Chapter 8: America Secedes From the Empire: 1775-1783 Flashcards
Second Continental Congress
- met in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775
- delegates from all 13 colonies
- selected George Washington to command the army
- Drafted the Declaratin of Indepedence
George Washington
- tall figure chosen for his social abilities to command colonial army
- member of congress from Virginia
Ethan Allen
- led a tiny American force called the Green Mountain Boys with Benedict Arnold
- captured British garrisons at Ticonderoga and Crown Point at upstate NY
Benedict Arnold
- led a tiny American force called the Green Mountain Boys with Ethan Allen
- captured British garrisons at Ticonderoga and Crown Point at upstate NY
- later he to help the British take West Point and the Hudson River; he was found out and declared a traitor
Fort Ticonderoga
*Ethan Allen and Benidict Arnold suprised and captured this and gained gunpowder and artillery for the siege of Boston
Bunker Hill
- June 1775
- first major battle of the Revolution
- the battle ended in the colonial militia’s retreat (out of ammo), though at a heavy cost to the Bristish
Redcoats
*Loyalists/Tories who were in the British armies
Olive Branch Petition
- July 1775
- colonies made a final offer of peace to Britain
- officially proclaimed the colonies in rebellion
Hessians
- German mercenaries hired by the King
* most were drawn by the colonies’ spirit and decided to coexist peacefully
Richard Montgomery
- Irish-born general formerly of the British army
- pushed up the Lake Champlain route and captured Montreal
- was killed in the Assult of Quebec
Republic
*a form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting
Natural Aristocracy
*an aristocracy that comes from work and competition rather than birth, education, or special privilege
Richard Henry Lee
*introduced resolution declaring the colonies to be independent
Thomas Jefferson
- wrote Declaration of Independence & signed on July 4,1776
* accused George III of establishing a military dictatorship
Declaration of Independence
- formal publication of independence drafted by Thomas Jefferson & approved by Congress
- allowed Americans to appeal for foreign aid and inspiraton for later revolutions
Natural Rights
*Thomas Jefferson’s idea of rights given to all mankind, not just the rights of the British
Patrick Henry
- leader of the American Revolution and a famous orator who spoke out against British rule of the American colonies
- “Give me liberty or give me death!”
William Howe
- commander of the British army that followed Washington during the Battle of Long Island
- didn’t like the idea of winter campaigning and decided to let Washington cross the Delaware river without chase
Trenton
- December 1776
- Washington crosses Delaware River and takes advantage of he Hessians celebrating Christmas
- victory for the Continental Army
Princeton
*week after Trenton, Washington made another surprise attack on a British detachment at Princeton
John Burgoyne
- commander of British army and German mercenaries
- marched from Canada into colonies
- defeated at Battle of Saratoga
Saratoga
- turning point of the war
* led to France, Spain, and Holland joining the war.(1777)
Horatio Gates
- the man Burgoyne was forced to surrender his entire command at Saratoga to on October 17th,1777
- an American General
Armed Neutrality
- loose alliance of cooperative naval powers
* organized by Russia’s Catherine the Great, to protect neutral trading rights during the war
Nathaniel Greene
- famous Patriot General,”The Fighting Quaker”
- led outnumbered and outgunned Patriots in a long strategic retreat; this strategy of running away confused Cornwallis, and his forces were defeated by the Patriots at the battle of Cowpens
Charles Cornwallis
- British general who fought the Patriots in the south
* surrounded at Yorktown and surrendered to George Washington
Iriquois Confederacy
- split into two parts:
- Oneidas; Tuscaroras sided with America
- Senecas, Mohawks, Cayugas, and Onondagas joined the British
Fort Stanwix
- 1784
- treaty signed by Americans and pro-British Iroquois granting Ohio country to the Americans
- 1st treaty signed between the two
George Rogers Clarke
- fronteirsman
* floated down Ohio river and seized the forts: Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes
John Paul Jones
- Patriot naval leader who commanded the American ship Bonhomme Richard
- defeated the British ship Serapis in 1779
Privateers
- privately owned & armed ships authorized by Congress to watch on enemy shipping during the War
- inflicted heavy damages on British ships
Yorktown
- October 1781
- George Washington, with French aid, surrounded Cornwallis while the French navy prevented British reinforcements from coming ashore
- Cornwallis surrendered
- final battle of the war
Ben Franklin
- went to Paris to discuss Treaty of Paris with John Adams & John Jay
- eventually signed the Declaration of Independence
John Adams
*went to Paris to discuss Treaty of Paris with Ben Franklin & John Jay
John Jay
- went to Paris to discuss Treaty of Paris with John Adams & Ben Franklin
- made a separate peace with people in London (secret handshakes) without consulting anyone
Treaty of Paris
- 3 American delegates: Joh Jay, Ben Franklin, & John Adams, went to Paris to discuss
- Britain formally recognized U.S. independence and granted generous boundaries
Whigs
- Patriots
* colonists who supported Ameican Revolution
