The War of Independence Flashcards
(51 cards)
Why did the British seem like they would be MORE SUCCESSFUL in the war of independence?
-larger, richer and more powerful
-professional big army
-500,000 loyalists to support them
-Native American support
-18,000 Hessian troops to fight
-Royal Navy
-bases in Canada + West Indies
Why did it seem like Britain would be LESS SUCCESSFUL in the war of independence?
-Americans generally hostile and uncooperative (British dependent of Britain for supplies)
-America was 3,000 miles from Britain (supplies and messages took time)
-tricky terrain
-troops couldn’t do combat as they were needed to secure ports + supply chain
-no political/economic centre for Britain to capture
-Hessians + Native Americans led to loss of hearts and minds in America
Why did it seem like the rebels would be LESS SUCCESSFUL?
-13 colonies were mostly separate and lacked unity
-Continental army had to be built from nothing (bad discipline + troops fluctuated)
-no navy
-colonies reluctant to meet Congress’ quotas
-militias poorly coordinated + organised
-congress lacked means to coordinate war (no funds to pay)
-rebel troops lacked food, clothing, weapons and ammunition
Why did it seem like the rebels would be MORE SUCCESSFUL?
-most Americans supported the ‘Glorious Cause’
-Continental Army was bolstered by militia support
-militias = important as they initiated loyalists + acted as police force
-congress and the states commissioned around 2000 privateers to inflict heavy damage on British merchant shipping
What was the British strategy?
-defeat the continental army: defeat rebel threat
-once continental army was destroyed there would need to be some form of reconciliation
-aim was to limit destruction from military action
-blend of firmness and conciliation was required if the British strategy was to succeed
What was Washington’s strategy?
-rejected guerrilla warfare + ‘War of posts’
-wanted a more conventional offensive
-wanted to establish a conventional Continental Army modelled on the British Army
-wanted to resist British occupations + shatter British pretensions of superiority
How many loyalists were there at the outset of the war?
2/5 Americans were active rebels
2/5 were natural
1/5 active loyalists
How many loyalists were there during the war?
-19,000 enlisted in the British army
-many more joined local loyalist militias
Who were the loyalists?
-wealthy landowners + mercantilists
-recent immigrants
-minority groups
-backcountry farmers
-Anglicans + German + Dutch
-Black support
Where were the loyalists?
-southern and middle colonies
-New York
What was the problem with the loyalists?
-lack the ‘Glorious Cause’ of the rebels
-relied on the British for leadership and protection
Who was Howe and what did he think?
-British commander in America (1776-77)
-commanded 32,000 men
-liked the Americans a lot and wanted to be friends again
arguably: missed opportunities to win the war as he didn’t want to defeat his besties
What happened at the battle of Long island?
-Howe defeat the Continental Army + inflicted heavy casualties
What happened after the Battle of Long Island?
-Howe enabled Washington and his army to retreat to the mainland under the cover of fog
When did British forces capture Fort Washington?
1776
How many men did Washington have left after the retreat across the Delaware River?
3,000
Washington the icon’s quote:
‘I think the game is pretty near up’
What did Washington do in December 1776 (Britain in winter quarters)
-Washington led 1,600 men back across the Delaware river
-launched a raid on a British garrison defended by 1400 Hessians at Trenton
-took 1000 prisoners
What happened at Princeton?
-Washington launched a successful attack against Cornwallis’ troops
-captured prisoners, arms and supplies
What did Trenton and Princeton do for Washington?
-provided a morale boosting victory in the jaws of defeat
-realised he had to fight a defensive ‘War of Posts’
How did Howe and Burgoyne operate in 1777?
separately
What happened in Howe’s campaign?
-15,000 soliders
-defeat continental army at Brandywine Creek
-Howe capture Philadelphia (Congress fled to Lancaster)
-failed Washington attack on Germantown
-Howe capture forts along Delaware River (Washington fled to Valley Forge)
What happened in Burgoyne’s campaign
-recaptured Fort Ticonderoga
-took 3 weeks to cover 23 miles
-Burgoyne used Iroquois warriors (murdered Jane McCrea)
-600 of his troops were killed/captured by the New Hampshire militia while foraging
What happened with St Leger and Burgoyne’s super cool plan?
-1600 British and Iroquois troops commanded by St lever moved down St Lawrence River
-force attack by local militia
-force had to run away to Canada
-Burgoyne just like kept going to Albany
