American Revolutionary War

The American Revolution1775-1883

• 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.

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

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.

• By then, Americans had enjoyed a great Amount of freedom. They especially represented new taxes without their consent and representation in Britain’s parliament.

Major issues that angered them were:

1. The Proclamation of 1763 – England’s King George forbid colonist to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.

2. 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.

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.

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.

BOSTON TEA PARTY

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

6. The Intolerable Acts of 1774 – were Britain’s response to the Boston Tea Party. One act closed Boston’s 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.

The First Continental Congress September 5 – October 26, 1774

• The First Continental Congress was attended by representatives from all the colonies except Georgia. They bet in Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia to protest the Intolerable Acts. There 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.

Colonial Militia and Minutemen

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

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 moment’s notice. They were called minutemen.

• Fighting began in April at Lexington and Concorde. 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 Concorde. Joseph Warren, a Boston patriot, discovered Gage’s plan. He sent three carriers Paul Revere, William Dawes, Samuel Prescott to ride and warn the citizens.

Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts 1775

Nearly 150 years later, an American poet, William Wadsworth Longfellow told the story (even though incorrect

historically) of the famous ride of referred to as “The Mid-Night of Paul Revere”. It was Samuel Prescott who

made the famous ride not Paul Revere.

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.

In May 1775, patriots Ethan Allen along with his militia “Green mountain Men” 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.

Fort Ticonderoga, New York 1775

1. After the ______ and _______ War, Britain was in great debt. It began passing Laws and taxes to further

control the ________.

2. List six taxes and laws that put more control on the colonies.

3. The colonists’ response to the Intolerable Acts of 1774 was a dump English ______ into Boston’s Harbor. This event is called the _______ _______ _______.

4. The Second Continental Congress met in ________ in ________. Congress agreed to _______ with Britain until the ________ were abolished.

5. The Colonists did not have a central ________.

6. Citizens, who were ready to bear arms at a moment’s notice were called ________.

7. These volunteer soldiers had their first encounter with the British on ______ at ________ and _______, Massachusetts.

8. Explain how the colonists rights were being taken from them by their King.