The AMERICAN Revolutionary War 1775-1783

1. TheAMERICAN Revolutionary War1775-1783

2. FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS Philadelphia - September, 1774 • Prepare colonies for possible revolt • Begin to create militias • Most colonists don’t want a total split…yet • Just don’t want to be taxed unfairly • “No taxation w/out Representation”

3. KEEPING THE CLIMATE RIPE FOR REVOLUTIONSons of Liberty

4. King George III interprets colonists’ actions as rebellion Sends Redcoats to supress Brits learn where John Hancock & Sam Adams are (Lexington) Also learn where secret militia storage supply is (Concord) 700 British troops secretly set out to capture both BUT… The Opening of the Revolt

5. Patriots learn of British Plan “TWO IF BY LAND, ONE IF BY SEA”

6. Need to send someone to ride out to Lexington and Concord & to Philadelphia • Warn of the coming British ambush • Who???

8. PAUL REVERE’S MIDNIGHT RIDE??? • Riders: Sam Prescott, William Dawes, Israel Bissell & Revere • Revere and Dawes captured after 20 miles • Prescott made it to Concord • Only Bissell made it to Philadelphia to warn • Killed his horse he rode so hard

11. Jump to 1860 USA on brink of Civil War Need something to unify people Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wants to sell a book Writes “Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” Becomes a hit – legend becomes truth Why Revere so Famous???

12. Listen my children and you shall hear • Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, • On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five; Hardly a man is now alive • Who remembers that famous day and year. • He said to his friend, "If the British march By land or sea from the town to-night, Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch Of the North Church tower as a signal light,– One if by land, and two if by sea; And I on the opposite shore will be, Ready to ride and spread the alarm Through every Middlesex village and farm, For the country folk to be up and to arm."

13. MINUTEMEN UNITS

14. THE BRITISH REDCOATS

15. BATTLE OF LEXINGTONAPRIL 19, 1775“THE SHOTS HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD” • First battles of war • British looking to capture rebel leaders and supplies • Brits meet 70 Militia, who begin to disperse • Someone fires? • British gun down militiamen • 8 killed, 10 wounded

16. BATTLE OF CONCORDAPRIL 19, 1775 (later that day) • Word spreads about the “murders” • Patriots want revenge • Assemble 300 on North Bridge • Kill 14 British, who are exhausted • Brits retreat back to Boston

17. NORTH BRIDGE OVER CONCORD RIVER

18. BATTLE MAP • Patriots keep attacking from trees the whole march back. 250 British killed. (90 minutemen)

19. THE BRITISH SEIGE OF BOSTON

20. SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS Philadelphia - MAY 10, 1775 • Continental Army officially created • Washington named C in C of Army • Accepts w/ no pay • Still No Call for Independence from “Gov’t” • Olive Branch Petition – plea to King to work it out

21. GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON • On the day he is commissioned General…

22. BATTLE OF BUNKER HILLJUNE 17, 1775

23. BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL

24. BUNKER HILL BATTLE“Don’t fire until you can see the Whites of their Eyes” - Patriot William Prescott

25. BUNKER HILL MEMORIALS

26. British foolishly advance up hill numerous times – thought Patriots would run • They didn’t • 1,000 British Killed • 250 Patriots killed • Compromise now unreachable to King • Colonial Gov’t STILL not want total independence!!! • Until…

27. Common Sense by:THOMAS PAINE

28. Convinced colonists to use common sense and declare Independence THOMAS PAINE MEMORIALS

29. THOMAS JEFFERSON

30. WRITING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE(WITH BEN FRANKLIN & JOHN ADAMS)

31. SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCEJULY 4, 1776

32. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

35. So we are at war…How can we win??? • American Strategy: • Can’t go head to head with British Empire • Must make war last as long as possible • Make British give it up • Use guerilla tactics – quick strikes and get out BUT… • GW did want a traditional army and trained for it

36. After a while… • War NOT going well at all • Morale very low in Continental Army • Washington has not yet won a battle • Enlistments will expire end of the year • Sooooooo… • Washington has plan to deliver Xmas Victory • Will attack a Hessian camp at Trenton

37. WASHINGTON CROSSES THE DELAWARE RIVER

38. CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN 1776BATTLE OF TRENTON

39. HESSIAN SURRENDER TO WASHINGTON & One week later…

40. BATTLE OF PRINCETONJANUARY 3, 1777

41. XMAS Campaigns, 1776 • Trenton and Princeton • 2 Small Victories, but gave Army HOPE • GW gets new enlistments • Tells British colonists are tough and this will be a long fight

42. TRENTON MEMORIAL

43. Army Grinds it out for another year • One Significant battle • October 17, 1777 – Battle of Saratoga, NY • Continentals win, but more importantly • Win convinces France to intervene in the War on Patriots side • British want to negotiate, Colonists Don’t

45. CONTINENTAL ARMY AT VALLEY FORGE WINTER OF 1777-1778

46. 11,000 men in camp • Brutally cold Winter • No Supplies for troops • 3,000 will die from elements • Very low Morale – Many Desertions • Maybe only 1,000 actually stay and stick it out • GW incredibly stressed out • Congress has nothing to send the Army

47. SUFFERING AT VALLEY FORGE

48. WASHINGTON PRAYER

49. VALLRY FORGE MEMORIALS

50. Continental Army Problems • Only GW holds it together – his strength and personality • Army size always changing • Very short of supplies • (Never know what if anything will get from Congress)