battles of the american revolution

BATTLES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

A. Lexington & Concord April 18, 1775

1. British troops march to Lexington & Concord to capture weapons/gunpowder hidden by the colonists

2. Paul Revere rides ahead to warn colonists

3. Lexington – 70 colonists vs 700 Britisha. “shot heard ‘round the world”

4. Concord – British turned back.

a. retreat to Boston

B. Fort Ticonderoga- May, 1775

1. Ethan Allan & the Green Mountain Boys

2. Captured cannons & gunpowder

C. Bunker Hill - June, 1775

1. British won but lost 1000 men.

2. Americans proved that they could fight bravely but that British would not be easy to defeat.

3. “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!”

D. Battle of Long IslandAugust, 1776

1. British General Howe - 34,000 troops,

2. 10,000 sailors & ships to ferry soldiers

3. Washington – <20,000 poorly trained troops & no navy.

4. More than 1400 Americans killed, wounded or captured. The rest retreated to Manhattan.

E. Battle of White Plains1776

1. British troops defeated Washington in 1776.

2. General Washington was able to keep Continental Army intact and retreated across the Delaware River.

F. Battle of Trenton Dec. 25, 1776

1. Washington crosses Delaware River to Trenton, New Jersey

2. Surprise attack

3. Captured 900 Hessians (German mercenaries)

Battle of Trenton

Crossing the Delaware River Dec 25, 1776

G. Battle of Saratoga - 1777

1. American Victory

2. Turning point of the Am. Revolution !!!!

3. British General Burgoyne surrenders over 5,000 troops

4. Convinces France/Spain to openly help America!

Turning point of the American Revolution!!

Battle of Saratoga -1777

Valley Forge: Winter 1777-781. Hardships

a. shortage of shoes/blankets/food

b. disease

c. cold weather

Valley Forge: Winter 1777-782. Colonial Army gains strength despite

hardships

A. Washington – gave men hope

B. Marquis de Lafayette

1. 19 year old wealthy Frenchman

2. helps train soldiers

C. Baron Von Stueben –

1. Prussian military genius teaches

a. military strategy

b. hand to hand combat

War at Sea:

1. Britain’s large, powerful navy controls Atlantic trade routes

2. Continental Congress commissioned privateers to attack British ships

3. John Paul Jones

a. attacks and defeats British ships.

b. Famous quote when asked to surrender,“ I have not yet begun to fight!”

John Paul Jones captures larger British ship Serapis.

Battle of Yorktown – October 17811. British General Cornwallis used Yorktown VA peninsula as military base2. surrounding water

a. easy to defend b. easy to land supplies from British ships3. French navy chased British ships away.4. Cornwallis runs low on supplies5. Washington marches south & traps Cornwallis & 8000 British soldiers on peninsula6. Cornwallis surrenders, Oct.19,17817. Colonists win the Revolutionary War!

American troops taking Yorktown from the British

Treaty of Paris 17831. Officially ends American Revolution2. Britain recognized United States as an independent nation.3. US Borders

a. Atlantic Ocean to Mississippi River, Great Lakes(north) to top of Florida

b. Florida given to Spain4. Loyalists would be paid for property lost during war.5. Slaves would be returned to colonists

Treaty of Paris-1783

Why Americans Won

1.geography – a. Britain far from home & enemy was spread

over a wide area. b. Americans knew the land, places to fight/hide

2. help from France & Spain3. patriotic spirit, fighting for freedom, Washington’s leadership 4. British mistakes

a. cruelty in South turned many Loyalists into Patriots

b. underestimated colonists will to fight