Valley Forge Dbq

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Washington’s Continental Army’s winter camping period at Valley Forge, commonly known as just “Valley Forge”, was a period of “rest” during the Revolutionary War. Both the British and the U.S army were waiting out the winter -- except, while the British were staying in the comfort of Pennsylvania’s capital at that time, Philadelphia, Washington’s militia was suffering unimaginable hardships: freezing cold, inadequate lodgings… many soldiers were falling deathly ill. If you were a soldier, would you have stayed with the army at Valley Forge… or would you have quit? Many say that they would have quit (myself as well), and many actually did. In the cold winter months of the valley from December 1777 to February 1778, almost 50% of all volunteer …show more content…
A). If so many soldiers were dying, the chances of winning were lowering -- what was the point of staying, one might think. Not only were most troops falling sick, but their general, the famous George Washington, was not very well off either: as represented in Committee of Congress at Valley Forge (Doc B.), Washington appears to be downright begging the committee for food to feed his soldiers. While those discussions are taking place, angry soldiers gather in the background, possibly enraged at the camp’s poor condition. Finally, we come to the conditions of the makeshift camp, from the Diary of Dr. Waldo (Doc C), a doctor at Valley Forge during the winter stay. Not only were many soldiers falling ill, but their recovery was made almost impossible: the log houses had windows, only a single door, and a clay fireplace. To keep the soldiers warm, the fireplace had to be kept lit -- however, there was no ventilation due to the lack of windows, and opening the door to let the frigid winter air in was not an option. Due to the poor ventilation, the sickness spread and progressed among huts.

Valley Forge Dbq

Would you stay or would you leave? The illness caused 3,989 deaths at Valley Forge. Around 15,500 people deserted because of the illness during the Battle. There was an estimate of 12,000 soliders hiunger and around 8,000 people died. I chose to Re-enlist because I dont want to let our country down and once I joined I gotta stay and finish my task. I re-enlist because people are dying in the world and they need our help, also why would I want to quit Soliders dont guit once they got into it…

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Valley Forge DBQ

I would have quit Valley Forge because of the poor living conditions. The American soldiers lived in smoky huts and slept on the floor with mud all around. The cold harsh weather made it very hard to live in Valley Forge for the next 3 or 4 months (Doc. C). The soldiers wore old tattered clothes and had nothing to eat. There had old ripped clothes and with the cold weather, they would freeze. In Doc C, Dr. Waldo stated that he heard many soldiers say “why are we sent here to starve and die? ”There…

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Valley Forge Dbq

Proposed Solutions When considering possible solutions to the poor supply acquisition process that plagued General Washington’s troops at Valley Forge, it is necessary to look at the shortcomings of the supply process during that time. Grizzard (n.d.) stated the following: “Inadequate administrative procedures, a scarcity of money and the failure of credit, a weak transportation system, and a lack of manufacturing all combined with the natural obstacles of geography and weather to create frequent…

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Valley Forge DBQ

If I was a soldier at Valley Forge I would have left for a couple reasons. These colonial soldiers were staying at a winter camp just about 18 miles from Philadelphia, in very cold and harsh weather. There are many reasons to why a soldier should have left Valley Forge. First of all, many of the soldiers were dying or becoming very ill. According to the “Estimates of Illness and Deaths” (Doc. A), 49% of the soldiers were ill, and approximately 2500 people died. As it states in “Diary of a Connecticut…

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Valley Forge DBQ

Even if Valley Forge was a harsh winter full of some sickness and hunger, it brought our country freedom. The people who stayed at Valley Forge were the people who made what we have today, freedom. For example, “The Committee of Congress at Valley Forge“ (Doc B) projects that we are ready to fight, even through the harsh winter we were trained and ready. It also looks as if Peace was able to be granted even with the actions taken placed in the previous time being of the war. Also, the “Estimate of…

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Valley Forge Dbq

Though no military battle was fought here during the Revolutionary War, approximately 2,000 troops died over the 1777-1778 winter months that the American army spent in Valley Forge under Washington’s leadership. George Washington and his men spent the winter of 1777-1778 encamped at Valley Forge. The weather was bitter cold and the snow was deep, leading to one of the most miserable experiences that any army in history ever had to endure. Washington’s men were ragged, and since few had shoes,…

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Valley Forge Dbq Analysis

December of 1777-June 1778, in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania was Washington’s winter camp, which was a difficult place to live in. Would you have stayed? I would have stayed in Valley Forge to be in Washington’s army because Washington was getting help, there were a lot of people sick, but not dying, and the conditions are poor but there is spirit of alacrity. People in Valley Forge were either sick or dying, but more were getting sick than they were dying. So, 3,989 out of 8,000 which is 50% of…

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Valley Forge Dbq Analysis

starved to death. This is just another ordinary day at Valley Forge. Valley Forge was a settlement occupied by General Washington and his men which was built to keep an eye on General Howe and his army who were located in Philadelphia. The conditions at Valley Forge were horrific and after their enlistment term was over, they didn’t reenlist. So, if you were a soldier at Valley Forge, would you have re-enlisted? If I was a soldier at Valley Forge, I wouldn’t have re-enlisted because of death and illness…

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Valley Forge Dbq Analysis

frozen ground and falling spirits, I'm done with the army. Myself along with 12,000 soldiers marched into Valley Forge in December,1777 in the winter suffering and fighting the cold harsh conditions with little supplies and sickness. As time went by, we became weary and wanted to leave. What would you have done? Would you have chosen to go home instead of re-enlisting in the war at Valley Forge? As a soldier, I would have deserted the army for three reasons: horrific illness, no supplies and the…

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Valley Forge Dbq Analysis

Valley Forge: Would you have quit?? I would not quit Washington's army at Valley Forge because there are a lot of sick people, but not a lot of dying people.Washington is getting help. The conditions in Valley Forge were terrible, but there were brave soldiers who stuck with it. And those are some reasons I would not quit Valley Forge. There are a lot of sick people, but not a lot of dying people, so I would not quit. 3,989/8,000 people were sick in February 1778 (Doc A). And that means about 50%…

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