the american revolution 1774 - 1783 Flashcards
(25 cards)
what was the first continental congress
- 1774
- in response to the intolerable acts
- did not call for independence but rather seeking a peacful solution and asserting colonial rights
- Delegates from 12 colonies attended (all except Georgia)
- Congress sent a formal Declaration of Rights and Grievances to King George III
why was the first continental congress significant
- first time the colonies united to form a collective response to British policies.
- direct challenge to British authority by refusing to obey the Intolerable Acts
- Britain viewed the Congress as rebellion
what were the coercive/ intolerable acts
a group of 4 acts:
- the Boston Port Bill, which closed Boston Harbour
- the Massachusetts Government Act, which replaced the elective local government with an appointive one and increased the powers of the military governor
- the Administration of Justice Act, which allowed British officials charged with capital offenses to be tried in another colony or in England
-the Quartering Act, which permitted the requisition of unoccupied buildings to house British troops.
how did the intolerable acts influence american resistance
- colonial leaders met at the first continental congress
- Non-Importation Agreement that encouraged Americans to stop buying British goods
- closing of Boston port harmed the American economy which gained sympathy from other colonies
- the Massachutests goverment act caused fear as viewed as tyranny
who were the key generals for the US
- George Washington: Commander-in-Chief, victory at Yorktown (1781), keep the army together during difficult times, including the harsh winter at Valley Forge (1777–1778)
- Horatio Gates: won the battle of Saratoga, decicive victory which gained French support
- Henry Knox: Major General, Chief of Artillery, Siege of Boston (1775–1776)
- Marquis de Lafayette: Major General in the Continental Army, Siege of Yorktown (1781), strategic coordination with French forces was key in the final victory
who were the key generals for Britain
- Thomas Gage: Commander-in-Chief of British Forces, part of Lexington and Concord, after losing siege of Boston he was replaced by General William Howe
- General William Howe: successfully captured New York City in 1776 and Philadelphia, won the battle of bunker hill but was costly, failed to pursue after new york leading to Washington regrouping
- General John Burgoyne: lost battle of saratoga, led to france joining the war
- General Charles Cornwallis: defeat at the Battle of Yorktown, made the mistake of retreating to york town for supplies as the French blocked reinforcements
Other key generals during the war
- Admiral François de Grasse (Won the Battle of Chesapeake)
- General Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau: Commanded French forces at Yorktown
what was the Suffolk reserves
- Passed by Massachusetts in September 1774,
- called for a boycott of British goods
- in response to the intolerable acts
- recommended establishing local militias and arming the population
what was the impact of the Suffolk reserves
- endorsed by the first colonial congress
- showed increasing colonial resistance
What actions did the Second Continental Congress take following the outbreak of hostilities?
- May 1775–July 1776
- created continental army
- appointed George Washington as commander in chief
- issued the Olive Branch Petition in July 1775
- which was rejected by King George III
What was the impact of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense (January 1776)?
- helped change the mindset of many colonists who previously were unsure of independence
- it was a direct challenge to the monarchy
- helped unify
Why was the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) significant?
- written by Thomas Jefferson
- justified the colonies leaving Britain
- listed grievances against the colonies
- ended political ties to Britain
what happened at Lexington and Concord
- British troops attempted to seize colonial weapons but were met by colonial militias.
- This marked the first military engagement of the American Revolution.
Why was the Battle of Bunker Hill important?
- June 1775
- Although the British won, they suffered heavy casualties (over 1,000)
- showed that the colonial forces would fight and boosted American confidence
how did washingtons army perform in the early stages of the war
- Initially struggled due to lack of supplies, training, and manpower
- faced harsh conditions of winter especially at Valley Forge
What was the significance of the Battle of Saratoga
- October 1777
- American forces, led by General Gates, defeated a British army under General Burgoyne.
- This victory convinced France to formally ally with the Americans, providing crucial military and financial support.
- Burgoyne was forced to surrender his entire army, marking a major setback for the British war effort.
How did Britain shift its strategy in the later years of the war?
- After failures in the North, Britain focused on the South, expecting Loyalist support
- but guerrilla tactics and American resistance led to British struggles.
what happened in York Town
- the American and French forces surrounded Cornwallis’s army in Yorktown, Virginia
- The American and French artillery was stronger than the British
- Cornwallis’s army was weakened by disease and ran out of supplies
- Cornwallis opened negotiations to surrender on October 17, 1781
- The British garrison at Yorktown surrendered on October 19, 1781
Why was the Siege of Yorktown decisive?
- October 1781
- A combined American-French force trapped British General Cornwallis, forcing his surrender
- Britain lost a large and powerful force
- ended major military operations in the war.
what were the main factors in the British defeat
- Britain had to supply resources from across the Atlantic
- French interevention gave resources, troops and strategic influence
- Poor British leadership: General Howe focused on Philadelphia rather than helping Burgoyne at Saratoga
- use of Guerrilla tactics made it difficult for Britain to have control
- unpopluar with British public
what happened at Chesapeake
- General Charles Cornwallis established a base at Yorktown, Virginia, awaiting reinforcements and supplies from the Royal Navy.
- the French Navy under Admiral de Grasse was tasked with securing naval control over Chesapeake Bay
- The British fleet under Thomas Graves was outnumbered and poorly coordinated
- Graves retreated to New York, abandoning Cornwallis at Yorktown.
what were the British weaknesses that contributed to their loss
- British commanders assumed Loyalists would provide substantial support, but this was overestimated.
- British strategy was inconsistent and poorly coordinated. For example, General Howe’s decision to capture Philadelphia in 1777 instead of supporting Burgoyne’s campaign in upstate New York
- supplying and reinforcing an army 3,000 miles away was slow, expensive, and unreliable.
what happened in General Howe’s decision to capture Philadelphia
- general Howe believed that capturing Philadelphia, where the Continental Congress was meeting would destroy moral and destroy the colonial army in a decisive battle
- General Howe set sail from New York in July 1777 leaving Burgoyne without reinforcements for months.
- Rather than destroying the American government, Congress simply relocated to York, Pennsylvania.
what were the consequences of Howe’s decision
- Burgoyne’s army (7,000 men) was left vulnerable.
- Burgoyne was surrounded and forced to surrender at Saratoga
- The American victory at Saratoga convinced France that the revolutionaries had a real chance of winning.
- Although Philadelphia was taken, it was not a strategically vital city like New York or Bost
