How did the colonists prepare for war?
How did the colonists prepare for war with Britain? They formed the Continental Army and chose George Washington to command it. They asked colonies to give money for supplies and began printing currency. The colonists thought that rulers in England did not understand life in the colonies.
What was life like during American Revolution?
The majority of the soldiers, however, were ages 18-24. Young boys in the army worked as messengers, water carriers, and drummers. During the Revolutionary War more soldiers died from disease than from combat. Soldiers had a poor diet, worn out clothes, damp shelters, and lived in unsanitary conditions.
Why did the colonists form militias?
Yet owing to the small British military presence of the time, the colonists soon found the need to establish a military force. They drew from their knowledge of the militia system in England to develop their own military forces. The colonies did little to change their militias until just prior to the Revolutionary War.
Why were militias important in the American Revolution?
During the American Revolution, the militia provided the bulk of the American forces as well as a pool for recruiting or drafting of regulars. The militia played a similar role in the War of 1812 and the American Civil War. Many of these volunteers were veterans of the Civil War, and many were from the middle classes.
What impact has the war had on life in the colonies?
The war took a huge toll on the economy of the colonies. With the colonies in a conflict with Britain, many countries decided to break off or at least slow down trade with America. The amount of money being brought into the colonies plummeted, meaning the colonies would emerge from the war victorious but in deep debt.
How did the American Revolution affect farmers?
Trade routes to market were cut off by war, either water ways or roads. Farmers could not plant surpluses because they might not be able to sell the excess and it would just rot on their fields. Herds of cattle and horses were depleted either by the plundering of the British or as provisions for the Continental Army.
What were the main crops during the American Revolution?
Throughout the colonial period, tobacco had been the principal cash crop for most Virginia planters, large and small. On the eve of the Revolution, tobacco was the single most valuable commodity produced in North America, accounting for more than 25 percent of all exports.
How did the American Revolution affect the lives of civilian colonists?
In the long-term, the Revolution would also have significant effects on the lives of slaves and free blacks as well as the institution of slavery itself. It also affected Native Americans by opening up western settlement and creating governments hostile to their territorial claims.
Why did poor people join the American Revolution?
A strong sense of patrio- tism motivated many to defend their homes and land. By the end of the war most soldiers in the American army were young, relatively poor men who joined because they were unemployed and had no property.
What made the colonists angry at the British government?
By the 1770s, many colonists were angry because they did not have self-government. This meant that they could not govern themselves and make their own laws. They had to pay high taxes to the king. They felt that they were paying taxes to a government where they had no representation.