FACTS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
The American Revolution was a struggle between 13 American colonies and Great Britain.
The American colonies wished to attain independence and create a new sovereign nation – the United States.
The American Revolutionary War lasted for eight years – between April 1775 to September 1783.
The American colonists supporting independence were named Patriots.
The American army was known as the Continental Army after the Continental Congress of 13 states.
The 13 colonies were Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.
Colonists remaining loyal to the British crown were known as ‘loyalists’.
British soldiers were known as ‘redcoats’ or ‘devils.’
During the war, the majority of people living in the American colonies were ‘fence sitters’ not taking either side.
The American Commander in Chief was George Washington.
The British military commander at the start of Revolution was Sir William Howe, though he was later replaced due to failures in the British war effort.
King George III led British resistance to American independence. The British Prime Minister was Lord North (a Tory).
Not all British MPs supported military action against the American Patriots. The ‘Whig’ faction, e.g. Edmund Burke criticised military action to resolve the issue.
During the war, African-American slaves served on both sides of the war. The British offered freedom to slaves who escaped their masters and served with loyalist forces. After 1776, George Washington raised a small number of black only units.
During the chaos of war, many slaves were able to escape. In South Carolina, 30% of slaves escaped, migrated or died during the conflict.
Approx 25,000 American Patriots died during military service – the biggest cause of death was disease – often in unsanitary prisoner of warships.
Compared to the ratio of the population, The War of Independence was the second-deadliest American conflict after the Civil War.
In 1776, the population of the 13 American colonies was estimated at 2.4 million. 85% of the white population was of British descent, with 9% of German origin and 4% Dutch.
The British army was weakened by needing to also fight in the Caribbean.
Approx 42,000 British sailors deserted in the war. American colonies also had difficulties raising troops due to the economic need to stay on a farm. 90% of
the American population worked on farms.
