Britain's defeat, 1778–83: Flashcards
Out of the 48,647 soldiers in the British Army, how many were in America by 1775?
8,000 (Britain also hired mercenaries from German principalities)
How many ships did the Royal Navy have at the start of the war?
340 ships (Newfoundland, Canada and the West Indies were their bases)
What was a great weakness for the British army when fighting in America?
Stretched supply lines and lack of direction from London.
George Washington inoculated his troops so that they couldn’t catch which virus?
Small pox (90% of deaths in the army were caused by disease)
When did the Battle of Saratoga begin and end?
September 1777 to October 1777
Who was the British General in charge at the battle of Saratoga? This same general placed a bet at the London Club that he would be home by Christmas victorious.
General Burgoyne
Which General did not meet up with Burgoyne for the Battle of Saratoga?
General Clinton, however he wasn’t given direct orders to that effect
How large was the British force at Saratoga that surrendered to the American forces?
5, 895 British troops (over 15,000 American troops at time of surrender)
Who led the American diplomatic mission to Paris?
Benjamin Franklin
When did France sign a treaty with America and when did they enter the War against the British?
The treaty was signed in February 1778 and entered the war in June 1778
When did Spain enter the war as an ally of France?
June 1779
What percentage of the British Army was in America in 1778 and 1780?
1778= 65% and 1780= 20%
What percentage of the British Navy was in America in 1778 and 1780?
1778= 41% and 1780= 13%
Who led the French fleet that aided in the defeat of the British at the Battle of Yorktown?
de Grasse
Where were British troops cleared from as a result of the actions taken by Spanish forces?
Mississippi Valley
Which General led the British forces to their defeat at Yorktown?
General Cornwallis
How large was the French and American army at the Battle of Yorktown?
16,000
When did Cornwallis surrender his troops at Yorktown?
19 October 1781
Which town had General Clinton’s army assaulted in 1780 that allowed for British troops to move into the interior of America, however also causing Yorktown to become of greater importance to the war?
Charleston
What were the main causes for Britain losing the Battle of Yorktown in 1781?
It was not as large a loyalist stronghold as once thought; General Clinton split from General Cornwallis and the failure to hold the ports that General Cornwallis left to protect.
When did Lord North resign?
20 March 1782
When was the Peace of Paris signed?
3 September 1783
What did the Peace of Paris agree?
Recognition of America; Spain gained Florida and Minorca; Britain regained the Bahamas and Negapatam in India; France regained St Lucia, Goree and Pondicherry (retained Tobago); Holland gained Trincomalee
Who replaced Lord North as Prime Minister in 1784?
William Pitt
What was the British National Debt in 1783?
£232 million
