American War of Independence

British Rule: Why were the American colonists so unhappy in the 1770's?
1. From 1760 American colonies were ruled directly by England. King George III of England was determined that the colonists would pay taxes to England.
2. In 1765 the stamp act was introduced which put taxes on all official documents, newspapers, wills ect. The colonists were very angry over this tax because they were not represented at Westminster. They declared "no taxation without representation".
3. The English government concealed the stamp act but replaced it with the townshend act which put taxes on paint, glass and tea. Once again there was much opposition from the colonists to this tax, so the English government removed the tax from all goods apart from tea.
Revolution Approahces
1. It was Boston where the tea tax was hated the most. In 1770 English soldiers shot at a group of people killing 5 people.
2. This event known as The Boston Massacre caused even more anti-English feelings among colonists.
3. The people of Boston refused to pay the tea tax. When an English ship carrying a cargo of tea landed at Boston Harbour in 1773 they were told by the colonists to return to England with the tea.
4. When the ship's captain refused to return to England, a group of colonists dressed as Indians, went abroad the ships and dumped 342 chests of tea in Boston Harbour.
5. King George III was outraged and he ordered that Boston Harbour be closed until the colonists paid compensation for the tea.
6. Boston was placed under the rule of an English army which was led by General Gage.
War
1. The first shots of the American war of Independence were fired at Lexington. Fighting then spread to Concord where the English army under General Gage were forced to retreat. The colonists won their next victory at Boston.
2. First Continental Congress 1774: Meeting in Philadelphia where representatives from all 13 colonies met to discuss possible independence from Britain
3. Second Continental Congress 1775: Meeting in Philadelphia where 13 colonies agreed to merge their 13 militia (volunteer army) into one army led by George Washington.
Declaring and Winning Independendence
1. At the Third Continental Congress in June 1776, the members who were elected from every American colony signed The Declaration of Independence on 4th July 1776.
2. This declaration meant that a full-scale war between England and the colonists was inevitable. The colonists needed a commander-in-chief for their army. They chose George Washington.
3. The next battle of the war occured at Bunker Hill. Both the English and the colonists suffered huge losses and the colonists were forced to retreat.
4. In March 1776 the colonists defeated the English at Boston and drove the English from the city. However the English were victorious at New York and they captured the city.
5. George Washington and his army were forced to spend a very bleak winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge. The winter spent at Valley Forge was the turning point in the war .
Victory
1. However in February 1778 France joined the colonists in their war against England. Spain and Holland also sent help to the colonists.
2. With foreign aid the colonists were able to defeat the English at Yorktown. This was to be the last battle of the War of Independence.
3. Following Yorktown the English army led by General Gage and Lord Dornwallis surrendered.
4. Peace talks were held in Paris and the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1783. This treaty stated that English recognised the Independent of the 13 American colonies.
Results
1. In 1789 George Washington became the first president of America.
2. America had a constitution and a bill of rights which helped to inspire other countries to follow their ideas on democracy and human rights.
3. America won Independence from Britain and established a federal government.
4. Countries like France and Ireland coped the example of the colonists. The French people revolted against King Louis XVI and set up a democracy in France. In Ireland, revolutions like Wolfe Tone tried to get Independence from Britain in the united Irishmen revolution in 1798.
5. Federal government: Central government based in Washington which looks after foreign affairs, taxation, new laws and terrorism. However, every state has its own assembly (mini government 'county council') which looks after local issues e.g health and education.
Causes
1. 13 colonies
2. Ruled by England (Westminster)
3. King George III
4. Taxation; stamp act and townshend act
5. No taxation without repensentaion
6. Enlightment
7. 1770 Boston Massacare
8. 1773 Boston Tea Party
George Washington
1. George Washington was born in 1732 in Virginia. He inherited a huge plantation called Mount Vernon. He Fought in the British army in the French-Indian war. When he married Martha Dandridge, a wealthy widow, he became one of the most important men in the colony.
2. By 1760, over 2 million English settlers had settled in the 13 colonies of America. These colonies were ruled directly by King George III of England. Trade restrictions called the navigation acts were put on colonies and they also had to pay many taxes like the Quartering Act and the Stamp Act. The colonists hated these taxes especially since they had no representation in Westminster and no say in how the colonies were ruled. They declared 'No taxation without representation". When the English government introduced the Townshend Act-a tax on paint, glass and tea- demonstrators in Boston organised a protest in 1770. British soldiers shot and killed 5 protestors., an event called the Boston Massacre. The English removed the taxes except the on on tea. In 1773 The Boston Tea Party occured when colonists dressed up as indians went onboard English ships and dumped 343 chests of tea into Boston Harboutr. Boston was placed under martial law by General Gage.
3. George Washington was a member of the Virginia assemble and he attended the first and second continental congress where it was decided that each colony would have a militia and that all 13 militia would join together to form the continental army with Washington as the commander in chief.
4. The First shots of the war of independence were fired at Lexington. Fighting spread to Concord and the English were defeated at Boston. However at Bunker Hill, Washington's army suffered huge losses and were forced to retreat. They were also defeated by the English at Boston and New York. Washington and his army spent the winter at Vally Forge. This was the turning point in the war because Washington and a German Von Steuben trained and organised the continental army. France, Spain and Holland also sent help to the Colonists who finally defeated the English at Yorktown.
5. The Treaty of Versailles stated that England recognised the Independence of the 13 colonies . The United States of America now had a constitution, a federal government and Washington became it's first president. Ireland and France were to follow the example of the USA and demand freedom
6. Main Points:
  1. Born in Virginia, 1732
  2. Inherited Mount Vernon, a huge plantation in Virginia
  3. Fought with the British army in the French Indian War
  4. Married Martha Dandridge, another huge plantation which made him very wealthy and powerful.
  5. Member of the Virginia Assembly
  6. Attended the 1st and 2nd Continental Congress
  7. Hated unfair taxation
  8. Wanted independence from Britain
  9. Appointed commander and chief of the continental army.

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