons, especially because they believed that it violated their right to be taxed only by their own elected representatives. Protestants had successfully boycott the unloading of taxed tea in three other colonies, but in Boston, embattled Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson refused to allow the tea to be returned to Britain. He apparently did not expect that the protestors would choose to destroy the tea rather than concede the authority of a legislature in which they were not directly represented

   Colonists thought that it was not helpful for the Parliament to continue taxing even though the tea was cheaper than the one they usually buy. They knew the parliament was still taxing and they didn´t wanted to pay the tax.

Patriots leaders emerge

   Colonists were very unhappy with the Stamp Act, they were all affected. They united to fight against it, and those who oppose were called Patriots. Where ever, people showed up their power, and wanted to repeal the Stamp Act. They formed an association called "Sons of liberty", the leader was Samuel Adams.
   Samuel Adams protested that British were taxing colonists for everything, including their own possessions. He also plan all the mobs against the tax collectors, and was one of the principal planners in the Boston Tea Party.
   He`s views became a liitle radical after the british close the harbor. He was one of few who oposed the Sugar act from the start, the other one didn`t care much.
   The protests continued, and if the tax collector went to collect taxes, they would attacked him, destroying their house also. Thanks to this mobs, no one in Boston dare to support the Stamp Act. In October 1765 congress encourage consumers to boycott imported goods from Britain, that was called "non-importation agreement".

Colonial Protests Intensify

The Colonists resistance now took 3 forms:

• Intellectual Protests
• Economic Boycotts
• Violent Intimidations

   They use many enlightenment ideas like Montesquieu´s and Locke´s that every men was born with the same rights. They thought that government had to protect these rights.

   Patrick Henry was a young Virginian Representative that used these ideas to write The Virginia Resolves.The most important resolves were on the stamp act. He argue that the colonial assembly was the only assembly that had the right to tax the colonists. In May 30, 1765 the Virginia House of Burgesses agreed all but 2 ideas Henry proposed because they were too radical. 

   As a result almost all the rest of the colonies accepted similar ideas, therefore Colonists were exposed to these radical ideas Henry proposed. The main idea was: The General Assembly of the colony, have representatives with the capacity of the only exclusive right and power to levy taxes on the inhabitants of this colony and that every attempt to vest such a power in any person.
   They were very angry with the British because they were being tax and they didn´t have representation, their rights were not being respected. 

Taxation without Representation

A situation in which a government imposes taxes on a particular group of its citizens, despite the citizens not consenting or having an actual representative deliver their views when the taxation decision was made . The taxation without representaion was one of major causes of the Americaan Revolution. Colonists angrily protested the Stamp Act, they claim the law threatened their prosperity and freedom. Colonial leaders question the colonies, they argue that the colonies had no representation in the Parliament. Many colonists believed th purpose of The Stamp Act was to take away all their liberty. Parliament said they represented everyone in the Empire. Parliament thought colonists were narrow, didn´t want to pay taxes, the parliament had the right to levy taxes. They never sway the colonist.
   This Phrase is attributed to James Otis in 1765, it reflected resentment at American being tax by British Parliament to which they had no representative and didn´t vote at all. He argue for this form of representation in the Stamp Act Congress, but he had few delegate who support him.
   If taxes were needed, the Americans wanted their own assemblies to control them. This meant that they woudn´t accept taxes from the British Parliament, they wanted to be independent.

Causes of the Revolution

Colonists always enjoy protection of British while paying few taxes, they also enjoy political benefits. When the Parliament began to tax the colonists, they protested and it converted into a war. The Seven-year war doubled Britain´s  National debt.The British Government decided that the American Colonies pay a large amount of money to pay the debt of The French and Indian war. Also through the Sugar and Stamp act and other taxes from the British, were consider a harsh for American people. The Americans also thought that they should be able to have representatives in British Parliament or at least vote.
   Colonists didn't want to pay taxes because they thought the Parliament didn't had the right to impose taxes to the colonials, but British needed to raise money because they needed to protect the colonist in the Seven-Year war. They revolt against the tax imposers, burn houses.

                                     

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