Chapter 6 Events Flashcards
Battle of Saratoga
1) in 1777, British General John Burgoyne came up with a new plan to cut New England off from the rest of the states.
2) Burgoyne’s plan called for British forces to drive toward Albany, New York from 3 directions including General Howe driving up the Hudson River from New York City.
3) His plan ran into trouble as King George ||| ordered Howe to move South from New York.
4) At the same time, American troops cut off the British troops coming through the Mohawk Valley.
5) After capturing Fort Ticonderoga, General Burgoyne pushed south. By then, General Horatio Gates had 6,000 men waiting to fight. Finally, the Americans surrounded the British in the village of Saratoga. General Burgoyne, after suffering heavy casualties, surrendered on Oct. 17, 1777.
6) The Battle of Saratoga is important because
a. It ended the British threat to New England.
b. It lifted Patriot spirits when Washington’s army was suffering defeats.
c. It convinced Europeans that Americans had a sound chance of winning.
Valley Forge
1) Washington’s Continental army suffered through the cruel winter of 1777-1778 in a hastily built camp at Valley Forge Pennsylvania.
2) The 11,000 Continental soldiers weren’t sufficiently fed, clothed, or housed.
3) Because food was so scarce, the soldiers mainly ate thin soup and dry bread patties.
4) When Americans learnt about Valley Forge conditions, they immediately stepped forward to help with food, clothes, medicine, and ammo.
5) Despite its challenges, the army used the shrill winter to gather their courage and strength to win the battles that lay ahead.
Treaty of Paris
1) The news of the loss in Yorktown spread fast around Britain. The Parliament voted for peace and peace talks began in Paris, in 1782. The American delegates were Benjamin Franklin and John Adams.
2) The talks led to an agreement called the Treaty of Paris. Britain recognized the independence of the United States. Florida itself was returned to Spain.
3) For its part, the United States agreed to “earnestly recommend” that the states restore rights and property taken from Loyalists during the war. On April 15, 1783, the Congress approved the treaty. The war was officially over!
The Declaration of Independence
1) Building on the ideas of the Enlightenment, it uses step by step logic to explain why the colonists wanted to break away from British rule.
2) The Declaration of Independence is broken into 3 sections, the Natural Rights, the List of Grievances, and Dissolving the Bonds.
3) Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence.
Battle of Yorktown
1) The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the war, starting on 1781.
2) The main British commander in the Battle of Yorktown was Commander Charles Cornwallis.
3) General Cornwallis moved his army to Yorktown because he thought he would get reinforcements from the British fleet. But, then, he was trapped from the Americans and the French fleet. Three weeks later, he surrendered.
4) At the end of the Battle of Yorktown, the Americans and the French lined up in two facing columns with the British walking sadly in between them and tossing their weapons into a large pile on the ground.
Reasons why Americans Won the War
Americans won the war because…
Patriotic Spirit - A key asset of the Americans was patriotism. Americans were fighting to create a new nation. Many soldiers stayed in the army for years, at great financial and personal sacrifice.
Skilled Leadership - Despite great odds, George Washington never gave up. Although he faced criticism in Congress, his courage and knowledge won him broad support in the army.
Help From Abroad - The Americans might never have won without help from Europe. Men such as Lafayette and von Steuben provided military leadership and support.
Geography - Americans, such as Francis Marion, were on their home ground. They knew the forests, hills, and swamps. But British forces were far from their home country. They had to depend on longer supply lines, stretching across the Atlantic Ocean.
