Lecture 11+12

Question 1

Valley Forge: what happened here during the Revolutionary War? What were the problems and how were they solved?

Answer 1

• Washington and his Continental Army fortified here in the winter of 1777.
• There was a lot of disruption here because many soldiers were freed slaves/convicts, but this was solved when Washington brought discipline.
• Smallpox was an issue that was solved by inoculating the soldiers.

Question 2

Baron von Steuben

Answer 2

• Washington brought him to Valley Forge where he trained the Continental Army in bayonet fighting, and generally brought order to the army.
• He wrote a battle manual.
• Was Prussian; rejected by Prussian army for being gay.

Question 3

American spy network

Answer 3

• Directly led by Washington.
• American spies used invisible ink.
• Austin Roe, Abraham Woodhull, and Anna Strong were all prominent figures.
• Strong used laundry signals as a means to communicate with a sailor.

Question 4

End of the war

Answer 4

• Washington’s army trapped some Brits in Yorktown, and a French fleet waited on the coast, so the Brits couldn’t escape there.
• This led to a surrender of a major British army (9000 troops).