Changes

|Americans

|Americans

|}

|}

The '''American Revolutionary War''' (1775-1783) was a war between [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] and their thirteen [[North America|American]] colonies.  After the fighting raged for a year the Americans declared independence on July 4, 1776, as a separate nation, and formed an alliance with France that equalized the military and naval strengths of the two sides. The basic cause was the refusal of the British government to allow Americans a voice in setting texas. Those that favored independence were called [[Patriot]]s and those that remained loyal to King [[George III]] were called [[Loyalist]]s. There was also a significant contingent that tried, for the most part, to remain neutral.  

The '''American Revolutionary War''' (1775-1783) was a war between [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] and their thirteen [[North America|American]] colonies.  After the fighting raged for a year the Americans declared independence on July 4, 1776, as a separate nation, and formed an alliance with France that equalized the military and naval strengths of the two sides. The basic cause was the refusal of the British government to allow Americans a voice in setting texas. Those that favored independence were called [[Patriot]]s and those that remained loyal to King [[George III]] were called [[Loyalists]]. Many people tried to remain neutral.  

[[Image:american-revolution-map.gif|thumb|200px|The 13 colonies in 1775]]

[[Image:american-revolution-map.gif|thumb|200px|The 13 colonies in 1775]]

==Boston 1775==

==Boston 1775==

[[Image:Concord1775.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Eyewitness drawing of British Redcoats marching to Concord in April, 1775.<ref> This is a hand colored engraving by Amos Doolittle based on a sketch by Ralph Earl. <ref>The Colonial Williamsburg Journal, "Fields of Fire—Four Views of the Fatal Day", Summer 2006.  [http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Summer06/paintings.cfm online] </ref>]]

[[Image:Concord1775.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Eyewitness drawing of British Redcoats marching to Concord in April, 1775.<ref> This is a hand colored engraving by Amos Doolittle based on a sketch by Ralph Earl. The Colonial Williamsburg Journal, "Fields of Fire—Four Views of the Fatal Day", Summer 2006.  [http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Summer06/paintings.cfm online] </ref>]]

Political tactics had failed, and the British sent a combat army to Boston to overawe the rebels. On April 18, 1775, Gage sent 700 elite troops to Concord, 21 miles from Boston, to seize illegal munitions stored there.  Major John Pitcairn a month before wrote that "one active campaign, a smart action, and burning two or three of their towns, will set everything to rights."  The minute men of Lexington blocked Pitcairn; someone unknown fired the first shot; the British pushed on to Concord.  They found the munitions gone and began their return trek only to be stunned by the discovery the Americans were fighting back.  Three thousand militia lined the route, firing muskets from behind stone fences.  ("The Americans," noted General Israel Putnam, "are not at all afraid of their heads, though very much afraid of their legs; if you cover these they will fight forever.")  The Yankee assault was well-planned and well-carried out.  Only the timely arrival of a rescue party saved the redcoats, who suffered 270 casualties (versus 93 American casualties).

Political tactics had failed, and the British sent a combat army to Boston to overawe the rebels. On April 18, 1775, Gage sent 700 elite troops to Concord, 21 miles from Boston, to seize illegal munitions stored there.  Major John Pitcairn a month before wrote that "one active campaign, a smart action, and burning two or three of their towns, will set everything to rights."  The minute men of Lexington blocked Pitcairn; someone unknown fired the first shot; the British pushed on to Concord.  They found the munitions gone and began their return trek only to be stunned by the discovery the Americans were fighting back.  Three thousand militia lined the route, firing muskets from behind stone fences.  ("The Americans," noted General Israel Putnam, "are not at all afraid of their heads, though very much afraid of their legs; if you cover these they will fight forever.")  The Yankee assault was well-planned and well-carried out.  Only the timely arrival of a rescue party saved the redcoats, who suffered 270 casualties (versus 93 American casualties).

Over the winter of 1775-76, the Americans sent expeditions to conquer Canada.  Some of the habitants in French Canada welcomed the Americans and joined the invading army. Some supported the British colonial government. Most remained neutral. <ref> Mason Wade (1945) vol 1 </ref> The American invasion was hopeless.  Short of supplies, outnumbered, sick with disease and too reckless, the Americans were whipped by the British regulars and Canada would continue to fly the Union Jack.   

Over the winter of 1775-76, the Americans sent expeditions to conquer Canada.  Some of the habitants in French Canada welcomed the Americans and joined the invading army. Some supported the British colonial government. Most remained neutral. <ref> Mason Wade (1945) vol 1 </ref> The American invasion was hopeless.  Short of supplies, outnumbered, sick with disease and too reckless, the Americans were whipped by the British regulars and Canada would continue to fly the Union Jack.   

The British battened down in Boston, which was on a peninsula and could not be attacked without artillery on the hills around the city.  Led by [[Henry Knox]], a brilliant young clerk who had read military treatises and knew how to seize the moment, the patriots obtained 60 heavy guns from the capture of Ft. Ticonderoga, in upstate New York.  Water traffic was controlled by the Royal Navy, so Knox organized ox teams that hauled the heavy guns across the snows and ice in winter 1775-76. When the guns finally arrived in Boston in March, 1776, the British in Boston were defenseless; they withdrew to the great British naval base in Halifax, Canada.  The rebellion faced by their old enemy pleased the French, who began secret shipments of gunpowder, muskets and other vitally needed munitions, and allowed American privateers to use ports in France and the French West Indies.

The British battened down in Boston, which was on a peninsula and could not be attacked without artillery on the hills around the city.  Led by [[Henry Knox]], a brilliant young clerk who had read military treatises and knew how to seize the moment, the patriots obtained 60 heavy guns from the capture of Ft. Ticonderoga, in upstate New York.  Water traffic was controlled by the Royal Navy, so Knox organized ox teams that hauled the heavy guns on sleds across the snows and ice in winter 1775-76. When the guns finally arrived in Boston in March, 1776, the British in Boston were defenseless; they withdrew to the great British naval base in Halifax, Canada.  The rebellion faced by their old enemy pleased the French, who began secret shipments of gunpowder, muskets and other vitally needed munitions, and allowed American privateers to use ports in France and the French West Indies.

In full control of nearly all parts of the 13 states, and realizing they had to break from London once and for all if they ever were to receive French aid, the new United States of America declared its independence in July, 1776. This was a proclamation of a state of affairs that had taken effect at least a year earlier, when the Continental Congress took over the forces around Boston and formally established a Continental Army. The army's mission thus was to preserve the status quo of a new nation that had seized control of its fate. The British had to crush that symbol, and reassert the supremacy of the Crown. The Royal Navy blockaded the American coastline. Washington and his armies had to trudge overland, while the British forces could be moved rapidly by water from point to point. Although they had the naval power to seize any one point, Britain never had the manpower to occupy all the rebellious colonies simultaneously. At least 200,000 soldiers would have been needed for that, and probably more. London did expand its army, but service was unpopular and it could not raise enough troops. Efforts to hire mercenary armies around Europe turned up only 30,000 men rented out by the rulers of Hesse-Cassel and other tiny countries. (The rulers were paid so much per soldier, with a bonus for those killed.) The 3,000-mile-long supply line drastically limited the number of troops that could be maintained in America. The supply line furthermore had to be constantly protected from American privateers (privately operated armed merchant ships with a license to attack British merchantmen.) London assumed that a small number of radicals, wholly unrepresentative of American opinion, had seized control. The solution was not to negotiate but to overthrow them. The reasonable Americans would see their duty as British citizens, and renew their allegiance to the Crown once they saw the invincible British army had arrived.

In full control of nearly all parts of the 13 states, and realizing they had to break from London once and for all if they ever were to secure a full scale military alliance with France, the new United States of America declared its independence on July 4, 1776. This was a proclamation of a state of affairs that had taken effect at least a year earlier, when the Continental Congress took over the forces around Boston and formally established a Continental Army. The army's mission thus was to preserve the status quo of a new nation that had seized control of its fate. The British had to crush that symbol, and reassert the supremacy of the Crown. The Royal Navy blockaded the American coastline. Washington and his armies had to trudge overland, while the British forces could be moved rapidly by water from point to point. Although they had the naval power to seize any one point, Britain never had the manpower to occupy all the rebellious colonies simultaneously. At least 200,000 soldiers would have been needed for that, and probably more. London did expand its army, but service was unpopular and it could not raise enough troops. Efforts to hire mercenary armies around Europe turned up only 30,000 men rented out by the rulers of Hesse-Cassel and other tiny German countries. (The rulers were paid so much per soldier, with a bonus for those killed.) The 3,000-mile-long supply line drastically limited the number of troops that could be maintained in America. The supply line furthermore had to be constantly protected from American privateers (privately operated armed merchant ships with a license to attack British merchantmen.) London assumed that a small number of radicals, wholly unrepresentative of American opinion, had seized control. The solution was not to negotiate but to overthrow them. The reasonable Americans would see their duty as British citizens, and renew their allegiance to the Crown once they saw the invincible British army had arrived.

==Organization==

==Organization==