A colonial spy network that operated during the war and provided George Washington with information on British troop movements
Areas of Operation:
New York City
Long Island
Connecticut
Virginia
Main Individuals:
Benjamin Talmadge(Director of Military Intelligence)
Robert Townsend(Samuel Culper Jr.)
Abraham Woodhull(Samuel Culper Sr.)
Techniques:
Chemicals
Ciphers
Mask Letter
Quill Letter
The American colonies had strengths and weaknesses in terms of undertaking a revolution
The colonial population was well over two million, nearly one third of that in Britain
The growth in the colonial economy had generated a remarkably high level of per capita wealth and income
The British military had advantages with virtual control of the Atlantic, a navy that could attack anywhere along the American coast, and logistical support for the army
The British army had a large core of experienced officers commanding a highly disciplined and well-drilled army in the large-unit tactics of eighteenth-century European warfare
The American military would have great difficulty in defeating the British by these measures
The American navy was small
The Continental Army had relatively few officers proficient in large-unit military tactics
The American army was unlikely to be able to meet the British army on equal terms on the battlefield due to lacking numbers and discipline
The British were in a better position than the Americans to finance a war
England’s army was well paid and well fed, and had enough money to hire German mercenaries known as Hessians
After declaring independence, Congress set about defining the relationship between it and the former colonies under the Articles of Confederation
The powers granted to Congress under the Articles of Confederation did not include the power to tax or the power to regulate commerce
Congress had no tax system to generate revenue, making it difficult to borrow money
According to the Articles, the states were to make voluntary payments to Congress for its war efforts, hampering funding throughout the war
Soldiers were often without adequate food, arms, clothing, and shelter due to very little money
Salaries were very rarely paid on time, leading to low morale, disease, and desertion
The respect of the soldiers for General Washington kept the Continental Army from falling apart completely
The colonies gained invaluable help from France, Spain, and the Netherlands in the conflict, crucial for the Revolution's outcome
The assistance of France, Spain, and the Netherlands was highly improbable that the United States could have won its independence without
The American Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents ever written
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson and approved by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776
The Declaration of Independence declared the reasoning behind the American Revolution
Not all individuals at the Congress signed the Declaration of Independence
Individuals who signed the Declaration of Independence
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Franklin
and 53 others
Speaker: '“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal...”'
Jefferson meant with the line "all men are created equal"
That all men should be treated fairly with their natural rights, regardless of their background or social status
Slaves and women were not represented by the statement "all men are created equal"
If the United States were still a colonial property of Great Britain, representation in a new Continental Congress would be different than that of the 1775-76 Congress
If a new Continental Congress were held today, representation would be more varied, including people of color, men, and women
The line "all men are created equal" might have to be re-imagined if the United States were still a colonial property of Great Britain
The colonies gained invaluable help from
France, Spain, and the Netherlands
The intervention of France, Spain, and the Netherlands in the conflict
Made a crucial difference in the Revolution's outcome
The United States could have won its independence without the assistance of France, Spain, and the Netherlands
War strategies by the British and the Americans
Developed within military and financial constraints
British military strategy
Initially tried to impose a naval blockade and capture major American seaports