From the time when the first English colonies were established in North America until now, there has been some form of armed fighting force in place to protect the interests of the United States and its colonial progenitors. During the roughly four centuries in which this fighting force has existed, it has undergone numerous changes of varying degrees of significance. Technological advances have changed the nature of both defensive and offensive warfare, political advances have changed the nature of the relationship between the civilian population and its protectors, and geostrategic shifts have changed the role of the United States military with respect to the rest of the world. The most lasting and meaningful changes have occurred …show more content…
The conflict that eventually grew into King William’s War would provide one of the first opportunities for fighters from different colonies to cooperate in a larger military conflict on behalf of the English Empire, and also to develop a sense of resentment toward the Crown for its perceived failure to defend the colonies adequately (Williams, pp. 23-24). The colonists had inherited their ancestors’ distrust of a standing army, primarily since they saw such an army as a tool for the repression of liberty (Flashnick, Week 1). After the failure of the English army to assist the colonial fighters to any meaningful degree during King William’s War, this distrust was confirmed and amplified. Two long-term effects of the conflict were that it reinforced the American preference for the citizen soldier and, by virtue of forcing cooperation between the colonies, it paved the way for what would eventually become a united continental army. Queen Anne’s War was the second successive conflict during this period of transition for the colonial armed forces. The colonies once again were forced to cooperate militarily, this time to an even greater extent than had been the case during King William’s War. This second war involved more of the colonies than had previously fought together at any time, albeit with a substantial degree of reluctance on the part of many, and
Despite of the defiant and vocal protests of the colonists against Parliamentary law in the 1760s, they went for a war very reluctantly in 1775 against the country. The historians like David McCullough in 1776, adequately demonstrated the reticence in their texts with which the colonists went to war (McCullough, 2005). The odds seemed stacked against the American patriot forces and they had every reason to be melancholy and tentative regarding the outcome of the war against their former countrymen. The colonists had the greatest military force in the whole world with 32,000 personnel and a powerful naval fleet. The colonists were undoubtedly the most well equipped and best trained military on earth at that time. However, the optimism prevailed
Throughout the multiple battles landed between the British and Americans during the Revolutionary War , tactical strategies were initiated through studied, thought out plans. Both the loyalists and patriots ultimately created war strategies in attempts to control land, gain supplies from its rivalries, and over shadow their enemies. In midst of the attacks initiated by both, they equally strive to maintain or gain a strong alliance of soldiers with as many minimal defeats as possible. Through the analysis of the war strategies by the Patriots and the Loyalists, we will evidently see the failures, successes and recreations in the results of these plans.
Throughout the 1600’s and some of the 1700’s, England practiced a policy of salutary neglect toward its colonies in the new world. The colonist generally had an amiable relationship with the Mother country; they enjoyed the benefits of the connection because it offered a trading partner and protection. The French and Indian War 1753-1763, was called the 7 years war in Europe. It started because of the competition between the French and British for land in the Ohio Valley. Technically the land was the Native Americans; they fought the attempts of settling from both sides.
Battle of Long Island- Lord North- sent General William Howe to NYC to take over the Hudson so that the southern
Two Views of the British Empire (1767, 1775) 126 D. Loyalists Versus Patriots 128 1. Daniel Leonard Deplores Rebellion (1775) 128 2. Patrick Henry Demands Boldness (1775) 129 3. New Yorkers Abuse Tories (1775) 130 E. The Clash of Arms 232 1.
Sir Henry Clinton, the British commander in chief in America between 1778 and 1782, wrote of the need ?to gain the hearts and subdue the minds of America.? However, the very presence of the British army helped alienate opinion in America.?[1] The very existence of the British isolated them from the Americans creating a deeper divide, the same could be said about current day American
The British enrolled about fifty thousand American Loyalists and enlisted the services of many Indians, who though unreliable, who fair-weather fighters, inflamed long stretches of the frontier”(135). This extra help from colonists, Loyalist, hessians, and the Indians only add to the army creating a bigger advantage towards the colonists. Even though they did not win it can said that the British seemed to have a bigger lead on the colonists. Colonists presented themselves as weak and disorganized, where one would presume that they wouldn’t win at all, “Yet the American rebels were badly organized for war. From the earliest days, they had been almost fatally lacking in unity, and a new nation lurched forward uncertainly like an uncoordinated centipede”(136). Organization is important for the colonists because they are competing against a well-developed and trained army.
Colonists emerged from the Seven Years’ War with a heightened sense of collective identity. Before the war, the colonies has been largely isolated from one another. In 1751, Governor George Clinton of New York had called for a general conference on Indian relations, but only three colonies bothered to send delegates. Participation in the Seven Years’ war also known as the French and Indian war, created greater bonds among the colonies. But the war also strengthened colonists’ pride in being members of the British Empire. (Foner, 172)
The Seven Years War from 1756 through 1763 was a conflict which pinned England and France against each other, with the North American colonies thrown into the middle of the conflict. While this Seven years War didn’t amount to more than a series of hostilities between both sides of the conflict the experience of the Seven Years War shaped not only the beginnings of the Continental Army, from the Massachusetts Provincials, but also began to change the colonies perspective on England and the crown rule. This change in perspective coupled with continued grievances by the colonies against crown taxation eventually would come to head only 2 years later in 1765 with the start of the American Revolution. While the Massachusetts Provincial Army of
During the period of 1689 to 1763, there had been four wars fought in Europe for control of the newly found colonies, therefore understandably tensions were high on every side of the battle field. However, the backdrop for this particular
Identify the strengths of the British army at the outset of the Revolutionary War and account for England’s failure to win it quickly.
The American Revolution war was sanctioned by the former British settlers who wanted autonomy from British Rule. The revolution itself was a culmination of years of heavy taxation and exploitation by the British loyalists. It was the expansionist ambitions of the British Empire that caused it to lose the grip on the American sub continent (Scanlan, 2015, Para. 2-4). The British had embarked on a serious expansion of its empire through the acquisition of colonies in Africa and Asia. The thirteen colonies revolted against the British rule and founded the United States of America. It is important to note that this independence struggle was brutal and both parties suffered heavy casualties. The battle of Nassau can be considered as one of the greatest independence battles in the history of the United States. This paper will critically analyze the battle of Nassau from its onset to completion and the circumstances surrounding the raid on Nassau Island.
Before continuing it is of vast importance to qualify the timeframe The American Revolution in reference to this paper. The War of Independence officially began on April 19, 1775 when shots were exchanged between British troops and the local militia in Lexington, Massachusetts. Six years later, in October
Over the years we have seen a major advancement in technology and economic growth. The areas of research and development have a high ROI (return on investment). In many cases, these advancements have a huge effect on our economic and employment growth especially within the United States. However, my economic concerns in terms of technology would be the loss of jobs due to changes in technology. “Technology makes it easier to outsource business activities to other countries with less expensive labor, leading to a loss in domestic jobs” (). Small companies can also be affected by technology in terms of cost. Manufacturing companies are also affected with the development of new robotic equipment. In some instances, new robotics in these companies
Technology is seen by many as a nuisance, however the benefits of technology are overlooked and taken for granted. Medical advances have improved life expectancies and lowered death rates. Transportation advancements have made relocation easier, whether it is to move people or goods. These benefits are brushed to the side by many.