“The War Widens”
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Focus Question: How did the effects of the war widen?
African Americans in the War
*For African Americans war meant both danger and opportunity. Fought on both sides of war.
Free and Slave
*The British offered freedom to enslaved peoplewho deserted and joined the British.
*At first, Washington refused to accept African
Americans as soldiers, but he later changed hispolicy. By end of war, 7,000 African Americans served on the American side, including 2,000 in the navy. They also served in northern militias and state armies.
*In the south, they were not allowed to serve due to fear of slave revolts.
Freedom Beckons
*Some northern states put laws into effect to gradually end slavery. Existing slaves were kept, but no additional slaves could be added.
The War at Home
*Men usually enlisted (signed up for duty) for one year. This caused Washington to have a hard timekeeping enough men to fill the ranks.
*Civilians (people not in the military) faced hardships such as food shortages and military attacksdue to war.
Women
*Women were left to take over the man’s duties in the home (planting crops, tending livestock, or running businesses) as they went off to war, others went to camps to tend the wounded, and experienced many new opportunities.
Financial Burdens
*Congress had limited resources to pay for the war since it did not have any power to tax yet. They printed continentals (paper money) to pay their troops, but the more they printed, the less it was worth. By the end of the war, paper money had lost almost all its value.
Fighting in the West
Native Americans Take Sides
*Americans tried to keep Native Americans neutral and offered payments to groups to stay at peace. Most Native Americans sided with Britain out of fear that if the Americans won, more settlers would move in and take more land.
Defending the Frontier
*To defend the frontier, George Rogers Clark and a militia force put up forts beyond the Appalachian Mountains. He and his men surprised and captured the British fort of Vincennes and their efforts allowed settlers to remain on the frontier and strengthened American claims on the Ohio RiverValley.
Help From the Spanish
*Americans also received unofficial help from Spain.
*At the time Spain governed the Louisiana region (west of Mississippi River and stretching as far north as Canada) and was anxious to get back Florida, which they had lost to France at the end of the French andIndian War.
*The Spanish governor Bernardo de Galvez had
secretly been helping the Americans by providing
money and munitions to Clark and others and
gave refuge to American ships in New Orleans
harbor.
*Spanish attacks also captured British forts on
the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
*1781 - The Spanish colony of Cuba also helped with a generous donation of seven million dollars froma group of wealthy women. Without this,
Washington’s troops may have run short of
funds at a critical time of the war.
The War at Sea
*Americans had only a small navy to go against the powerful British fleet.
*Americans used a hit-and-run strategy against the British fleet.
*British fleet blocked most ships from entering or leaving American ports.
*The most famous naval attack was off coast of England (1779). John Paul Jones commanded the American ship Bonhomme Richard against the British warshipSerapis. Though Jones’ ship was in tatters, he refused to surrender stating “I have not yet begun to fight.” Ultimately the Serapis surrendered and Jones prevailed.
*The American navy had help from about 800 privateers (armed civilian ships that had the government’s permission to attack enemy ships and take their goods). The privateers operated like pirate ships and forced Britain to use resources to protect their merchant ships.
Review Questions
- Why did some enslaved African Americans choose to fight for the British?
They did so because the British offered freedom to enslaved African Americans who fought against the colonists.
- What roles did women play in the Revolution?
Women tended farms, took over their husband’s businesses, and took care of the wounded.
- What was the result of the fighting in the West?
American settlers remained on the western frontier.
- How did privateers help the American war effort?
They seized goods from British merchant ships, which forced Britain to spend resources protecting their ships.