reasons for the revolution after 1775 Flashcards
why did war break out in 1775
General Gage had discovered stockpiled weapons in Salem, Massachusetts, however when he tried to retrieve it he was sent away by the colonists, this showed open resistance to the British and Gage then awaited further instruction of what to do in retaliation to the colonists
summarise the events at Lexington and Concord
14th April- Gage received help finally from the British (Dartmouth ordered him to arrest rebel leaders via letter)
18th April- 700 men under colonel Smith from Boston to Concord to seize arms and arrest leaders, Massachusetts militia were informed by the Boston committee of safety of British intentions
19th April- 70 minutemen blocked Britain’ route at Lexington, 8 colonists were killed, Gage carried on to Concord, they were then encountered by large militia force, they won but failed to arrest rebel leaders, Smiths troops went back to Boston but then were under fire by Americans who were hiding, Lord Percy arrived which held back militiamen at Lexington, when back in Boston troops had suffered 273 casualties and America had lost 92 men
what were the results for the British army and continental/ militia after Lexington and Concord
Lexington and Concord galvanised military preperations
New York threw itself behind Massachusetts
conservative Pennsylvania assembly voted to take 4300 men
militamen led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold seized Fort Ticonderoga on 10th May
on the 10th May Crown Point garrisoned by just 9 men and fell 2 days later
summarise the second continental congress
first meeting in September 1774 to express and coordinate colonial opposition to the Coercive Act
second meeting on the 10th May 1775 in Philedelphia, 65 delegates from all colonies such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson
took charge of the conducting of the war, assumed responsibility for the army around Boston and quotas to raise money for the continental army (June $12 million raised)
summarise the Olive branch petition
8th July
professing attachment to George III, the petition begged the king to prevent further hostile measure so that a plan of reconciliation might be worked out
the petition convinced moderates that congress did not intend to persue independence except as a last resort
George III refused to hear the Olive Branch petition as it was an illegal body against Britain’s army
George III on 23rd July supressed the rebellion
what were the events that occurred on the Battle of Bunker Hill
May 1775- British generals Howe, Clinton and Burgoyne arrived with thousands of reinforcements in Boston (Gage had 6500 men he was British btw)
17th June- Americans look set to occupy Bunker Hill which 1500 rebel men occupied Breeds Hill
1000 out of 2500 British men were dead, 118 American casualities
British won as Bunker HIll was recaptured
what was the situation once Washington took command
he assumed command of the continental army in July
unimpressed as 15000 poorly trained, poorly equipped and poorly disciplined troops and there was limited ammunition
why did Washington not attack Boston in 1775
restrained by politicans who feared the towns destruction
disencouraged by the strength of the British fortification and Washington had a shortage of his own arterillery
Americans benefitted from the 9000 British stuck up in Boston, giving time for the idea for the rebels to consolidate their
summarise the evacuation of Boston 1776
early 1776 Washington had overcome difficulties in Boston
artillery from Ticonderoga was transported by sledges, boats and wagons for over 300 miles to Boston arriving in Feb
4th March rebels (17000) captured Dorchester Heights
17th March- 100 loyalists and Howe’s army evacuated Boston to Nova Scotia (Britain’s main naval base)
summarise the invasion of Canada
Arnold and Montgomery (American)
1775 congress decided to invade canada hoping that the French population would join the rebellion
Montgomery and 1200 men advanced up Champlain waterway and Arnold marched through Maine to attack Quebec
Montgomery wasted valuable time besieging Fort St John and then captured Montreal on 13th November
Montgomery met with Arnold in Quebec who had 700 ill soldiers
Montgomery and Arnold attacked Carleton (British- 1800 men and French Canadian on 31st December, resulted in Montgomery killed and Arnold injured, arrival of British reinforcement in spring ended siege and Montreal was abandonded
summarise war in the south
Lord Dunmore, 500 loyalists and 7 warships attacked Virginian coastal towns
proclaimed freedom to slaves who rebelled and joined the British
joined by backcountry settlers due to resentment against Tidewater events
North Carolinain loyalists acted too quickly and lost the battle and Moores Creek in Feb 1776
General Clinton (1500 men) unsuccessfully tried to take Charlestown
summarise the evacuation of Boston
artillery from Ticondergawas being transported by sledges, boats and wagons more than 480km to Boston
4th march- 17000 rebels captured Dorchester Heights
17th March- Howe’s army and loyalists evacuated Boston sailing to Halifax, Nova Scotia where Britain’s naval base was
why did America begin to take success over Britain in these years of 1770’s (5 points)
General Clinton could not take Charlestown
loyalists acted too quickly without much planning
takes a long time for the king and parliament to agree to commands before executing them
rebellion increased and more vastness
more ammunition for the colonists
Paine’s common sense summary
published in January 1776
sold 120,000 copies and it was readily accessible to all Americans due to low reading ability
argued that events have led to independence being the only option (blood lost and that American affection for Britain had drained away)
he attacked the British constitution, the king and the concept of hereditary monarchy and aristorical privildeges
Paine called on American to establish a republic, based on a broad franchise and annual assemblies
what was the situation in early 1776
American congressman believed that foreign aid was needed in order to be able to defeat the British (November 1775 congress had set up a ‘committee of secret correspondence’ to carry on diplomacy with foreign nations
by 1776 royal governors had been replaced with rebel governments who issued wars, taxes and negotiating treaties
each colony debated and discussed the arguments for dealing with independence- this was then shared with congress, some colonies declared themselves independent before July (e.g. Rhode Island)
in May Virginia was the first colony to instruct its delegation to propose that independence be adopted and other colonies followed suit. However Pennsylvania, NJ, NY and Maryland legislature instructed their delegates to agree to seperation
why had congress delayed the decision on independence even though may colonies wanted independence from Britain
middle colonies had not yet been pronounced in favour
who consisted of the committee based around independence in congress (5 individuals)
Thomas Jefferson (Virginia)
John Adams (Massachusetts)
Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania)
Roger Sherman (Connecticut)
Robert Livingstone (NY)
summarise Thomas Jefferson
he came up with no new arguments and he drew from principles wet forth by John Locke, other English writers and the Virginian decleration of rights
by July 2nd what was the situation on colonies agreeing to the decleration of independence
12/13 colonies had agreed except from NY who obstained but agreed a week later
give 6 main arguments of the declaration of independence
protecting troops
tyranny from British rule
tax themselves not Britain taxing them
judges not controlled by Britain
stop dissolving assemblies
to become recognised and justified
give 4 economic reasons for the decleration of independence
struggle over the power of taxation (however Americans were the most lightly taxes people in the British rule)
struggle over colonial manufacturing, wild land, furs, sugars, wine, tea and currency
stressed the navigation laws and the oppressive custom duties (some believe that commercial laws were a major cause of the revolution)
trade grievances also mentioned in the decleration of independence (Americans benefitted with the merchanist system)
give 3 British policies that lead to the declaration of independence
Boston Tea party North’s ministry chose to stand firm expecting that a show of force would be sufficient to subdue Massachusetts
two times the British backed down repealing the Stamp Act and the Townshed duties (undetermined its claim to exercise control over the colonies)
after 1763 British ministries in an effort to squeeze money from America devised a series of irritations which propelled the colonies towards independence
give 3 reasons to defend British policies that may have lead to the declaration of independence
in 1765 the stamp act did not show a lot of anger
some rebel leaders were barbaric (beating, torture and feathering) e.g. liberty tree
with the possible exception of the Townshed duties there was no other evidence of Britain wanting to take away American liberties
give 4 ideological reasons that may of lead to the declaration of independence
American political ideology owed much to English constitutional thought which emphasised the rights and liberties of free-born Englishmen and the limitations of royal power
If Englishmen could not be taxed without consent Americans shouldn’t be
influenced by radical English writers (e.g. Thomas Whites and Thomas Paine) they believed that a small clique of British ministers aimed to destroy American liberties
revolution didn’t start until the stamp act until the conflict with Dunmore
