“Winning Independence”
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Fighting Moves South
*Late 1778 – British shifted their attention to the South. Their aim was to capture some key cities, win over the local population, and then march north, acquiring one state after another.
British Advance
*Plan seemed to work: British moved from FL to GA. British then moved into SC.
*Lord Charles Cornwallis then moved war into NC.
*To slow British advance, Americans used guerilla tactics. Guerillas are fighters who work in small bands to make hit-and-run attacks.
*In SC, Francis Marion led his men through the swamps. They attacked without warning, then escaped. Marion’s guerilla attacks were so effective that he won the nickname the “Swamp Fox”.
*In the South, bands of Loyalists attacked, robbed, and killed Patriots, women, and children.
Brighter Days
*Oct. 1780 – Patriot outcomes improved.
*Dec. 1780 – General Nathanael Greene took command of the Continental Army in the South. Greene split the army into two. Daniel Morgan led the other troops.
*Jan. 1781 – Morgan won Battle of Cowpens.
American Traitor
*British seemed to have control in South. They also had troops under command of American traitor (person who turns against one side in a conflict to help the other side) Benedict Arnold.
*Although Arnold fought for the Patriots early in the war, he felt the Congress undervalued him. He plotted to turn West Point, a key fort on the Hudson River in NY, over to the British. The plot was discovered in Sept. 1780 and Arnold escaped.
Final Battle
*Weakened by battles, Cornwallis headed to VA. This gave Greene an advantage. Over next five months, Patriot forces swept through South. By late summer, only Charles Town and Savannah remained under British control.
*Cornwallis moved his army to the Yorktown (VA) peninsula. He expected the British fleet could reinforce his position. By end of August, the French fleet had chased off the British ships.
*At same time, Washington moved troops to VA with American and French troops. Cornwallis was trapped!
*Oct. 19, 1781, British surrendered. Yorktown was the last major battle of the war.
Making Peace with Britain
*Although the king wanted to keep fighting, Parliament voted in favor of peace.
*Ben Franklin and John Adams were part of the American delegation that went to the Paris peace talks. Britain was eager for peace so the Americans got most of what they wanted.
Treaty of Paris
*Results of the Treaty of Paris
~Britain recognized independence of U.S.
~Boundaries were Atlantic Ocean, Canada, Mississippi River, and Florida
~Florida was returned to Spain
~U.S. agreed to restore rights and property taken from Loyalists during war (most ignored this)
*April 15, 1783, Congress approved the treaty and officially ended the war (almost 8 years).
Washington’s Farewell
*Dec. 4, 1783, Washington joined with his officers for a final meal together.
Impact of the Revolution
*American Revolution created a new nation of 13 independent states.
*Declaration of Independence focused on ideas like equality and liberty in the American mind.
*1789 – France had revolution like America.
Why Did Americans Win?
*Patriotic Spirit – Americans were fighting to create a new nation.
*Skilled Leadership – Washington never gave up. His courage and knowledge won him support in the army. By the end of the war, he was the nation’s most admired hero.
*Geography – Americans were on their home ground and knew the land. British had to depend on longer supply lines (stretching across the Atlantic Ocean)
*Help from Abroad – France and French leaders (ex. Lafayette) provided leadership and support. Money from Spain and the Netherlands was also important.