The loss of the American colonies 1770-83 Flashcards
What was the effect of the French-Indian Wars on American men?
Many men trained as soldiers who would fight in the Revolution
What was the effect of the 7 Years War on British debt?
It doubled, so taxes needed to be raised. The interest took £4.4 million out of an £8 million income
What percentage of American men had suffrage in 1770 and where did their votes go?
50%-80% which elected legislative assemblies which passed financial bills on local matters
What did American legislative assemblies start doing after 1763?
Overstepping their constitutional duty by voicing complaints about taxation, sending messages to London
What did New England focus on industrially?
Farming and fishing
What did the Middle colonies focus on industrially?
Wheat and flour production
What did the Southern colonies focus on industrially?
Tobacco, labour intensive with slaves aplenty
Why did money have to be raised in the American colonies?
Defense force against French and Native Indians, to govern new Frenchies, to pay off debt, and for colonial administration which had increased fivefold since 1748
Which 2 laws was passed in 1765?
The Stamp Act, which meant that certain printed goods had to use paper stamped in London. Also the Quartering Act meaning people had to house and feed soldiers
What was passed in 1767?
The Townsend Duties, which put duties on luxury items including tea
What caused the ‘years of peace’ 1770-73?
Repeal Townshend Duties except for tea, loyalist strength and colonist disunity
What percentage of Americans were loyalists or patriots?
20% Loyalists, 40%-45% Patriots
Who supported loyalists?
Slave owners in South who disliked instability in fear of slave uprising, Anglicans, non-English minorities
Who supported patriots?
Richer families like farmers in Virginia, enlightened town-dwellers, radicals, middle classes
What was set up in 1771?
Massachusetts Committee of Correspondence, a colonial grievances channel of communication which the British couldn’t control
What was passed in 1773?
The Tea Act which allowed the EIC to directly trade with America
Why was the Tea Act unpopular?
It was seen as another form of taxation, of British trying to squeeze money out of Americans
What was passed in 1774?
The Coercive or Intolerable Acts which closed Boston, allowed transfer of murder trials to England due to Patriot juries, and furthered Quartering Act
What was created in September 1774?
Continental Congress, as most of the legislative assemblies had been dissolved
What was the state of British rule in early 1775?
Committee of Safety ran America, apart from Boston
What occurred at the Battle of Lexington?
75 Patriots fired on General Gage’s loyalists who were destroying their stockpiles, 73 Brits dead
What happened on 26 May 1775?
Battle of Bunker Hill
What was the result of the Battle of Bunker Hill?
Pyric victory for British, the death rate set them back for the rest of the war, 1,054 vrs 450 casualties
What role did the Continental Congress play for the Patriots?
Gave patriots a sense of purpose, allowed to organise troops and turned the Boston revolts into a formal war
What did the CC do in July 1775?
Print money to pay for war
What did the CC help with in January 1776?
Printing and distribution of Tom Paine’s Common Sense
What does the Articles of Confederation show about the Patriot thought pattern?
Since it took so long, it can be shown that Patriots feared any power takeover by a central force
How many British soldiers were in America in 1775?
8,000
What were the issues with the British army and navy?
The army was overstretched, and inexperienced while the navy had limited investment
What were the strengths of the British?
Strong economy, ability to hire German mercenaries, energetic Admiral Lord Sandwich
What was the issue about loyalist support?
It was spread out across the colonies
What was the issue with British attack strategy?
Since they based themselves on the coast, to attack deep inland, their supply chains were long and weak
What was the issue with British leadership?
There was no single General in London, instead a collection of armies chasing the Patriots
What allowed the Patriot forces to woo neutrals?
Vibrancy of new state and message, ‘glorious cause’ idea, 10 years of British annoyance and level of participation in Declaration of Independence
How did the Continental Army use it’s home advantage?
Knowledge of terrain, ideologically driven and true threat to livelihood and home is felt. Also few market traders sold to the British
What was Washington’s strength?
He was able to regroup his forces after failure, make them professional during the war so they could fight the British conventionally
What was the Patriot weakness?
Poor economic development meant high inflation when money is printed, and also lack of munition manufacture
What occurred in October 1777?
Retreat to Saratoga by General Burgoyne
Why did Burgoyne’s plan to attack from Canada end in failure?
Overstretched resources and supply lines, lack of communication with Clinton/Howe in New York and lack of loyalist support due to use of Native Indians
What was the effect of Saratoga?
Loss of 6,000 troops, France and Spain enter war as patriots seen as a strong force
What was the effect of foreign involvement in the War of Independence?
Spread of British forces increases, 1778 65% of army in North America, 1780 20%; intervention in Yorktown by de Grasse and Mississippi Valley by Spain in 1781
What occurred on the 19th of October 1781?
General Cornwallis’ defeat in Yorktown
How did Washington aid victory for the patriots in Yorktown?
He marched 16,000 troops down to Yorktown and with the French naval blockade, sieged for 3 weeks
What caused failure for Cornwallis in Yorktown?
Lack of loyalist support inland, Clinton only left 4,000 troops in South and naïve expectation of holding of seaboard port of Yorktown
Why was there a decision to seek peace in 1782?
Disruption of trade annoyed City, high cost of war (£232 million debt in 1783), fear of French invasion, desire to hold onto rest of North America
What was the effect of the loss of the colonies on Britain?
No revolution and strong economic and population growth, resignation of North, attempt to make good relations with USA and change to system of governance in Ireland
How many Americans fled the country after the war?
Around 100,000
Who were the two most important pamphlet creators and agitators for the patriot cause?
Sam Adams and Paul Revere
How did the patriots begin to gain military strength pre-war?
Taking over colonial militias which were meant to protect from the French, but the officers were sympathetic to the patriots
What were the events of March 1776 in Boston?
Washington took large guns from Fort Ticonderoga and forced a British evacuation from the city
Which overly-optimistic patriot attack failed in 1776 and why?
Attack to Quebec, but smallpox ruined the men
What was the result of the Boxing Day success in Trenton in 1776?
It showed that they were still in the fight, even though it was a small victory
What was formed internationally in 1780?
League of Armed Neutrality which resisted British attempts to stop and search merchant ships - French, Spanish and Dutch strength shown with weakened British force
Who trained the patriot forces where and when?
Major General Steuben in Valley Forge in the winter of 1777/78
How did Steuben change the Continental Army?
Everyone received a musket and was taught how to reload them in battle and use them in hand-to-hand combat efficiently
What was passed in 1766 showing the hubris of the British?
Declaratory Act which proclaimed British ability to act as they wished with their colonies
When was the Quartering Act passed and what was the immediate result?
1765 and it was fought in the New York assembly
When was the Olive Branch petition?
July 1775
What were the British losses in the south in 1780/81?
September 1780 Ferguson loses in King’s Mountain, and January 1781 Tarleton loses at Cowpens
Where was the British success in March 1781 and what was the result?
Guilford Courthouse but Cornwallis could not capitalize on the result so ended with a tired retreat to the coast
Lord North quote
Oh God! It is all over
What was the result of the post-Chesapeake NY offensive by Howe and why?
It was half-hearted and ended in failure as perhaps he was looking for compromise, and international battles to retain other colonies began to take more and more British resources
Why was Washington a good candidate for General based on background?
He was a Virginia landowner, more of an outsider to the Boston agitators so had the more rounded appeal
Numbers to do with smallpox
As a cause of death among soldiers, it went from 17% to 1%
Apart from Steuben, who was the other key appointment made by Washington?
Nathanael Greene who overhauled the inefficient supply system as previously many traders preferred the British and their real money
Why was victory far from assured at the beginning of 1781?
Economic mismanagement and hyperinflation shook the coffers of the patriots
What was the result with not complying with the Stamp Act?
Trial without jury at the Vice Admirals Court
Who took control of Chesapeake Bay in 1781 and what was the patriot reaction to this?
Admiral de Grasse, so Washington took newly landed French forces with Rochambeau down to Cornwallis to rout him
