Effects of the American Revolution

The American Revolution impacted society. From 90,000 Loyalists, 20,000 became former slaves, and 45,000 became refugees in Canada. The Revolution created 2 new regions: Dominion of Canada, and United Stated of America. Indians made treaties with USA. Indians had to give up massive amounts of lands (Tennessee and Kentucky lands) so the British would not attack them. By 1790, there were 100,000 people already living in Tennessee and Kentucky.

The Revolution impacted women. Women were called "Republican Mothers". Abigail Adams, John Adams's wife, fought for women's right and wrote a letter to her husband saying to remember and consider women when John was writing the Constitution. She wanted laws of protection. John Adams did not pay attention to the letter. Women couldn't vote, only widows. They couldn't have/own property or make contracts.

African Americans were also affected by the Revolution. 1 of every 5 Americans were from African descendants. The Revolution encouraged the slaves to fight for their freedom. Lincoln declared slavery was illegal in the South. About 5,000 slaves joined the Continental militia. About 50,000 slaves escaped to join the British. Emancipation came to the North States, but failed in the South. 5% of the population in the North were slaves, while in the South, 1/3 of the population were slaves. Virginia and Maryland released their slaved in a practice known as manumission.

Battle of Yorktown

There were 4 main factors that contributed to the Patriot's success:
- The British made tactical mistakes
- The British misunderstood the political nature of the conflict
- The Patriots were highly motivated by George Washington's leadership
- The Patriots received crucial assistance from the French


During the late summer, on September 15, 1781, Washington marched his troops south to Yorktown. Cornwallis plans plans to get to Yorktown and receive support ships from New York. Washington's plan was to block the entrance for the ships and preventing Cornwallis to escape or get ammunitions. Now they had to rely on the French to block the entrance and trap Cornwallis and he had to surrender. The coordination they had in order to trap him was luck for the patriots.

General George Washington, commanding a force of 17,000 French and Continental troops, begins the Battle of Yorktown against British General Lord Cornwallis and 9,000 British troops at Yorktown, in the most important battle of the Revolutionary War. The french fleet departed for the Chesapeake Bay. Washington realized that it was time to act. He ordered Marquis de Lafayette and an American army of 5,000 troops to block Cornwallis' escape from Yorktown by land while the French naval fleet blocked the British escape by sea.

By September 28, Washington had completely trapped Cornwallis and Yorktown with the combined forces of Continental and French troops. After three weeks, Cornwallis surrendered to Washington in the field at Yorktown on October 17, 1781, ending the War for Independence. Cornwallis did not attend the formal surrender ceremony, held on October 19. Instead, General Charles O'Hara carried Cornwallis' sword to the American and French commanders. Although the war persisted on the high seas and in other theaters, the Patriot victory at Yorktown ended fighting in the American colonies. Peace negotiations began in 1782, and on September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, formally recognizing the United States as a free and independent nation.

Abigail Adams

       Abigail Adams is was born on November 22, 1774 and died October 28, 1818. She is married to the second President of the United States, John Adams. She is best known for simply being the "First Lady" back then, also for the stance she took for women's rights in the letters to her husband. But she should be known as a competent farm manager and financial manager. She was educated at home, but she learned quickly and read widely.

       Her marriage with John Adams was loving and warm. She had four children before John became involved in the Continental Congress. During the time that John wasn't around the house anymore, Abigail was left with doing everything at home. Abigail managed the family and the farm. During the war, Abigail also served as the primary educator of the children, including the future sixth president, John Quincy Adams.

      When Adams served in Europe as a diplomatic representative of the new nation, Abigail decided to join him. John Adams served as Vice President of the United States from 1789 to 1797 and then as a President 1797-1801. Abigail spent some of her time at home, she had to manage her family, financial affairs and part of her time in the federal capital. After John retired from the public life at the end of his presidency, he and his wife, lived quietly and happily in Massachusetts.

Treaty Of Paris (1783)

   
       Through the fall and following winter, British colonies in the Caribbean fell to enemy forces. So this made Lord North's government fell in late March 1782 and was replaced by Lord Rockingham. They saw that North's government had fallen, so Benjamin Franklin, who was the American ambassador in Paris, took action. He decided to write to Rockingham expressing a desire to begin peace negotiations. He understood that making peace was necessary, so he elected to give it an opportunity. This pleased Franklin and his  negotiators.

      Although Cornwallis and his men surrendered at Yorktown in the Fall of 1781 was what marked the end of the Revolutionary War. However that didn't end the War officially and there still were minor battles between the British and the colonists for another two years. This war has been going on for way too long and it needed to end soon before it caused even more damage that it has caused already. An official treaty was needed to finish this war for once and for all.

       Then the Treaty Of Paris was proposed and was signed by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay. Under the terms of the Treaty, Britain recognized the independent nation of the United States of America. They also agreed to remove all of the troops from the new nation. The treaty set new boarders for the United States, including all land from the Great Lakes on the north to Florida on the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Mississippi River. The US agreed to allow British troops that were still in America to leave and agreed also to pay all the debts they owed to Great Britain. The United States agreed not to persecute the loyalists that were still in America and allowed those that had left America before, to return.