Americans and the Revolution Part III

Personal Hardships

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Personal HardshipThe Declaration of Independence showed that the colonial

leaders were working together against Britain. But the colonist (The People) were divided. Many had to decide whether to support independence or stay loyal to the British King.

Colonists who supported independence called themselves Patriots. Those who remained loyal to the king were called Loyalists. About one-third of the colonists stayed neutral ordid not choose sides.

As people took sides, friendships, and families were sometimes broken apart.

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Economic Hardships

British ships set up blockades so that trading ships could not unload goods at American ports.

As the shortage of goods grew worse, Americans also faced inflation. Inflation is a rise in the price of goods. Because of Inflation:

• People needed more money to buy the same amounts of goods

• Because of inflation the value of colonial paper money called Continentals lost its value.

• They had no money to pay for the war

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• Because there was a shortage of goods, some farmers and shopkeepers began profiteering, or charging extra-high prices for their crops or goods. (goods means food)

• How did inflation affect people during the Revolutionary War?

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Women and the War

Women played many different roles in the Revolutionary War.

• Some ran family farms

• Some ran family businesses

• Some raised money for the war

• Some collected clothing for the soldiers

• Others followed their husbands from battle to battle in the camps they would cook food, wash clothes, and brought water to the soldiers during battles.

Martha Washington

She traveled every winter to be with her husband, George.

Sybil Ludington

She was sixteen years old. She rode more than 40 miles to tell Americans that the British were planning to attack.

Deborah SampsonShe dressed as a man, so she could fight during the war

Margaret CorbinShe took her husband place in

he war. (She was recognized as the first women veteran) (Veteran a person that serves in the military)

Mercy Otis Warren

She wrote poems and stories about the war. Later she wrote about the American Revolution.

Abigail Adams

She wrote letters to her husband John about freedom and took care of children that lost their parents during the war.

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African Americans. Free and Enslaved

• Some free African American had set up communities in the northern cities of Philadelphia. However most of the African American lived enslaved, mostly in the south.

• About 5,000 African American fought in the Continental Army. Many were promised their freedom as a reward for their service.

• James Armistead, a salve from Virginia, was a spy for George Washington. James Armistead helped win an important battle at Yorktown.

• Over 300 African American fought for the British governor of Virginia, they were promised their freedom. This group wore patches that said Liberty to Slaves.

Peter Salem was free African American that took sides. He fought the British at the Battle of Concord. He also fought at Bunker Hill.

James Forten he was only 14 years old when he join the Continental Navy

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New Alliances

Many Native American Sided with the British. In 1777, the Mohawk leader Thayendanegea known as Joseph Brant, fought for the British. He hoped to stop settlers from moving west. Groups such as Oneida and Tuscarora joined the mericans.

The Continental Army

• In 1775 George Washington took over the Continental Army

• The soldiers had no uniforms

• The soldiers had no guns-they used spears and axes.

• Most of them had no military training-many were farmers who just enlisted, or signed up, to fight.

• Washington was so upset that he threw his hat to the ground and he said “Are those the men with which I am to defend America”

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British Army

• The British Army was made up of experienced soldiers.

• They used mercenaries or hired soldiers. These hired soldiers came from a German region called Hesse-Cassel.

• The British had problems too. It was hard to fight a war 3,000 from home.

• Loyalist gave them some aid, but they had to wait until British soldiers came to replace them.