The War Ends

The American Revolution war endend basically because the British wanted to retreat, they lost many of their army and they decide to end the war. The Americans and French marched out of Williamsburg and arrived before Yorktown on 28th September 1781, forming a semi-circle around the entrenchments and putting the British under siege.  Cornwallis expecting Major General Clinton to sail from New York with a relieving force had decided to remain in Yorktown rather than march south to the Carolinas or attempt to reach New York. His first move was the inexplicable one of abandoning a line of four redoubts that dominated the British positions. The Americans immediately occupied the empty redoubts.

The Americans began formal siege operations on the eastern side of Yorktown on 30th September and on 9th October were sufficiently close to began an artillery bombardment. On 14th October the Americans and French stormed two redoubts in front of their trenches and the position of the British in Yorktown became untenable. The British carried out a sortie on the 16th in which several guns in the two redoubts were spiked. On the same day Cornwallis attempted to pass the Guards, the 23rd and the Light Infantry across the York River to Gloucester but was thwarted by a storm.




6,000 British surrendered to the Americans and French with 10 stands of German and British colours, 240 pieces of artillery, small arms, ammunition and equipment.The casualties during the siege had been 500 British, 80 Americans and 200 French.The capitulation of the British to the Americans and French ended the fighting in the war and led to the Peace Treaty that acknowledged the independence of the American states.  Clinton’s relieving force arrived in the Chesapeake on 24th October.

The Importance of the women in the Revolutionary War

In the years during the Declaration of Independence, the resistance to the British was expressed in boycotts of imported products. The boycotts worked because the women would step into the breach and would provide all the clothe and food that couldn't be brought from overseas. The housewives were the family shoppers. the women's cooperation was the critical challenge without it they knew it was impossible to succeed... Tea was the most important drink in the battleground, of the Colonial America. Almost all of the homes had tea sets.

Women patriots joined enthusiastically in the boycott. When men were going to fight women had to take over their farms and businesses, and in some parts of the country endure life under an army of occupation. They had to work hard so they could provide food and shelter to their families. Abigail Adams once said "We possess a Spirit that will not be conquered. If our Men are all drawn off and we shoud be attacked, you would find a Race of Amazons in America."

In 1774, 51 women in, North Carolina, issued a public statement endorsing the boycott, when many men journalist said they we bad mothers, harlots, and heavy drinkers. But back home they we patriots and admired by most. Southern ladies would wear dresses made of homespun cloth to their fancy balls, and always joined their husbands and fathers while making political toasts and singing patriotic songs.

Battle of Bunker Hill

The Battle of Bunker Hill was a really important battle in the American Revolution. It was fought on June 17, 1775. It took place on the Charlestown Peninsula on the North side of Boston Harbor. The combatants were the British troops of the Boston garrison against troops of the American Continental Army. The Generals that took part of this battle were: Major General Howe against General Artemas Ward and General Israel Putnam. The size of the armies was: 2,400 British troops against 1,500 Americans.

On June 15, 1775 the American colonists heard news that the British planned to control the Charlestown peninsula between the Charles and Mystic Rivers. When dawn broke, the British were stunned to see Breed's Hill fortified overnight with a 160-by-30-foot earthen structure. The fighting began as soon as the day did. As soon as the men on British frigate awoke they opened fire on the colonial fortifications. At about 3:00 PM Thomas Gage, the British commander, ordered men to try and take control of the hill. When the British forces were firmly established on the ground at the base of the hill they proceeded to charge. The British just expected to march up the hill and just scare the colonists away.

As the colonists saw this massive red line approach slowly and steadily, they remained calm and did not open fire. Once the British came within range, the colonists began firing, and the British soldiers started to fall rapidly. The British forces were driven back twice. The colonists had run out of ammunition and supplies. The colonists fled back up the peninsula since it was their only escape route. This battle, which lasted for approximately three hours, was one of the deadliest of the Revolutionary War.

Although the British technically won the battle because they took control of the hill, they suffered too many losses to fully benefit from it. Besides having fewer deaths than the British, the colonists believe they had won in other ways as well.

The British Make Mistakes

In order to prevent war with Britain. They sent a letter to King George.
They asked him to consider their problems and to help them to find a solution.
But the king didn't even open the letter. That was the first mistake they make.
Then other mistake that the British make during the American Revolution was in December of 1776 . When British General William Howe decided to stop fighting. This happen during the cold winter months. He was one of the general during the Revolutionary War.

When he come to the colonist in May of 1775 he was a Major General. He led the British troops during this battle. This battle is known as the famous Battle of Bunker Hill. Because of his decision of stop the fight, they allowed the Americans to plan a surprised attack. As a countermove, Ward and the colonial leaders decided to fortify the Charlestown peninsula,it was just across the bay from Boston. On the night of June. The Americans fortified Breed's Hill, in spite of having been instructed to fortify Bunker Hill.

So then the British had two options one of them was that they drive the colonials off the peninsula, or they evacuate Boston. But they chooses to attack. Maybe if they wouldn't choose that, they will win the war .The next day , General Howe was leading the attack. Instead of making a flanking movement they decided to make a frontal attack and this was other big mistake , because they assume that the American Army were few they were run as soon they saw the British coming. But this didnt happen , and they lost the war and many British soldiers died becauses of this mistakes.

American alliances after 1778

The capture of a British army at Saratoga encouraged the French to formally enter the war in support of Congress, as Benjamin Franklin negotiated a permanent military alliance in early 1778, significantly becoming the first country to officially recognize the Declaration of Independence. On February 6, 1778, a Treaty of Amityand Commerce and a Treaty of Alliance were signed between the United States and France.William Pitt spoke out in parliament urging Britain to make peace in America, and unite with America against France, while other British politicians who had previously sympathised with colonial grievances now turned against the American rebels for allying with British international rival and enemy.

Later Spain in 1779 and the Dutch 1780 became allies of the French, leaving the British Empire to fight a global war alone without major allies, and requiring it to slip through a combined blockade of the Atlantic. The American theater thus became only one front in Britain's war. The British were forced to withdraw troops from continental America to reinforce the valuable sugar-producing Caribbean colonies, which were considered more important.

Because of the alliance with France and the deteriorating military situation, Henry Clinton, the British commander, evacuated Philadelphia to reinforce New York City. General Washington attempted to intercept the retreating column, resulting in the Battle of Moundmouth , the last major battle fought in the north. After an inconclusive engagement, the British successfully retreated to New York City. The northern war subsequently became a stalemate, as the focus of attention shifted to the smaller southern theater.

Mary Ludwig "Molly Pitcher"

Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley was also known as "Molly Pitcher". Molly was born on October 13, 1754, near Trenton, NJ. Her first husband was John Caspar Hays on July 24, 1769. She had one son with John. His name was John L. Hays. Molly's son was born in 1783. Her second husband was John McCauley in 1792. Molly Pither was a woman that fought bravely at the battle of Monmouth in the Revolutionary War. Molly died on Jauary 22, 1832 in Carlisle Pa.

Mary Ludwig's father was named John George Ludwig. He was a dairy farmer. Mary's father had a farm near Trenton, New Jersey. She lived with her parents and worked on the farm until she was fifteen years old. When Mary was 15, her father found her a job. She had to move to Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She had to work in Dr. William Irvine. Her work consisted on washing clothes, cleaned the house, took care of the family's children, etc. In there he met her first husband, which was a barber in Carlisle.

After the Revolutionary War, Mary and her husband went home to Carlisle. In 1783 Mary had a baby boy. Mary's husband died when her son was five years old. Later, Mary got married again. Both of her husband have been soldiers. The new marriage was not a happy one. Her second husband died in 1813.

Later in her life, she lived with her son when she was old. John and his husband had seven children. Mary must have enjoyed this since she died in January 22, 1832. She was 79 years old. Mary is buried in Carlisle. Her tombstone is in the Old Graveyard Carlisle. There is a monument in Monmouth, New Jersey.

Intolerable Acts

The Intolerable Acts were laws that were really punishments that King George III put on the colonies. He did this to the Colonists because he wanted to punish them for dumping tea into the harbor at the Boston Tea Party. The Quakers petitioned King George to repeal or end the acts, but he said that the colonies must submit to these English laws.

These are the Intolerable Acts.

• The Boston Port Bill became effective on June 1, 1774. The King closed Boston Harbor to everything but British ships.
• The Quartering Act was established on March 24, 1765. The King sent lots of British troops to Boston. The colonists had to house and feed the British troops. If the colonists didn't do this for the British troops, they would get shot.

• The Administration of Justice Act became effective May 20, 1774. British Officials could not be tried in colonial courts for crimes. They would be taken back to Britain and have a trial there. That left the British free to do whatever they wanted in the colonies and to the Colonists.

• Massachusetts Government Act became effective on May 20, 1774. The British Governer was in charge of all the town meetings in Boston. There would no more self-government in Boston.

• The Quebec Act was established on May 20, 1774, This bill extended the Canadian borders to cut off the western colonies of Connecticut, Massachusettes and Virginia.