American Revolutionary War

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American Revolutionary War
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The American Revolution1775-1783

• The revolutionary war in America is also known as
  the American Revolution. It was fought between
  Great Britain and the Thirteen Colonies. The
  result was the formation of a new nation-the
  United States of America.

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• Fighting between British soldiers and the
  American Patriots began April 19,1775, at
  Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. The wars
  last major battle was at Yorktown, Virginia
  during September and October 1781. Britain
  formally recognized America independence with the
  signing of the Treaty of Paris on September 3,
  1783.

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Events leading to the American Revolution

• Britain was deeply in debt following the French
  and Indian war (1754-1763) in which it defended
  against the takeover by France. Once the war was
  won, Britain began passing laws and taxes to
  increase its control over the colonies and regain
  some of the money it had spent.

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• By then, Americans had enjoyed a great Amount of
  freedom. They especially resented new taxes
  without their consent and no representation in
  Britains parliament.

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Major issues that angered them were

• The Proclamation of 1763 Englands King George
  forbid colonist to settle west of the Appalachian
  Mountains.
• The Sugar Act of 1764 placed a
• 3 cent penny tax on each gallon of molasses
  that entered the colonies from outside the
  British Empire.

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• 3. The Stamp Act of 1765 required colonist to
  pay for tax stamps on newspapers, and various
  legal documents. Parliament abolished the Act in
  1766.
• 4. The Townshend Acts of 1767 placed a duty on
  imported goods including glass, lead, paint, and
  paper. Americans responded by not buying British
  goods.

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• 5. The Tea Act of 1773 To avoid paying the tea
  tax, colonial merchants smuggled tea in from the
  Netherlands. In 1773, Parliament passed the Tea
  Act, which made it possible for the East India
  Company to sell tea below the price of the
  smuggled tea. Britain believed that the
  colonists would buy the English tea since it was
  cheaper.

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BOSTON TEA PARTY

• On December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams led
  patriots, disguised as Indians, on a raid of
  British ships docked in Bostons harbor. They
  dumped the cargoes of tea overboard. This was
  later called the Boston Tea Party.

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• 6. The Intolerable Acts of 1774 were Britains
  response to the Boston Tea Party. One act closed
  Bostons harbor until the colonists paid for the
  destroyed tea. Another took away nearly all
  power from Massachusetts legislature. Control
  of the colony was given to the newly appointed
  British governor, General Thomas Gage.

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The First Continental Congress September 5
October 26, 1774

• The First Continental Congress was attended by
  representatives from all the colonies except
  Georgia. They met in Carpenters Hall in
  Philadelphia to protest the Intolerable Acts.
  Representatives decided to stop trade with
  Britain unless the Acts were abolished. They
  also advised colonists to prepare for war. They
  agree to meet again in May 1775.

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Colonial Militia and Minutemen

• Britain had large numbers of well trained
  militia. Soldiers uniforms included bright red
  jackets. The colonists called the soldiers
  redcoats.

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• The colonies did not have a central government,
  army, or navy. Each colony did have a small
  citizen army called the militia. Some members of
  the militia were ordinary citizens such as
  farmers, craftspeople, and businessmen. They were
  prepared to drop everything and become volunteers
  at a moments notice. They were called minutemen.

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Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts 1775

• Fighting began in April at Lexington and Concord.
  General Gage received secret orders to arrest
  Massachusetts troublemakers. Boston patriots
  learned about the orders. They fled the city.
  Gage found out that Americans had stored arms and
  gun powder in the nearby town of Concord. Joseph
  Warren, a Boston patriot, discovered Gages plan.
  He sent three carriers Paul Revere, William
  Dawes, Samuel Prescott to ride and warn the
  citizens.

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• Nearly 150 years later, an American poet,
  William Wadsworth Longfellow told the story (even
  though incorrect historically) of the famous ride
  referred to as The midnight ride of Paul
  Revere. It was also Samuel Prescott who made the
  famous ride with Paul Revere.

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• When the redcoats reached Lexington, seventy
  minutemen were waiting. It is not known who fired
  first, But eight minutemen were killed and ten
  were wounded. Only one British soldier was
  injured. The British continued toward Concorde.
  Again minutemen met them. Three redcoats and two
  patriots were killed. When the British began to
  march back to Boston, minutemen fired at the from
  behind trees and bushes. About 250 British were
  wounded. American losses numbered ninety.

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Fort Ticonderoga, New York 1775

• In May 1775, patriots Ethan Allen along with
  his militia Green Mountain Boys and Benedict
  Arnold led the siege of Fort Ticonderoga, a
  British post in New York. They also captured
  nearby Crown Point. These two victories supplied
  Americans with much needed artillery.

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• After the ______ and _______ War, Britain was in
  great debt. It began passing Laws and taxes to
  further
• control the ________.
• List six taxes and laws that put more control on
  the colonies.
• The colonists response to the Intolerable Acts
  of 1774 was a dump English ______ into Bostons
  Harbor. This event is called the _______ _______
  _______.

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1. The Second Continental Congress met in ________
   in ________. Congress agreed to _______ with
   Britain until the ________ were abolished.
2. The Colonists did not have a central ________.
3. Citizens, who were ready to bear arms at a
   moments notice were called ________.

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• These volunteer soldiers had their first
  encounter with the British on ______ at ________
  and _______, Massachusetts.
• Townspeople were warned that the British were
  coming by ______,_______, and _________.
• This famous story has been told in a poem by
  _________.
• The Americans had another early victory when they
  captured the English Post
• Fort __________.

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The Second Continental Congress May 1775

• At first, few delegates wanted to break ties with
  Britain. However, King George continued to
  ignore the colonists petitions. He closed all
  American ports to overseas trade. Support for
  American independence continued to grow. Even
  so, it is important to note that 20 to as many
  as one-third of the colonists remained loyal to
  Britain.

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• They called themselves Loyalists. The patriots
  called them Tories. More than one-third of the
  colonists didnt care one way or the other. The
  war depended upon the patriots who numbered less
  than one-third of the population.
• In Philadelphia, on June 14, 1775, Congress
  established the Continental Army. On June 15,
  Virginias George Washington was made the armys
  Commander in Chief.

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• Congress soon appointed 13 additional
  generals. Fighting continued while Congress
  faced the major tasks of recruiting troops and
  paying for a war. It had no power to tax. It
  soon began to issue currency called Continental
  Dollars. They became nearly worthless. Congress
  received loans and gifts from wealthy citizens
  and from other nations, especially France, the
  Netherlands, and Spain. Benjamin Franklin
  represented America in France. He played an
  important role in obtaining French troops and
  warships.

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• The Second Continental Congress met in ____ on
  _____.
• In June of that year they established the _______
  Army.
• George Washington was made _______ of the army.
• Congress had little _______to finance its
  fighting against the British.
• Colonists who wanted freedom were called
  ________.

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1. Colonists who wanted to remain as British
   citizens were called ________.
2. The colonists decided to declare their
   independence from the King of ______.
3. The ______ War is the name given to the fighting
   between the Americans and the _________.
4. During the war who was the King of England?

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The Battle of Bunker Hill 1775

• Both the British and the Americans wanted to
  occupy hills overlooking Boston. Americans
  fortified Breeds Hill. On July 17, 1775,
  British troops, under General Howe, attacked. So
  as not to waste powder and shot, Colonial
  Prescott ordered Americans not to fire until they
  saw the whites of the enemies eyes! Patriots
  fought until they ran out of ammunition and had
  to flee. This battle is known as the Battle of
  Bunker Hill.

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American Expedition to Canada 1775

• Britain had two colonies in Canada that
  remained loyal. In fall 1775, Congress ordered
  troops to march into Canada to keep British
  forces from invading New York. Benedict Arnold
  led a force toward Quebec, and Richard Montgomery
  led troops toward Montreal. Montgomery was
  killed and Arnold wounded. American forces were
  forced to retreat in spring of 1776.

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Siege of Boston British Retreat from Boston 1776

• General Washington knew that by fortifying the
  high ground around Boston, he could drive the
  British from that city. A plan was made to move
  the captured Fort Ticonderoga cannons across the
  snow-covered Bershire Mountains to Dorchester
  Heights.

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• This began in January and was accomplished by
  March 4, 1776.
• With cannons looking down on them, General
  Howe and his troops left Boston. Nine thousand
  British soldiers sailed to Halifax, Canada.
  Washington then sent his troops south of New York.

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The Declaration of Independence 1776

• All the events and battles we have read about so
  far occurred before the colonies declared their
  independence from England. By the summer of
  1776, it was clear that there could be no turning
  back. The Second Continental Congress appointed
  a committee to draft a document declaring the
  colonies to be free and independent states.

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• Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of
  Independence and it is one of the best political
  documents ever written. On July 4, 1776,
  Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.

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1. June 1776, Congress called for the colonies to
   become _______ states.
2. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on
   ___________.
3. The main author of the Declaration of
   Independence was ________________.

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Howes Return from Canada

• Just days before the signing of the Declaration
  of Independence, Howe returned from Halifax.
  With new reinforcements, he quickly drove
  patriots out of Brooklyn heights and New York
  City. Nathan Hale, a patriot and young
  Connecticut schoolteacher, was spying behind
  enemy lines. He was caught and hanged. He is
  last words were, I regret I have but one life to
  lose for my country.

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Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey 1776

• After losing New York City, in the Siege of Long
  Island, Washingtons troops withdrew to New
  Jersey. General Cornwallis attacked them. They
  escaped across the Delaware River to Pennsylvania
  on December 7, 1776. Trenton, New Jersey also
  located across the river was occupied by German
  Hessian soldiers whom the British had hired.

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• Washington quietly crossed the Delaware on
  Christmas night. Early on December 26 he
  attacked the sleeping Hessians, and took 900
  prisoners at Trenton
• Cornwallis marched toward Trenton. Washingtons
  troops secretly slipped past the British and
  attacked on January 3 at Princeton. The
  Americans were victorious. Washington then
  moved his troops to winter headquarters in
  Morristown, New York.

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1. After losing New York in the Siege of Long
   Island, Washington withdrew to ____________.
2. General __________ attacked the Americans, and
   they escaped across the ___________River to
   _____________ on December 7, 1776.
3. On Christmas night, Washington secretly crossed
   the ________ and attacked the soldiers early
   December 26.
4. On January 3, 1777 Washington was victorious at
   __________________.

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Brandywine Creek and Germantown, Pennsylvania

• The two armies clashed again on September 11,
  1777, at Brandywine Creek in southern
  Pennsylvania. British forces were victorious and
  occupied Philadelphia. The Continental Congress
  fled to Baltimore. On October 4, 1777,
  Washington struck back at Germantown. Again the
  Americans had to retreat.

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Saratoga, New York 1777

• In July 1777, British General John Borgoyne led
  troops toward New York from Canada. As Burgoyne
  moved south, patriots destroyed bridges, and cut
  down trees to block his advance. From behind
  trees and bushes, riflemen shot the redcoats.
  Burgoyne made one last attempt to break through
  American lines but it was to late.

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• The patriots surrounded him at Saratoga. On
  October 17, he surrended to the American Army.
  The Battle of Saratoga, New York, was the turning
  point of the war. The Americans captured the
  whole army of General Burgoyne. The Americans
  took supplies, arms, and nearly 6,000 prisoners.
  After the great victory at Saratoga, France
  decided to enter the war on the side of the
  Americans to fight against the British.

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Saratoga, New York 1777
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1. The turning point of the war was at the Battle of
   __________ in New York on ________.
2. This American victory convinced __________ to
   enter the war on the side of the Americans.
3. Name the British General who lost the Battle of
   Saratoga. _______________

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Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 1777-1778

• Washington and his army of 10,000 soldiers camped
  for the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge,
  Pennsylvania. They had very little food,
  clothing, or supplies. Nearly one-fourth had
  died by spring. Many deserted. A German
  soldier, Baron Von Steuben, arrived in February.
  He and The Marquis de Lafayette, a French
  nobleman soldier, helped to further train the
  American troops.

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1. Washingtons Army spend the winter of 1777-1778
   at ___________, Pennsylvania.
2. Soldiers had very little ______or _____.
3. Because of the bad winter many ______, and many
   ___________.
4. French officer __________, and a German officer
   ____________ the Americans retrained the
   remaining troops.

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Monmouth, New JerseyJune 1778

• British General Clinton left Philadelphia on June
  18, 1778 to march across New Jersey to New York.
  He was met by the Continental Army near Monmouth
  Court house on June 28. The encounter ended in a
  draw. Clinton continued to New York this was the
  last major Revolutionary War battle in the north.

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Fighting At Sea

• Americans had almost no Navy, but in 1778, John
  Paul Jones on board his ship, The Bonhomme
  Richard, managed to overtake the British ship
  Serapis.

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1. Americans had almost no navy. One of its ships
   was the _____________.
2. ______________ defeated the British ship
   _______________ off the coast of England in 1778.

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Fighting In the West

• Colonists who crossed the Appalachian Mountains
  to settle new lands found themselves fighting
  against the British, as well as Indians whom the
  British encouraged to fight the colonists. Lt.
  Col. George Rogers Clark was sent to strike back.
  He seized British forts along the frontier.

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1. On the western front Lt. Col. Clark captured a
   British Fort on the western side of the
   ____________ Mountains.
2. The Americans during the American Revolutionary
   War fought the British and the __________ on the
   western front.

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Fighting In the South

• After France entered the war, Britain
  concentrated on conquering southern colonies. In
  1778 the British easily captured the port of
  Savannah, Georgia. Within months Britain
  controlled all of Georgia. They moved on to take
  Charleston, South Carolina, in 1780.

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Yorktown, VirginiaSept. Oct. 1781

• The last major battle of the war was fought at
  Yorktown. French and American forces caused
  Cornwallis a major defeat. Eight thousand
  British soldiers surrendered on October 16, 1781.
  Fighting dragged on in some areas for two more
  years. Britain suffered great financial losses,
  and was afraid of losing other parts of its
  empire. It began peace talks in 1782.

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1. The last major battle of the war was at
   ______________.
2. Together the _________ and the ________ troops
   caused the British a defeat.
3. Who was in command of the British forces at the
   battle of Yorktown?_____
4. On what date did the British surrender to the
   Americans? ________
5. Who was in command of the American forces at the
   end of the war? ________

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The Treaty of Paris 1783

• Peace talks began in Paris in 1782. Richard
  Oswald, a wealthy British merchant, represented
  Britain. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John
  Jay represented the new United States. A treaty
  was agreed upon on November 30, 1783. The Treaty
  recognized the independence of the new nation and
  established its borders from the Atlantic Ocean
  to the Mississippi River north to Canada and
  south to Florida

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Benjamin Franklin and John Adams
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• Americans also gained fishing rights off the
  coast of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Britain
  gave Florida to Spain in the Treaty of
  Versailles.
• Nearly 26,000 Americans lost their lives from
  battle and disease in the American Revolution.
  British loses totaled about 10,000.

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1. Where did the peace talks take place at the end
   of the war? ___________
2. What was the name of the Treaty that ended the
   Revolutionary War? __________________
3. After the Revolutionary War the 13 Colonies
   became known as the _________________.
4. When was the Peace Treaty signed?
   __________________

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• 5. The Revolutionary War lasted from _________
  to ____________.
• The colonist won their freedom from _______ at
  the end of the Revolutionary War.
• Name the new borders of the united States because
  of the Peace Treaty in 1783. _______________
• What other Country got land from the Peace Treaty
  of 1783? _________

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• Put these sentences in the correct order.
• English colonists settled in Jamestown.
• European explore the Americas.
• The French and Indian War ends.
• The colonies become a free country.
• The Revolutionary War begins.
• Only Indians live in North America.