WOI- Strengths, Weaknesses And Challenges

Question 1

British strengths- navy

Answer 1

Royal Navy had over 300 ships- 75% of Americans lived within 75 miles of the sea so naval strength was a crucial advantage

Question 2

British strengths- natives

Answer 2

British used 10,000 Native American scouts and raiders to attack colonists in the frontiers- locals know the lay of the land

Question 3

British strengths- loyalists

Answer 3

500,000

Question 4

British strengths- bases

Answer 4

Had several bases close to the 13 colonies eg Canada and Florida

Question 5

British strengths- Germans

Answer 5

1775 Britain hired 18,000 soldiers from Hesse

Question 6

British weakness- experience

Answer 6

One quarter of the infantry had less than a years service

Question 7

British weakness- north

Answer 7

Lord North often ineffective leader due to illness in 1776/7

Question 8

British weakness- disconnection

Answer 8

Took at least 3 months to get a reply to a letter- men on the spot had to make decisions which were not always effective

Question 9

British weakness- supply

Answer 9

3,000 mile supply chain vulnerable to French fleet- troops used to preserve line and attempt to source supplies locally

Question 10

American strengths- militia

Answer 10

Intimidated loyalists

Over 100,000 Americans served at some time in the militia

Question 11

American strengths- privateers

Answer 11

Congress and the states commissioned 2000 privateers causing heavy damage on British merchant shipping

Question 12

American weakness- unity

Answer 12

Lack of unity- each colony guarded its own interests

Question 13

American weakness- new

Answer 13

In 1775 America built an army from scratch

Question 14

American weakness- troops

Answer 14

Enlisted for a short time and went home before terms expired

Question 15

American weakness- navy

Answer 15

50 vessels ran by converted merchantmen- congress never appointed a commander

Question 16

American weakness- government

Answer 16

No effective national government- articles of confederation (1777) gave limited powers to central gov- empowered to make war but not wage it

Question 17

American weakness- arms

Answer 17

Shortage of arms due to British blockade

Question 18

American weakness- finance

Answer 18

Congress couldn’t levy taxes so printed paper money causing inflation.

Question 19

British strategic problems- army availability

Answer 19

Only a small part of the army was available field operations because the army had to protect American ports under British control

Question 20

British strategic problems- supplies

Answer 20

Due to the hostile population the British Army was reliant on Britain for supplies which was 3000 miles away

Question 21

British strategic problems- territory

Answer 21

Capturing territory had no lasting advantage as soon as they moved away the rebellion flared up in their rear.

Question 22

British strategic problems- what was most important

Answer 22

The destruction of the Continental Army

Question 23

British strengths- loyalists by 1783

Answer 23

By 1783 19,000 Americans had a listed in the British Army thousands more have joined the Loyalist militia

Question 24

British strengths- Richard Stockton

Answer 24

Signer of the declaration of Independence was kidnapped by a band of loyalists and persuaded to recant his support

Question 25

November 1776 pardon

Answer 25

Howe brothers offered a pardon to all who took an oath of future loyalty

Roughly 15% of the free adult male pop accepted the pardon in the first week of release

Question 26

American challenges- militia in the Philly paper

Answer 26

Militiamen wouldn’t turn out- “if in this hour of adversity they shrink from danger they deserve to be slaves”

Question 27

American challenges-new jersey cold autumn

Answer 27

Lack of supplies- Washington reported they are “so thinly clad as to be unfit for service”

Question 28

HISTORIAN: Joseph Ellis comment on why Washington chose an offensive strategy

Answer 28

“Avoiding battle (as in war of posts/ guerrilla) was akin to dishonourable behaviour”