Mr. Lahasky - APUSH Period 3 - Lecture #11 - The War and the Articles
Summary
TLDRThe video discusses the American Revolutionary War and the challenges of forming a new nation. It covers the strategic advantages the colonists had, the leadership of George Washington, and the crucial alliances with European powers. Despite the odds, the Americans achieved independence, but the real challenge was building a government. The Articles of Confederation, the first attempt, reflected the founders' fears of centralized power but ultimately proved weak. The war was revolutionary in global terms, inspiring democratic movements, though it led to minimal immediate change in American society.
Takeaways
- 🗽 The American Revolutionary War was fought to overthrow British rule and establish a new nation, reflecting a desire for independence and self-governance.
- 🏰 The war was not just a rebellion against taxes but also a reaction against perceived tyrannical rule, aiming to prevent the rise of a similar despot in America.
- 🔍 The American colonists had significant advantages, such as fighting on familiar terrain and having the support of local communities, which helped balance the scales against the British.
- 👨✈️ George Washington's leadership was pivotal, particularly during the harsh winter at Valley Forge, where he managed to keep his troops together despite severe hardships.
- 🤝 The support from European allies, especially France, Spain, and the Dutch, was crucial for the American victory, providing much-needed military and financial assistance.
- 🔄 The victory at the Battle of Saratoga was a turning point, convincing European powers of the possibility of an American win and securing their support.
- 📜 The Treaty of Paris in 1783 officially recognized American independence and granted the new nation significant territorial concessions.
- 🏛️ The Articles of Confederation established a weak federal government to prevent tyranny, reflecting the founders' fear of centralized power.
- 🌐 The new American government was designed to limit federal power, with most governance occurring at the state level, reflecting a continuation of local control.
- 🌟 The American Revolution had global implications, inspiring democratic movements in other parts of the world and marking a shift towards self-governance.
Q & A
What was the main challenge faced by the American colonists in 1776?
-The main challenge faced by the American colonists in 1776 was coordinating their efforts across the colonies to sustain a rebellion against the British, and in the event of winning the war, they needed a viable system of government to hold the new nation together.
How did the definition of 'revolution' apply to the American Revolutionary War?
-By the social science definition, a revolution is a fundamental change from which there is no going back. The American Revolutionary War fits this standard as it resulted in the overthrow of British rule and the establishment of a new political system, American democracy.
What were the three main reasons for the American victory in the Revolutionary War?
-The Americans were victorious in the Revolutionary War for three main reasons: they enjoyed important advantages at the war's outset, they benefited from the military leadership of George Washington, and they courted necessary assistance from European allies.
What was the significance of the Battles of Lexington and Concord?
-The Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775 marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War, signifying the start of armed conflict between the American colonists and the British forces.
Why was the war effort decentralized for the American colonists?
-The war effort was decentralized because the colonies covered a large land area and had no true capital city, which forced the British to campaign all over the continent, thus leveling the playing field.
How did George Washington's leadership contribute to the American victory?
-George Washington's leadership was crucial, especially during the harsh winter at Valley Forge, where he managed to keep his troops together despite severe shortages of food, supplies, and the threat of disease.
What was the impact of the Battle of Saratoga on securing foreign support for the American cause?
-The victory at Saratoga convinced the French, Spanish, and Dutch that the United States had a fighting chance and would make a worthy ally, leading to crucial alliances and support from these European powers.
What role did Baron von Steuben play in transforming the Continental Army?
-Baron von Steuben, a former Prussian army officer, was instrumental in training and disciplining the Continental Army, turning it into a more formidable fighting force capable of taking on the British in close combat.
Why was the Treaty of Paris in 1783 significant?
-The Treaty of Paris in 1783 officially ended the war and recognized the independence of the United States. It also granted the new nation all lands east of the Mississippi River and south of the Great Lakes.
What were the key features of the Articles of Confederation?
-The Articles of Confederation established a unicameral legislature with one vote per state, no executive branch, no power to tax, and no ability to draft a standing army. It was designed to limit governmental power and prevent the emergence of tyranny.
How did the American Revolution influence the spread of democracy globally?
-The success of the American Revolution inspired democratic movements in France and Latin America, suggesting that the colonists were on the leading edge of a global shift towards democratic institutions.
Outlines
🏳️🌈 The Struggle for Independence and the Birth of American Democracy
This paragraph sets the stage for the American Revolution, highlighting the monumental challenge faced by the American colonists in 1776 as they fought for independence from Britain. It discusses the need for coordination among the colonies and the necessity of establishing a viable system of government to maintain the new nation. The paragraph introduces the question of whether the American Revolutionary War was truly revolutionary, exploring different definitions of 'revolution' and comparing the American struggle to other significant historical changes, such as the development of agriculture and the industrial revolution.
🏰 David vs. Goliath: The American Advantages
This section delves into the reasons behind the American victory in the Revolutionary War, despite being outnumbered and out-resourced by the British. It emphasizes the home-field advantage, the strategic objectives that favored the colonists, and the importance of not losing the war rather than winning it. The narrative challenges the popular image of the war as a simple contest between an overwhelming empire and weak colonies, pointing out that the British had to achieve more to win, while the Americans only needed to keep fighting.
❄️ Winter at Valley Forge: Washington's Leadership
Paragraph 2 focuses on the harsh winter at Valley Forge and the leadership of George Washington. It describes the dire conditions faced by the Continental Army, including lack of supplies, disease, and the threat of smallpox. Despite these challenges, Washington's leadership is portrayed as a key factor in keeping the army together and maintaining morale. The paragraph also touches on the innovative medical strategy of inoculation against smallpox, which was a risky but ultimately successful attempt to control the disease.
🤺 Baron von Steuben and the Transformation of the Continental Army
This paragraph introduces Baron von Steuben, a former Prussian army officer, who played a crucial role in transforming the Continental Army into a more effective fighting force. Despite personal challenges, von Steuben's military expertise was harnessed by Washington to improve discipline and training. The paragraph also discusses the strategic victory at Trenton and its impact on colonial morale and enlistment, as well as the importance of securing European allies, particularly France, for the American cause.
🏆 Victory at Yorktown and the Treaty of Paris
Paragraph 4 covers the final major battle of the war at Yorktown, which led to the surrender of British General Cornwallis and marked the end of major hostilities. It discusses the Treaty of Paris, which officially recognized American independence and provided the new nation with significant territorial gains. The paragraph also highlights the challenges faced by the newly independent United States, including the need to establish a stable government and the complexities of managing a continental republic.
📜 The Articles of Confederation: A Weak Start for a New Nation
This section examines the Articles of Confederation, which served as the first government of the United States. It points out the intentionally weak federal government structure, reflecting the founders' desire to avoid tyranny and protect individual liberties. The paragraph discusses the lack of an executive branch, the prohibition on taxation, and the inability to maintain a standing army. It sets the stage for understanding the limitations of this early governmental structure and the need for a stronger framework to support the new nation.
🌟 The Revolutionary Impact of the American Revolution
The final paragraph reflects on the broader implications of the American Revolution, questioning whether it was revolutionary for the United States but suggesting it may have been a turning point in the history of civilization. It considers the American experiment with democracy and its influence on global movements towards democratic governance, highlighting the enduring impact of the Declaration of Independence and the ideals it represented.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Revolutionary War
💡Home Field Advantage
💡Leadership
💡European Allies
💡Articles of Confederation
💡Treaty of Paris
💡Democracy
💡Fundamental Change
💡Continental Congress
💡Saratoga
💡Yorktown
Highlights
Benjamin Franklin's quote emphasizes the unity needed for the American colonies to succeed.
The American colonists faced the challenge of coordinating efforts across colonies and creating a government system post-independence.
The American Revolutionary War is questioned whether it was truly 'revolutionary' in the social science sense.
The war began in 1775 and the Americans declared independence in 1776, highlighting a long struggle for freedom.
The American victory in the Revolutionary War was due to advantages like home field, military leadership, and European assistance.
The British were seen as Goliath to the American David, but the Americans had significant strategic advantages.
George Washington's leadership was pivotal, especially during the harsh winter at Valley Forge.
Washington's decision to inoculate against smallpox was a daring and successful move to protect his troops.
Baron von Steuben's training transformed the Continental Army into a formidable force.
The Battle of Trenton was a small victory but had a significant psychological impact on the war effort.
European alliances were crucial for American independence, providing much-needed resources.
The Treaty of Paris in 1783 officially recognized American independence and set the stage for the new nation.
The Articles of Confederation aimed to limit government power to prevent tyranny, reflecting post-war sentiments.
The first US government was intentionally weak to avoid centralization and protect state autonomy.
The absence of an executive branch and prohibition of taxation under the Articles reflected a deep distrust of centralized power.
The American Revolution may not have been revolutionary for the US internally but had a profound global impact by legitimizing democracy.
The challenges of maintaining a continental republic under the Articles of Confederation led to the realization of the need for a stronger government framework.
Transcripts
we must
all hang together or assuredly
we shall all hang separately
benjamin franklin oh hi
mr lahaske here and today we're tasked
with the monumental challenge
of building a nation actually i guess
technically we're not but
that was certainly the position of the
american colonists in 1776.
after a long struggle with their british
counterparts across the atlantic
the americans were quite literally
staring down the barrel
of the british army but that was really
only a fraction of their problems
in order to sustain a rebellion the
patriots would need to coordinate their
efforts
across the colonies and in the event
they were able to win the war
they would need a viable system of
government to hold the new nation
together
the birth of american democracy was no
doubt a triumph
but it was not without its hiccups
either today
we'll fight the war and take a stab at
forming a government
but first a big question
was the american revolutionary war
revolutionary
the crux of this question is the
definition of a revolution
commonly the word revolution is used to
describe an overthrow of a government or
political system
and by that definition the war for
american independence certainly fits the
bill
but in the social sciences we prefer a
narrower definition
by our standards a revolution is a
change but not just any change
a fundamental change from which there is
no going back
when human civilization first learned to
cultivate food crops and developed
agriculture
that was a revolution when manufacturing
was mechanized and industry took shape
that was a revolution does the birth of
american democracy fit this standard
let's take a look the revolutionary war
began in april of 1775
with the battles of lexington and
concord the americans declared
independence over a year later on july
4th
1776. the war lasted eight long
years but for the sake of time we'll be
summing it up with a single big idea
the americans were victorious in the
revolutionary war for three main reasons
they enjoyed important advantages at the
war's outset
they benefited from the military
leadership of george washington
and they courted necessary assistance
from european allies
now when the revolutionary war is taught
in most elementary schools and
often when it's discussed in social
circles it's pitched as a contest
between david and goliath
13 puny colonies taking on the most
powerful empire in the world
and winning in 1805 poet novelist and
historian mercy otis warren
wrote one of the first histories of the
revolutionary war
and cemented this interpretation in the
minds of the american people
she wrote the british were indeed very
far superior to the americans in every
respect necessary to military operations
except the revivified courage and
resolution
the result of sudden success after
despair
it's not hard to see why this narrative
is a popular one
after all everyone loves a good underdog
story
and in some respects warren's correct
the british had significant manpower
advantages from the beginning
britain's population in 1776 was eight
million
compare that to just two and a half
million in the colonies the british army
in 1776 included
55 000 professional soldiers while the
americans would be fighting
only with their colonial militias and a
crudely assembled continental army under
the command of george washington
the british navy was one of the most
powerful in the world in the 18th
century
and the colonial navy well there wasn't
one
indeed on first look the british seemed
to have things well at hand
but warren's narrative ignores some
important advantages that the americans
enjoyed
and those advantages would go a long way
towards leveling out the playing field
since the war was fought on american
soil the colonists benefited from a sort
of home field advantage
since they were fighting on familiar
terrain and had the support of the
communities in which they campaigned
also the colonies covered a huge land
area and had no true capital city
this allowed them to decentralize the
war effort and force the british to
campaign all over the continent
but the most important advantage enjoyed
by the americans was in terms of
strategic
objectives or in other words what each
side had to accomplish
in order to win the war since the
british were fighting to maintain
control of the colonies
it wasn't enough just to simply win
engagements on the battlefield
they would need to defeat the colonial
armies conquer rebel territory
and then occupy the territory in order
to continue to enforce british law
on the other hand the americans were
fighting just to be left alone
they didn't need to win the war they
just had to not lose it
by keeping the fight alive they could
slowly wear down the british until the
crown lost interest
or ran out of financial resources to
continue
in this way a longer war actually
favored the colonists
as long as they could keep soldiers in
the field simply put
the british would have to do far more in
order to win this war
and so on paper the contest was closer
than it may have first appeared
but of course wars aren't won on paper
and at the risk of sounding cliche the
leadership of george washington
and others in the colonial ranks were a
big reason why the patriots ultimately
were successful
in advance at the battle of trenton in
1776
washington managed to keep his troops
together during a brutal winter at
valley forge
he had begged the second continental
congress for food and supplies but
the congress had little power to raise
the necessary funds
with 20 of his men shoeless in a small
pox epidemic posing a bigger threat than
the british army
washington's leadership shone here's a
quick clip that can
tell the story a little better than i
can
but first washington must face his
greatest challenge as leader
he makes his winter camp in
a place called valley forge
[Music]
in freezing temperatures the rebels
build 900 huts
in just 40 days each houses a dozen men
he has an army of 14 000 men
and no houses and the continental
congress has
failed to provide him with resources
and by willpower by courage by
leadership
by cajoling he has to hold the army
together in the middle of a terrible
winter
joseph plum martin veteran of the battle
of new york
is at valley forge it's a desolate place
for now on a truly forlorn condition
no clothing no provisions
and as disheartened as can be
our prospect is indeed dreary
right soldier this is gonna hurt a bit
all right
surgeon albigens waldow watches
washington's army head toward crisis
the army which has been surprisingly
healthy
now begins to grow sickly from the
fatigues they have suffered from this
campaign
we don't keep this clean we're going to
be right back
a fifth of the soldiers have no shoes
with little clean water dysentery
spreads through the camp within weeks
two thousand men are sick and they run
out of meat
down to their last 25 barrels of flour
the men survive on fire cake
a mixture of flour and water
the rebel army is a melting pot
as many as 60 percent of recruits are
convicts
freed slaves and immigrants
[Music]
but washington's leadership inspires
unruly men to stay in line
what he had was a confidence that if you
want freedom
this is what's going to take it's going
to take sacrifice it's going to take
blood it's going to take cold winters at
valley forge
it's going to take losses general
washington he was a great general
to be able to uplift his army during
valley forge during that winter
and still be able to fight i wish i
would have been there i wish i could
have fought for him because i damn sure
but washington's army soon faces an
enemy far more lethal than the british
smallpox
the revolution breaks out during the
worst smallpox epidemic in u.s history
the deadly airborne virus spreads
through the british prison ships
isolated from the disease for
generations the american colonists have
little resistance to it
and there's no cure
victims break out in blisters and sores
the virus spreads through the blood
invading healthy cells which it kills
producing more of the virus in the
process
four in ten victims die
smallpox arrives at valley forge
it spreads through the cramped huts like
wildfire
[Music]
washington survived smallpox as a child
now he decides to take a gamble
with one of the most daring experiments
in u.s military history
surgeons have learned about inoculation
from african slaves
they harvest pus from a smallpox victim
[Music]
and smear the live virus into cuts on
the skin of a healthy patient
the inoculation spreads the infection
but at a slower rate
a week after exposure the victim's white
blood cells create antibodies
these attack and kill the virus that
causes smallpox
before the disease can spread
but it's a dangerous race against time
to survive the patient's immune system
has to work faster than the virus
it will run out of control
[Music]
one in 50 of those inoculated will die
[Music]
but washington's gamble pays off
new cases of smallpox fall from several
thousand to just a few dozen
[Music]
but to win the war against the british
washington turns to an
unlikely hero to transform his ragtag
militia
into a formidable fighting machine
[Music]
1778
george washington's patriot army
survives a hard winter
and an outbreak of smallpox at valley
forge
now washington introduces a new recruit
will change the course of the war
baron von steuben is an ex-prussian army
officer
an elite soldier whose career is said to
have been ruined by his homosexuality
but washington makes him one of the most
powerful men in his command
washington was a genius in taking people
in who didn't seem like they could
achieve great things
but under him they rose to the challenge
they rose to the occasion
and that's what great leaders do bon
steuben's task
reinvent the demoralized patriot army so
they can take on the british
in a close fight capitalizing on the
morale he was able to drum up in the
valley
washington attempted a daring advance on
trenton new jersey
in december 1776. he famously crossed
the icy delaware river on christmas
night before capturing a garrison of
british mercenaries
at trenton the following day now in a
strategic sense
trenton was but a small victory but its
effects were enormous
tales of washington's heroism inspired a
renewed resolve across the colonies
and enlistments jumped dramatically in
the coming months
many historians have pointed out that
washington was not a brilliant tactician
on the battlefield
but few have found just cause to
question his leadership
but military leadership would not itself
be enough
to fully tip the scales for the american
cause
independence was the goal but ironically
it could not be realized alone the
colonists needed help
fortunately britain had european rivals
who were eager to see the british empire
weaken
and an independent united states would
do just that
in 1776 the continental congress sent
ben franklin john adams and others
to europe in order to secure alliances
that could provide the ships
soldiers and money that were desperately
needed by the continental army
but while european countries may have
been quietly cheering for an american
victory
they were hesitant to commit their own
countrymen to a foreign war
in support of a nation that was so
unproven
but the american diplomats caught a
break in 1777 when
the continental army won a huge battle
at saratoga new york
the battle of saratoga was the first
time the americans had captured an
entire british army in detail
and when the news of the battle reached
europe it proved a major factor in
convincing the french
spanish and dutch that the united states
had a fighting chance
and would make for a worthy ally
thanks in part to the victory at
saratoga ben franklin successfully
negotiated the treaty of alliance with
france
which committed soldiers and ships to
the american cause
spain committed money and supplies to
the colonial effort and
john adams secured a much-needed loan
from the dutch
the americans finally had the resources
needed
to tip the scales in their favor the
last major battle of the war came at
yorktown in 1781
the siege operation there forced the
surrender of british general charles
cornwallis
a peace treaty was still two years away
but yorktown marked the end of major
hostilities
and the american victory there made
apparent the inevitability
of independence so let's talk about the
terms of victory
the war for american independence
officially concluded with the treaty of
paris
1783. remember not to confuse this with
the 1763 version
that ended the french and indian war the
treaty of paris was negotiated largely
by ben franklin
and was quite favorable for the
americans first
england formally recognized the
independence
of the united states second the new
nation received all lands
east of the mississippi river and south
of the great lakes
the proclamation line of 1763 was of
course eliminated which was
great for westbound settlers but
unwelcome news to the native americans
who stood in their path
finally the british agreed to withdraw
all troops stationed in the west
with quote all convenient speed
though the withdrawal would be anything
but speedy
but more on that later all in all
the americans had done it with the help
of france and spain they had
upset the balance of power in the
western world and achieve their long
sought after freedom
but the real challenge was only just
beginning
the position in which the americans
found themselves in 1783
is perhaps best articulated in this clip
from lin-manuel miranda's
world-famous musical hamilton
they say the price of my wars not a
price that they're willing to pay
insane you cheat with the french
now i'm fighting with france and with
spain
i'm so blue
i thought that we made an arrangement
when you went away
you were mine to stop you
well even despite our estrangement
i've got a small query for you
what comes next you've been freed
do you know how hard it is to lead
you're on your own awesome
wow do you have a clue what happens
now ocean's rise
empires fall it's much harder when it's
only your call all alone
across the sea when your
people say they hate you don't come
crawling
back to me
[Music]
[Music]
you're on your own
[Music]
beneath the quirkiness of jonathan
groff's performance
there's actually incredible insight here
as the king points
out it's one thing to talk about freedom
and democracy and
it may be easy to rally soldiers under
the banner of freedom and democracy
but creating and implementing a
government that sufficiently protects
freedom and democracy that's a whole
nother animal
this was the new challenge and one that
was not so easily completed
this is our second big idea the first
government of the united states
the articles of confederation reflected
american notions of liberty
by limiting governmental powers and
avoiding the colonists
monarchical past okay so
technically the first government of the
united states was the continental
congress
which oversaw the war effort from 1776
to 1781
but the congress was never meant to be a
permanent solution
its members recognized that the
parameters for the permanent government
needed to be explicitly laid out and
agreed upon by the 13 member states
in 1777 while the war was still in its
early stages
those parameters were outlined in the
articles of confederation
the articles formed the first rule book
that defined american democracy
and the powers of the us government one
key observation about the articles of
confederation
they established an american government
that was almost cripplingly
weak but this was actually intentional
for many americans the revolutionary war
was not simply a rebellion against taxes
it was an overthrow of a tyrannical
government
one that was ruled by a despot with
unchecked power
runaway government power and the
infringement of liberty that accompanies
it
was the number one concern of our
country's founders
as a result they placed strict limits on
the government's powers
in the hopes of preventing the emergence
of an american tyrant
the essence of the articles was to tie
the 13 independent states together
very loosely most americans identified
more with their home
state than with the national government
so this was a logical expectation
americans didn't yet consider themselves
americans
they were georgians south carolinians
virginians
new yorkers and so on soldiers across
the colonies had coordinated their
efforts during the revolutionary war
but they were fighting for the freedom
of their home states
newspapers didn't print the united
states they said
these united states a subtle difference
but
an important many americans expected
their state to do most of the governing
and the articles reflected that at the
federal level
the articles established a unicameral or
one house legislature
in which each state contributed one vote
in order to pass a law nine out of the
13 states needed to vote for it
and in order to amend the articles a
unanimous vote was needed
these extremely high thresholds made it
very difficult for the national
government to get things done
which is the way the founders wanted it
it forced most of the governing to be
done at the state level
under the articles of confederation
there was to be no executive branch
and no chief executive this stems from
the colonists desire to avoid
anything that reminded them of monarchy
the idea of putting a single person atop
the federal government
felt a little like crowning a king a
slippery slope to tyranny and
one that the founders wanted no part of
the articles also held that the federal
government would be forbidden from
taxing the people
again no real surprise here if we
consider what the founders had been
through
the revolution was triggered by a slew
of british taxes so
in their effort to distance themselves
from their former overlords
they nixed the prospect of taxation
altogether
finally the government under the
articles of confederation
could not draft soldiers into a standing
army
this of course stems from the colonial
troubles with the british redcoats
the founders saw a large standing army
as an instrument of tyranny
and for most of this country's history
americans have been wary of a large
military
this trend has really only reversed in
the last half century or so
by establishing these strict limits on
the federal government
the founders hoped to protect the
freedoms that had underpinned the
revolutionary war
thomas paine once remarked that
government is best which governs least
and certainly the government under the
articles was governing least
unfortunately the articles proved to be
imperfect
and next time we'll take a look at the
successes and failures of the articles
of confederation
for now though let's revisit the big
question was the revolutionary war
revolutionary on one hand when americans
achieved independence
they experienced few fundamental changes
in their day-to-day lives
if anything american society probably
felt like it did in 1753
on the eve of the french and indian war
furthermore
the new american government outlined by
the articles of confederation
left much of the governing to be done at
local levels
which also represented a continuity from
the era of salutary neglect
on the other hand american democracy was
a truly grand
experiment one that had never before
been attempted on such a scale
the democratic reverberations that
struck france and latin america
in the decades following the war with
great britain suggests that
the american colonists were on the
leading edge of a global movement
aside from a few holdouts the great
monarchies of the old world
have largely given way to democratic
institutions
and all that started with the american
declaration of independence
so perhaps in a bit of irony the
american revolution may not have been
all that revolutionary for the united
states
and its people but by defeating the
british and legitimizing democracy in
the eyes of the world
american independence may well have been
a turning point in the history of
civilization
next time we'll take a look at the
successes and the shortcomings
of the articles of confederation we'll
see that the challenges of maintaining a
continental republic
are such that sometimes you just need to
start from scratch
see you then
you
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