Abigail Adams

Abigail Smith Adams was born in Massachusetts on November 11, 1744. She came from a prestigious family and was related to Thomas Sheppard and other Congregational ministers.  Like other women of her era, she had no formal education, but was curious and worked hard to teach herself.  She read any books that were available and became knowledgeable about a variety of subject matters most women never considered. Abigail married John Adams in 1764.  He was a young Harvard graduate teaching school and trying to launch a career in law.  She had three sons and two daughters. 

         Abigail Adams supported the revolution as well her husband.  John Adams spent a lot of time away from home, traveling for both his legal work and as a political revolutionary. She managed their farm and took care of business so that he, John Adams could devote himself to politics. Abigail Adams advised her husband on matters of politics. They wrote letters to each other frequently. In one of her most famous letters Abigail writes: 

"Remember the Ladies" in the drafting of the New Nation's law. But John dismissed her requests. The law reserved legal and political rights to husbands, and women's could vote only in New Jersey. 

        John Adams became president in 1797 John Adams was eager to have his wife at his side. As First Lady, Adams made a large impression on the public.  Her husband was reelected and lost in 1801. They return to Quincy, their home, and their main focus was their family and home. John Adams remained in correspondence with several political figures including President Thomas Jefferson. Abigail Adams died October 28, 1818.  Her son, John Quincy Adams became president 6 years after she passed away. 

General Cornwallis

  Charles Cornwallis was born at Grosvenor Square, London on December 31, 1738. He was the eldest son of Charles Cornwallis, 5th Baron Cornwallis. Cornwallis was educated at Eton College and Clare College, Cambridge. He fought in the Seven Years' War and served as a member of Parliament. Cornwallis served under Gen. William Howe at the battle of Long Island. After those wars they had he then became second in command to Sir Henry Clinton, the British commander in America, in 1778.  

          He took charge of the Southern campaign and won a costly victory against American General Nathanael Greene. He moved his troops into Virginia and then was surrounded by the French and American troops at Yorktown. He didn't  receive much needed  supplies, and he was forced to surrender by Generals Lafayette and Washington. He surrendered at Yorktown on October 19, 1781, which virtually won the War of Independence for the Americans.

         In 1798, he was made viceroy and commander-in-chief of Ireland. There he quenched an Irish rebellion and defeated an invading French force while gaining the respect of both Catholics and Protestants in that divided country. In 1805, he was restored to his post as Governor General of India, but he died there of fever shortly after arriving. In his own country and others, Lord General Charles Cornwallis is known as a hero, but to Americans he is remembered only for his surrender of Yorktown, the final battle of the American Revolutionary War.

European Allies

     After the victory of the Patriots in Saratoga the French started to think that there might be a chance that they could win the war. France being enemy of Britain decide to join forces with the Patriots to balance the scale. Now the Patriots have a greater chance to win since they have more people in their troops fighting with them. Before they started to send people they helped them by sending secretly ammunition and weapons since the shores were still closed because of the British commands. After that France started sending volunteers, someone that stands out is Marquis de Lafayette who helped Washington to create new battle strategies and training the troops.

     After their effort in Saratoga the French wanted to take a risk and negotiate an open alliance with the Patriots. This alliance was negotiated in February 1778 lead  by a man called Benjamin Franklin. He became popular in France because he said he loved french stuff and later on became a president of the United States of America. Now they had an open alliance and could fight together. Although they were together and had a bigger number their first battle together was a total mess and they ended up losing it because they were so disorganized.

    Later in 1779 Spain decided to join the war but allying with France and not directly to the Americans because they already had their colonized people they had even much more land than what the british had. The Spanish knew that if they helped the Patriots their people would think they can rebel against them as well and could fight for their independence. The spanish came in hand because people like the governor of Louisiana Bernardo de Galvez provided money and supplies to the Patriots. He also managed to prevent British ships to go into the Mississippi River and into New Orleans.

Battles of Saratoga

     During the process of taking over America the British and the Patriots had to fight many battles. it was obvious that the Patriots were outnumbered and were less prepared for a war than the British since the American Army was formed of volunteers or some soldiers, some got paid other just did it for the love of their country. One series of battles that stands out are the Battles of Saratoga that were fought in up state New York. The king t the time suggested to send a strong army to fight the Patriots which were trying to take back New York. They send General John Burgoyne and his troops to defeat them coming form Canada through the Hudson Valley.

     With their troops combining Germans and British Burgoyne was really confident in their winning ahead but coming down through the Hudson River they fell in  Patriots trap. Washington had the idea to move the New York militia and get by surprise the British in Saratoga. The British weren't prepared since the Fort Ticonderoga was abandoned and the Patriots took over it they had no clue. In that point many battles were fought since July 1777. British fought but couldn't understand why the Patriots continued fighting because they knew they would never win.


      Burgoyne counted in other troops leaded by General Clinton and Germain but they failed at winning the battles. Washington had written convention which he could sign to surrender and lose the battle as well. In october the last troops failed since their commanders were badly injures by rifles and battle wounds. General Burgoyne was forced to sign the convention and surrendered to the Patriots on October 17 of 1777.

   

Ethan Allen

Ethan Allen was born on January 21, 1738 and also raised up in Litchfield, Connecticut. Allen's education was cut short when his father died in 1755 and he had to take over the family farm. He tan was a Military Leader. Allen is best known as: American Revolution fighter who helped found Vermont. She fought during the American Revolution as the leader of the Green Mountain Boys, a ragtag militia made up of settlers of what it now the state of Vermont. By that time she decided to joined the militia (1757) during the French and Indian War, but didn't see any fighting. He and his brother had own many land in the place called the New Hampshire Grants. They had problems in there because the ownership of the area was in dispute with settlers from New York. They had to fight off New Yorkers, the Green Mountain Boys were formed, with Allen as their commander. 

         Allen After fighting in the French and Indian War, Ethan Allen settled in Vermont. At the  American Revolution, he raised his force of Green Mountain Boys and Connecticut troops and helped capture the British fort at Ticonderoga. Later, he tried to take Montreal and was captured by the British. Congress gave him the rank of colonel, but he did not serve in the war after his release. He was then voted out as commander and the Green Mountain Boys were incorporated into the Continental Army. He had acted in an attempt to invade Canada but he was capture by the British, in Montreal. For him to have liberty he had to and report George Washington, everything that was happening. He decided to returned to Vermont. Where he became major general of the militia and went back to fighting territorial disputes.

       During 1780′s, Allen’s influence on Vermont politics waned away. Ethan Allen has a larger than life impact on Vermont and its frontier spirit. He influenced the earlier history of Vermont, and his independent way of thought. He spent a tranquil life in his waning years. Along with his second wife. Allen concentrated on farming and publishing, and died quietly in the year of 1789. Two years before Vermont became a state. 

Lord William Howe

         William Howe was born on August 10,1729 in England. Was the third son of Emanuel Howe. He was one of the British Generals during the Revolutionary War.  Howe and his three brothers were the illegitimate uncles of King George III.  Who was the British King in those times. Colonist agree with him and thought he was a good person until he was sent to fight in the war. As soldier he had to fight against the colonist and then the colonist though he wasn't a sympathetic person for them.  

         Howe sailed for Boston with Major Generals Henry Clinton and John Burgoyne. Arriving May 15. On May 25 in 1775, he came to the colonies. When he landed  he led the British troops in attacking Breed's Hill. The nickname for this battle was the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Americans fought for bravely. In this battle many British Soldiers died but an important facts is that General Howe led his troops well.  After this short battle he became a full General which was on October  1775. He became the temporary Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in the 13 Colonies, and Howe became the regular Commander-in-Chief in April, 1776.


         In 1776, General Howe and his troops began the battle for New York City. He had fought against General George Washington in the battle of Long Island.  The British won that battle, but then they stopped instead of going to chase the Americans. That let the Americans escape with their troops. They had many fought in many more battles and the won them.  Howe like New York, and he decided to stay in there. He fought against George W. And he beat him in the Battle of Brandywine and then he took over Philadelphia. He wanted to retire as Commander-in-Chief. He first send a permission of retire to England and on April 14,1778 the permission was accepted and he then went back to England. 

Continental Army

    When the second continental congress started observing that the people were getting ready mentally for a revolution they started making plans. They knew they were about to battle the kingdom with the strongest army at that time and they didn't have an army. The second continental congress decided it was time to create one and they decided to call it the Continental Army hence the name of their congress. It started really small with few people wearing the blue coats as in the picture on top, not all of the army had a uniform, not even the majority. Many people that were part of this army were volunteers with no experience with a gun or how to use one. Farmers, artisans, workers were part of the army and with their own clothes they went to practice and to battle against the red coats. Although they had an army they weren't close to the number of troops that Britain had in America and knew that without a a good leader they wouldn't do much either. The second continental congress decided to place George Washington.

   General George Washington was suggested to command the Continental Army two weeks before being official. There was some conflict into deciding Washington as the official commander, they said there were better qualified people. Washington had two things in favor of the Continental Congress, one was that he was a Virginian, an American and that they had seen him in action before. Washington had worked in a British expedition before during the French and Indian War and knew tactics and how the British worked. in July 3, 1775 he was called to the house of commons in Massachusetts to show himself as the official commander of the Continental Army. He had a small army and pleaded France for help and support against the English forces. He won many battles with his knowledge about the english tactics.

   The Army grew bigger and stronger everyday although volunteers were living their wives to do their jobs and take care of the house and kids back in their hometown was paying off. Under Washington's leadership the Continental Army was getting many victories and other surrenders form the british. With the last battle fought with the english ended being the British surrendering their power. Washington's knowledge gave them an advantage over the red coats and ended up in a victory gaining the independence of america. General Washington was elected as the first president of the independent United States of America in its thirteen colonies.  Although Washington didn't sign the declaration he was a key to gain it.