Revolutionary War Part 3

Georgia Divided

-For a while, Georgia had 2 governments: one to represent each side of the war. This brought more unrest to Georgia and literal fights broke out because of it.
• Only 1/3 of Georgians were Whigs (independence supporters), 1/3 were Tories (British supporters), and 1/3 were neutral and just waiting to see what would happen.
• The Whigs drove the Tories (British supporters) out

Multiple Select

CHOOSE TWO ANSWERS!!

Who were the Whigs and Tories?

• Whigs = colonists who supported US idependence

• Tories = Colonists who were British supporters

• Whigs = colonists who were British Supporters

• Tories = Colonists who supported US independence

Strength of the Colonies

-Strong leader in George Washington
-Familiar with the land
-Guerilla warfare tactics (surprise attacks, hit and run attacks, spies)
-French alliance (agreement to help the colonists fight the British)

Multiple Choice

All of the following were strengths of the colonies except _____

• Strong leader in George Washington

• well-trained soldiers

• Familiar with the land

• Guerilla warfare

• French alliance

Strength of the British

-Well trained soldiers
-World's most powerful army
-Lots of money compared to the colonists

Multiple Choice

All of the following were strengths of the British army except ______

• Well-trained soldiers

• Most powerful army in the world

• French alliance

• Lots of money

Weaknesses of the Colonists

-Little money
-Few people to serve
-Very small, weak navy

Multiple Choice

All of the following were weaknesses of the colonies except _____

• Small, weak navy

• Few people to serve

• Little money

• not familiar with the land

Weaknesses of the British

-Not as familiar with the land
-Older style of fighting with facing the enemy

Multiple Choice

All of the following except ______ were weaknesses of the British.

• not as familiar with the land

• Little money

• Older style of fighting with facing the enemy

Boston Siege and the Battle of Bunker Hill

• This was the first major battle of the war.
• The British won this battle, but it was still a moral victory for the American forces.
• The colonists were about to inflict heavy casualties (40%) of the British.
• Battle began in the summer of 1775.
• The colonists were able to hold the British in Boston through the winter of 1775.
• General Howe and his British troops fled to Canada in March of 1776 to prepare to invade New York.

Multiple Choice

What was the first MAJOR battle of the war?

• BATTLE OF SARATOGA

• BOSTON SIEGE AND THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL

• BATTLE OF TRENTON

The Second Continental Congress

-Began in the summer of 1775 and was ongoing for many years
• They sent a petition to King George III to ask for peace, but were unsuccessful.
• Convened in order to help organize war efforts and begin planning the future of the country
• Organize the war
• Needed a leader
• George Washington was appointed to be commander in chief.
• Gathering resources and support
• They wanted help and were eager to get the assistance of France and Spain, which were a longtime enemies of Britain
• No hope of winning without another world power
• They also had selfish motives for agreeing to help the colonies
• Future of the country
• Establishing ideals
• Establishing currency
• Declaring independence
• Establishing laws and rules for governing (Articles of Confederation)
• Georgia was present for the Second Continental Congress.

​The Second Continental Congress | Road to the Revolution - YouTube

Watch the video about the Second Continental Congress:

Multiple Select

CHOOSE THREE ANSWERS!!!

Which of the following happened at the SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS?

• George Washington was appointed to be commander in chief.

• Colonists wanted help from France and Spain (longtime enemies of Britain)

• Georgia was present for the Second Continental Congress.

• Colonists got help from Canada and Mexico

Declaration of Independence

Written mainly by Thomas Jefferson
• Stated that the American colonies were independent states
• We are one country
• We are no longer part of Britain
• What grievances we have against Britain
• Ideas that inspired the Declaration
• John Locke
• idea of natural rights (rights that were given by nature and that all people are born with)
• Life, liberty, and the pursuit of property
• social contract (the government should come from the people)
• Enlightenment
• people began to rethink the government and question whether the governmental system in Europe was the right system
• Thomas Paine's Common Sense
• argued that countries should be ruled by laws made by people instead of those made by a king
• People can do away with the government if they no longer approve

Multiple Choice

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

• Ben Franklin

• Thomas Jefferson

• George Washington

• Thomas Paine

1. Button Gwinnett
2. Lyman Hall
3. George Walton

Three GA counties are named after these men (Gwinett, Hall, & Walton Counties)

​GA Signers of the Declaration of Independence

Multiple Select

CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY!!

Which Georgians signed the Declaration of Independence?

• John Adams

• Button Gwinett

• Lyman Hall

• George Walton

WASHINGTON AS A MILITARY LEADER

• Washington was a successful military leader.
• He provided and took care of his men
• He made sure to reach out to help train his men properly
• He supplied them with new weapons or access to new weapons
• Led the Patriots to several victories that were the turning point in the war
• Battle of Trenton
• Battle at Princeton
• Capture of Boston
• Capture of Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York
• Battle of Saratoga
• It was because of the Patriot victory at Saratoga that France and Spain both decided to join the war in support of the colonies

Multiple Choice

T/F - George Washington was a successful military leader.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

T/F: It was because of Washington's Patriot victory at Saratoga that Portugal and Italy both decided to join the war in support of the colonies

• True

• False

WASHINGTON AS A MILITARY LEADER

-Washington was not perfect and he did suffer losses, such as the Battle at New York
• The winter of 1776 was very difficult on the Patriots
• Harsh winter
• Disease and malnutrition
• Loss of New York and the Battle of Long Island

Watch this video on George Washington
Washington's War (Full Movie) - General George Washington and the Revolutionary War

Battle of Trenton

-After Washington's secret crossing from Pennsylvania to New Jersey
-Surprises Hessians (mercenaries hired by the British)
-Mercenary - a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army
Major inspirational victory for the continental army (colonists)

Multiple Choice

_____ - a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army

• Minuteman

• Mercenary

• Patriot

Battle of Saratoga

-Two battles in New York in the fall of 1777
-The second was a decisive American victory
-Major turning point in the war
-Inspired France to agree to treaty an alliance

Multiple Choice

Which of the following battles was a turning point in the war, in which the US was successful, and the French were inspired to help us in the war?

• Bunker Hill

• Trenton

• Saratoga

FRANCE AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

• After the Battle of Saratoga, France decided to join the war efforts and provide assistance to the colonies.
• They were an enemy of Britain
• They had a strong military and navy, much better than the colonists had in trying to go up against the British
• The French navy helped the Patriots fight at sea
• They also sent Frenchman Marquis de Lafayette and Prussian Baron Friedrich von Steuben to rain the troops in Valley Forge and by 1778, the troops became a strong fighting force.
• They also secretly provided funding, supplies, and materials for the Patriots.

Multiple Select

Why was it important for the French to be in the war?

• They were an enemy of Britain

• They had a strong military navy

• They were familiar with the land in the US

• They secretly provided funding, supplies, and materials for the Patriots.

Multiple Choice

How was Ben Franklin important in getting the French to help us fight in the war?

• He was popular in France, and he helped secure the Treaty of Alliance.

• He was friends with the British.

• He loved French food, and he promised croissants to the soldiers.

The Revolution in Georgia

Battle of Kettle Creek (1779)
• Patriots led by Col. Elijah Clark attacked loyalists and killed a British commander
• Gained weapons, ammunition, horses, and support of the patriots from other Georgians who had been undecided
• Boosted morale for the Patriots

Siege of Savannah (1779)
• In 1778, the British captured Savannah • Americans tried to take back Savannah from the British in 1779 • Didn’t work • Britain lost 150 men while America lost 1,000

Multiple Choice

Which battle was fought in GA?

• Bunker Hill

• Battle of Kettle Creek

• Saratoga

BATTLE OF YORKTOWN AND THE END OF THE WAR

• By the fall of 1781, American troops had forced General Cornwallis to retreat to Yorktown Virginia
• Washington had 14,000 troops move in while the French surrounded them by the sea.
• Cornwallis decided to surrender rather than fight when trapped.
• In 1782, the British left Georgia
• The fighting stopped and in 1783 both Britain and America signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the war and declaring freedom for America.
• Florida was also signed back over to Spain for their assistance during the war

Multiple Choice

What was the last MAJOR battle of the war?

• Saratoga

• Bunker Hill

• Yorktown

Watch this video about The Battle of Yorktown:
Battle of Yorktown - Story of Us