Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams was born in November 22, 1744 and died October 28, 1818. She was born in Weymouth, Province of Massachusetts Bay. She was the wife of John Adams, who was the second President of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams. She was the first Second Lady of the United States, and the second First Lady of the United States. Abigail is remembered for the many letters she wrote to her husband while he stayed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the Continental Congresses.

When John Adams met Abigail he was 27 and he was a lawyer. Abigail Adams is mostly known for her husband John Adams. When John Adams was working on the Declaration of Independence she was there to help him. She saw that women were nit treated as good as men and that women had less rights. She decided to increase women rights. She always helped her husband John.

She was the First Second Lady of the United States. She fought for women rights and was remember for writing many letters to her husband reminding him of the women rights, when John Adams was serving in the Continental Congress. Her letters were of intellectual knowledge of government and politics. In one of the letters she wrote to her husband, she wrote him to remember the ladies, to be more generous to them and have equality. Many of the times her husband took into consideration her letters. John and Abigail both didn't approved slavery, they thought is was evil.

The British Invade the South

The British wanted support from the farmers, but they unused this support and continued with the conventional war. They wanted more supporters so they went to the south looking for more people to go on their side. During this times the British had many victories. In the late 1778's the British seized Savannah, Georgia. On this day the British Lieutenant Colonel Archibald and his force of 2500 and 3600 troops which included the New York Loyalists and Hessian Mercenaries launched a surprise attack to the American troops. The American troops commanded by Robert Howe went outnumbered, they only had between 600-900 men.

In Spring of 1780 the British captured Charleston, South Carolina. Americans suffered the worst defeat of the Revolution, with the surrender of Major Benjamin Lincoln to British leader Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton and his army of 10,000 at Charleston, South Carolina. With this victory the British captured 3000 patriots, and many munitions and equipment, losing only 250 wounded and killed british soldiers during the process.

In summer of 1780 the British captured Camden, South Carolina. The continentals led by General Horatio Gates chose to engage the British on August 16, 1780. He overestimated the number of soldiers against his troops, it was to late to withdraw when he realized his mistake. He was outnumbered by the numerous British troops, and he realized he had just made a big mistake and there were gonna be many killed people. Continental forces numbered around 4000 to General Charles Cornwallis some 2200 Redcoats. After the disastrous loss at Camden, Gates was removed from command and replaced by Nathanael Greene.

With the help of the Spanish Forces commanded by Bernardo de Galvez, he attacked several forts in the Gulf of Mexico. During 1780 he captured a British fort in Mobil, Alabama. Then in 1781 he captured Pensacola, Florida. It became a war between Patriots and Loyalists. It was a total devastation, both sides were stealing and killing each other.

The War Ends

The Patriots won the war. 4 factors that contributed to the patriots success were: British made tactical mistakes,British misunderstood the political native of the war, Patriots were highly motivated, and patriots received crucial assistance from the French. Later on on summer 1781  G. Washington took his army to York Town. Cornwallis had surrender the battle of York Town. He wanted to reach York Town and waits for ships with supplies from New York. Cornwallis falls into a trap, Washington expects the French to arrive to fight with Cornwallis, when they arrive Cornwallis is surrounded so he send somebody to surrender.


The British arrived on September 5, French arrived on August 30.On October 10, 1781 Cornwallis send another person to surrender to G. Washington. on July of the same year Washington expected backup from the French and Cornwallis expected backup from New York. Later on came the Treaty of Paris. it was in early 1782 a new administration in England, they negotiated a treaty in September 3, 1783. They recognized American Independence. French weren't included in the treaty, thy were left out.

The revolutionary war ended because Cornwallis was waiting for supplies in New York. G. Washington arrived to York Town, This ship was stopped by the French and Cornwallis surrendered because they were surrounded. But the Revolutionary war ended officially until the Treaty of Paris. Only treaties can end wars.

The Revolution Impacts Society

After the Patriots won the war in 1781 with the help of the French. British were struggling and paying high taxes to pay the war. In 1782 a new prime minister appeared that made peace and by 1783 they recognize American's independece and signed the Treaty Of Paris. Leaving left behind The Natives Americans, Women, loyalists and black slaves. The Revolution made a big impact in society. The British after the revolution tried to protect the loyalists. They were approximayely 90,000 loyalists, 20,000 of them were formers slaves and 45,000 left to Canada and find refuge.

The Revolution not only affected society in a bad way, it expanded the United States and The Dominion Of Canada increasing the population. Benjamin Frankling in the Treaty Of Paris had negociated the West Appalachians land. Forcing the Native Americans to leave their massive tracks of land in exchange for Peace and Freedom. By 1790, in Tenesse and Kentuky they were approximately 100,00 americans living in the west. Now in day Native Americans live in reservations with problems of unemployment, and alcoholism.

After the war ended women got a little bit of respect and were called the "Republican Mothers" but it wasn't enough. John Adams' wife Abigal Adams fought for womens rights. She wrote him a letter to her husband to remind him of womens rights, but he didn't took it seriously. Women by that time were not allowed to vote, only widows could vote in New Jersey and could not have properties, everything belong to their husbands. On the other hand they were a lot of changes for the African Americans. Patriots viewed slavery as natural. Lincoln in the south signed at the south slavery as ilegal in the Emancipation Proclamation to free a slave from bondage. At the South many americans would sell the slaves to the North. In Maryland and Virgina they voluntary free their slaves by manumission. By 1810, 20,000 southern slaves had been free.

Valley Forge

In 1777 at outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The Continental Army were facing a hungry and harsh winter. They had lack of food and supplies, they were about 10,000 soldiers without shoes and coats. In the other hand, General George Washington who was very concerned reported to Congress about the problem. If a big change didn't happen the army would dissolve, dispear, or starve. By December 23 1777,a big character joined the army to help, it was Colonel Baron Steuben. He tought the soldiers discipline and encourge them to be organize.


In June 1778 the British evacuated Philadelphia into New York City under the leading of Sir Henry Clinton, they fought the Monmouth battle. The Battle of Monmouth took place in Monmouth, New Jersey in June 28,1778. American general George Washington ordered Charles Lee, cimmanding the advance guard to attack the British rear. At the end both sides claimed they have won victory but the British claims seem more valid since Clinton was able to complete his march wihtout molestation.


Washington then marched to the Hudson River to join the Continental Army, while Clinton returned to New York. At the end the war was generally taken as a draw.There were 10,000 British Troops against 11,000 Americans. Afterwards General Charles Lee demanded and recieved trial by court for his performance on the battle. He was convicted and sentenced to 1 year suspension from duty. They categorise Lee as a traitor, he was known as "boiling water" by the Iroquois due to his temper.

Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine was an English author, political and revolutionary. He was born in January 29 1737, Thedford and died in June 8 1809, New York. He was a very important men during The American Revolution because his writing was inspirational for others. Since he had many visions and brilliant ideas for the colonies. In January 1776, a really powerful book came out named "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine. The book consisted of a radical proposal , it was a simple but directed language. The proposal consisted of: First to declare independance from Britain, second a Republican State Government and third one to united the 13 Colonies.

The English Revolutionary Thomas Paine denounced the King and Aristocrats as frauds and parasites. He also thought people should elect all the government and hated social structures.
Later on they found out that the real enemy was the King not Parliament. He started being a journalist in Philadelphia. Thomas Paine was also part of the Continental Congress, but he didn't succeed being a soldier. During that time of his life he wrote another inpirational book named "The American Crisis". It was a really strong book, George Washington used to read the book to his soldiers for them to get insipiration and get strong as an army.

Later on he returned to Europe and wrote another book named "The Rights Of Man". In response for the French Revolution. His proposals and books were not being supported in England and they decided to arrest him. When he was going to be arrested, he fled to France to join The National Convention. By 1793 he was arrested inf France for not supporting Louis XVI. While he was imprison he wrote another book called " The Age Of Reason". He was free in 1794. In 1802 he returned to America.

The Colonists Declare Independence

Everything started in 1776 in Philadelphia. After the levy of taxes and the lack of liberty and opinion colonists decided to declare the independence. The book ''common sense'' help them defeat the British. It tells the major ideas that the Founders had about government. The Declaration also contains the Founders' complaints against the British king. The british began to pass new laws that taxed the colonists, colonists started to get angry and didn't want the British to control them.


In 1774, the colonists sent representatives to a meeting called the First Continental Congress for them to  make a solution for the problem. Some of the delegates of the meeting wanted to stop trading with Britain. Others wanted to fight with the British. Some ideas that were expressed in the declaration of independence were that all men were created equally, the king is a Tyrant, the unalienable rights. Colonists were used of their way of living that they ere their own bosses. Colonists thought that the British parliament and the King were taking away to much of their freedom.



 On July 2 they voted for Independence and in july 4 it was approved. It was drafted between June 11 and June 28 by Thomas Jefferson which was the third president of the United States . The text of the Declaration can be divided into 5 sections. The original Declaration of Independence is located in Washington in the Capitol. The Declaration of Independence contains the ideals or goals for the nation. It expressed freedom.