TiconderogaTiconderoga

• Large supply of artilleryLarge supply of artillery

• Americans attacked this British fortAmericans attacked this British fort

• The cannons they stole was used to The cannons they stole was used to drive the British out of Bostondrive the British out of Boston

Second Continental Congress, Second Continental Congress, Continental ArmyContinental Army

• Meeting in Philadelphia Meeting in Philadelphia

• Delegates included John and Samuel Delegates included John and Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Franklin, George Washington, and Patrick Henry Patrick Henry

• Washington was chosen general for the Washington was chosen general for the Continental Army Continental Army

Bunker HillBunker Hill

• militiamen seized Bunker Hill and militiamen seized Bunker Hill and Breeds Hill behind CharlestownBreeds Hill behind Charlestown

• General William Howe crossed the bay General William Howe crossed the bay with 2,000 British soldiers with 2,000 British soldiers

• Colonel William Prescott ordered Colonel William Prescott ordered “Don’t fire until you see the whites of “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes”their eyes”

• British soldiers won the skirmish on British soldiers won the skirmish on Bunker Hill Bunker Hill

Olive Branch PetitionOlive Branch Petition

• Document asked the king to restore harmony Document asked the king to restore harmony between Britain and the coloniesbetween Britain and the colonies

• King rejected the petition King rejected the petition • King punished the colonist for giving him the King punished the colonist for giving him the

petition petition • King punished them by blocking American King punished them by blocking American

ports and ports and • king brought German soldiers called king brought German soldiers called

Hessians to AmericaHessians to America

Dorchester HeightsJanuary 1776• Soldiers dragged 59 heavy weapons from Fort

Ticonderoga for two months to Boston.• Armed with these cannons, Washington moved his

troops to Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston.• Americans threatened to bombard the city and General

Howe in charge of British forces withdrew his troops.• Boston Patriots joyfully reclaimed their city.• 1000 Loyalists left with troops and Patriots called them

traitors.

“Common Sense”By Thomas Paine1776• Colonists wanted to avoid final break with Britain.• “Common Sense” helped convince many Americans that

a complete break was necessary.• Paine ridiculed the idea that kings ruled by the will of

God. • Paine called King George III “the Royal Brute” and said

all mercenaries are corrupt. • He disagreed with economic arguments for remaining

with Britain.

Declaration of Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

The community that wrote it included The community that wrote it included Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Shermen, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Shermen, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson.Jefferson.

They appointed Thomas Jefferson to write They appointed Thomas Jefferson to write it, but they all helped out.it, but they all helped out.

It took about two weeks to write it.It took about two weeks to write it. John Hancock was the first person to sign John Hancock was the first person to sign

it. He signed his name big so the king of it. He signed his name big so the king of England could read it.England could read it.

The Declaration of The Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

(cont.)(cont.)1.1. They thought the government was destructive, They thought the government was destructive,

and the king was a tyrant.and the king was a tyrant.2.2. Some reasons they wanted to break away from Some reasons they wanted to break away from

Britain:Britain: They lost representative governmentThey lost representative government They had to quarter troops without consentThey had to quarter troops without consent They also were mad at them because of They also were mad at them because of

taxation without representationtaxation without representation3.3. The colonists sent petitions to the king but he The colonists sent petitions to the king but he

kept rejecting their requests.kept rejecting their requests. They warned the British from time to time of They warned the British from time to time of

attempts by their legislature to extend an attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over them.unwarrantable jurisdiction over them.

Quebec November 1775

• Continental army troops invade Canada.• They hoped to defeat British forces. • One of the leaders was Benedict Arnold who

had played a role in the victory at Fort Ticonderoga.

• He arrived at Quebec under harsh conditions when the Americans launched their attacks but failed.

New York (Washington vs. Howe)New York (Washington vs. Howe)

• In July 1776 General William Howe arrived in In July 1776 General William Howe arrived in New York with a large armyNew York with a large army

• Then in August 900 mercenaries( who were Then in August 900 mercenaries( who were professional troops from another country) professional troops from another country)

arrived to aid Howearrived to aid Howe• They fought for a long time in New York, They fought for a long time in New York,

finally the British made Americans retreat finally the British made Americans retreat through New Jersey through New Jersey

British StrategyBritish Strategy

• The overall plan was to seize the Hudson river The overall plan was to seize the Hudson river valley. If successful they would cut off New England valley. If successful they would cut off New England from the other states.from the other states.

• The strategy had 3 armies meet in Albany, New York.The strategy had 3 armies meet in Albany, New York.• General John Burgoyne would lead a force south of General John Burgoyne would lead a force south of

Canada. Canada. • Lieutenant Barry St. Leger would lead his army from Lieutenant Barry St. Leger would lead his army from

lake Ontario down the Mohawk valley.lake Ontario down the Mohawk valley.• General Howe was expected to follow the Hudson General Howe was expected to follow the Hudson

North from New York city. North from New York city.

TrentonTrenton

• Washington and his troops crossed the Washington and his troops crossed the icy Delaware, then marched on to icy Delaware, then marched on to TrentonTrenton

• There they surprised the Hessians, who There they surprised the Hessians, who were sleeping after a Christmas were sleeping after a Christmas celebrationcelebration

• They killed 900 hessians that dayThey killed 900 hessians that day

PrincetonPrinceton

• Washington and his army won another Washington and his army won another battle 8 days after surprising the battle 8 days after surprising the hessianshessians

• These victories proved Americas These victories proved Americas general was better then what the British general was better then what the British thoughtthought

• The American army began to attract The American army began to attract new recruitsnew recruits

Europeans Help

• America to The Washington’s army wanted a military career and he believed in the American cause Several Europeans military officers came to Washington's aid, including men from France, Poland , and Germans states

• Lafayette fought in many battles and also persuaded the French king to send a 6,000 man army

Valley Forge • as they On the march to valley forge,

Washington's army was so short on supplies that many soldier's had only blankets to cover themselves

• The soldier’s condition did not improve at camp

• The barefoot men left tracks of blood on the frozen ground marched

John Paul Jones • Jones won the most famous sea battle• 1779 Jones became a commander of a ship name

Bonhomme Richard • He patrolled English coast with four ships • In September his vessels approach a convoy in which

two British war ships guarded a number of supply ships• He close in on the serapis the larger of the two war

ships, they fought a long hard battle and the British ship surrendered and his crew had to sail away in the serapis due to their ships condition, the success inspired the Americans

Saratoga

• Over time, Arnold came to feel that congress had not rewarded him

• Influenced by his heroic action at Saratoga and other battles

• The victory at Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolution

Savannah and Charles Town

• The British believed most southern people were loyalists and so they moved the war south

• The three years in the north had been unsuccessful

• They thought if they gained southern territory the loyalists would hold it for them

• They also expected lots of slaves from there to join them

Camden

• August 1780 gates army ran into the British but the Americans were in no condition to fight they had little supplies and were half starved

• Gates also put the inexperienced militia in the front line

• They got scared and ran and so did gates• Kalb remained with his men and received fatal

wounds

Sackville

• Earlier, a small force sent by Clark had taken Vincennes

• Settler’s called Hamilton the “Hair Buyer’’ because he supposedly paid rewards and American scalps

Then they moved east to take Fort Sackville at Vincennes, in present clay Indiana

Francis “Swamp Fox” MarionGuerrilla Warfare

August 1780• The leader of the South Carolina patriots:

20 men and boys, black and white.• He and General Horatio Gates were sent

to destroy boats on the Santee River.• There the Americans fled from the British

because of improper battle order (veterans in the front, amateurs in the back).

• Guerillas: small bands of fighters who weaken the enemy with surprise attacks.

Kings Kings Mountain/CowpensMountain/CowpensGreene vs. CornwallisGreene vs. CornwallisOctober 1780October 1780

• General Nathanael Greene (ex-Quaker) led General Nathanael Greene (ex-Quaker) led the American soldiers in these battles.the American soldiers in these battles.

• These were fought on the border of North These were fought on the border of North and South Carolina.and South Carolina.

• The Americans surrounded 1000 Loyalist The Americans surrounded 1000 Loyalist militia and British soldiers, then militia and British soldiers, then slaughtered them all.slaughtered them all.

• This was one of Britain’s first losses in the This was one of Britain’s first losses in the South.South.

• After this, we made the British think that After this, we made the British think that having our independence wasn’t so bad.having our independence wasn’t so bad.

YorktownYorktownWashington/Rochambeau vs. Washington/Rochambeau vs.

CornwallisCornwallisAugust 1781August 1781

Fighting in Virginia, Washington and Rochambeau, the Fighting in Virginia, Washington and Rochambeau, the French general, sailed their boats to block the British French general, sailed their boats to block the British from escaping and from getting supplies.from escaping and from getting supplies.

Cornwallis escaped to Yorktown.Cornwallis escaped to Yorktown. The Americans turned Yorktown to rubble making sure The Americans turned Yorktown to rubble making sure

General Cornwallis couldn’t escape.General Cornwallis couldn’t escape. Cornwallis surrendered October 19, 1781.Cornwallis surrendered October 19, 1781. Lord North (British prime minister) and other British Lord North (British prime minister) and other British

leaders were soon forced to resign.leaders were soon forced to resign. This was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War.This was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. Britain’s new leaders began to negotiate a peace Britain’s new leaders began to negotiate a peace

treaty.treaty.

Treaty of Paris 1783Treaty of Paris 1783 This ended the Revolutionary WarThis ended the Revolutionary War

The Treaty of Paris 1783The Treaty of Paris 17831.1. Made the Untied States an independent country.Made the Untied States an independent country.2.2. The state’s boundaries at this point are: the The state’s boundaries at this point are: the

Mississippi River to the West, Canada to the Mississippi River to the West, Canada to the North, and Florida to the South.North, and Florida to the South.

3.3. The states can fish in Canada near The states can fish in Canada near Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

4.4. Each side will repay debts owed to the other.Each side will repay debts owed to the other.5.5. The British will return any enslaved people The British will return any enslaved people

captured.captured.6.6. Congress recommended that the states return Congress recommended that the states return

any property that they seized from the Loyalists.any property that they seized from the Loyalists.