​Supporting the War Effort

• ​375,000 Americans served in the military during the Revolutionary War and were fighting for their homes and freedom

• It was tough keeping soldiers as the U.S. could not always pay them on-time and the wealthy put their slaves or indentured servants in their place

• The British offered slaves their freedom if they fought for them and this forced the U.S. to allow African Americans to serve in the U.S. army

• Women ran farms, businesses, and families while the men were away and others served as spies, nurses, and messengers for the U.S. army

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​Defeats and Victories

• ​General Montgomery captured Montreal and he and General Arnold failed to capture Quebec and Canada would not be captured for the rest of the war

• British General Howe landed 32,000 men in New York and easily defeated General Washington at a series of battles on Long Island

• General Washington escaped across the river at night before his army could be captured and many of his cannons and supplies from Fort Ticonderoga had to be left behind.

• Thomas Paine writes the American Crisis to remind American why we are fighting the British

• Nathan Hale was caught as a spy and hanged by the British while his wife watched​. "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

• Many more spies were captured and hanged. Spies would use invisible ink or encoded messages to get news to Patriots.

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​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFslnAWndcQ

​ Nathan Hale

​Help From Europe

• ​The American victory at Saratoga showed we could win this war and France, Spain, and Holland sided with the Americans and began to give us money, weapons, and soldiers to fight the British

• Marquis de Lafayette came from France to help the U.S. and was a close friend to Washington​

• Baron Friedrich von Steuben ​came from Prussia and trained Washington's army to become professional soldiers

• Benjamin Franklin was able to convince the King of France to help the U.S. after the Battle of Saratoga and a war ship was made in France ​for the American navy.

​Winter at Valley Forge

• ​In December, 1777 Washington's 12,000 men settled outside of Philadelphia, PA at Valley Forge for the winter

• There was much suffering in the form of illnesses, starvation, and​ frostbite

• Many of the men did not have proper boots, coats, hats, and gloves to protect them from the cold Pennsylvania winter

• The men lived in small log shelters and were constantly looking for food

• 2,000 soldiers died that winter as the British army lived in the warm homes of Philadelphia to the south​

• Baron von Steuben spent the winter drilling these American soldiers and by spring they were an effective fighting force

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Valley Forge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1FQVJi_D2k

Name three major battles of the war.

Battles of the American Revolution

• Christmas night 1776

• over 2400 soldiers with Washington

• Hessian troops were taken by surprise

• Patriot Victory

• Over 900 Prisoners taken

​Battle of Trenton-New Jersey

Battle of Saratoga

• ​Turning point of the war

• Spring 1777

• Due to miscommunication and well planned traps by the patriots, General Horatio Gates surrounded Burgoyne's troops gaining another, important victory for the patriots.

  • General Howe took Philadelphia instead of aiding Burgoyne

• First time British army surrendered to Patriots​

John Paul Jones

• Naval hero

• Captured British supply ships

• The French gave him a fleet of 7 vessels

• Captured the British vessel Serapis

  • "I have not yet begun to fight"​​

• Continental Navy was small but effective​

• British and Patriots tried to get Natives to join their cause

• Land West of Proclamation Line controlled by them

• Most Natives chose the Britsh

• Jones' campaigns in the West weakened British support systems and trading posts

​ George Rogers Clark