Major Events of the American Revolution

1. Major Events of the American Revolution Lexington & Concord, New York, The Crisis, Trenton, Saratoga, Valley Forge, Yorktown, Treaty of Paris

2. Continental ArmyCommander: Gen. George Washington • Weaknesses • Not enough men – short enlistments • Poor training – few professional soldiers • Lack of supplies and money – paid with paper, not gold & silver • No navy – few privateers vs. world’s best navy Strengths • Highly motivated – fighting for cause • Home field advantage – knew the land • Good leadership from Washington • Foreign aid after 1778

3. British ArmyCommanders: Gens. Howe and Clinton Strengths • Large army and navy – superpower • Well trained, experienced forces • Plenty of money and supplies • Aided by Loyalists in colonies • Weaknesses • “Away team” – great distance from home • Not familiar with land • Weak leadership – allowed Washington to keep fighting • Lack of motivation at home – Lost support of British people

4. Lexington & Concord • British troops from Boston sent to capture hidden weapons and arrest Adams and Hancock • April 19, 1775: met by colonial militia – aka Minutemen - at Lexington, MA – fired the “shot heard ‘round the world” • Marched on to Concord – found few weapons but more militia • Fired onby Minutemen on march back to Boston – heavy casualties

5. Importance of battle: • First battle of the American Revolution – while not official, war hadbegun • 2nd Continental Congress created Continental Army under General George Washington

6. New York • August 1776 – General Howe landed at Long Island, NY with large British army and navy • Outnumbered Americans took 1,400 casualties, but Washington led escape back to PA – British failed to end war right there British held New York City for rest of the war

7. Importance of battle: Revolution’s “D-Day”– British invaded America Shows British strength – overwhelming size, bettertraining Shows British weakness – lack of aggressiveleaders allowed Continental Army to survive

8. The American Crisis America’s best propaganda writer, Thomas Paine, publishedThe American Crisis – urged Americans to keep fighting for independence “THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriotwill, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” What do you think Paine means by this?

9. Trenton • After months of defeats, Washington neededto give Americans hope for victory • December 25, 1776: Crossed Delaware River overnight to attackHessians (hired soldiers) at Trenton, NJ • Surprised Hessians - captured supplies, cannons, and ammo with no casualties • Boosted American morale and army recruitment

10. Trenton Importance of battle: • GaveAmerican cause hope when nearing collapse • ShowsAmerican strengths – Washington’sleadership and motivation to fight Next: The Tide Turns Washington Crossing the Delaware

11. Part 2: The Tide Turns Army 1: Gen. John Burgoyne • By 1777, British had given up trying to conquer New England • Believed more Loyalists in Middle and Southern colonies • Goal - isolate New England, use Loyalists to wear down resistance to British rule • Plan - send three armies to Albany, NY to cut off New England colonies … Army 2: Gen. William Howe Army 3: Col. Barry St. Leger

12. Saratoga • Only one army, under Gen. John Burgoyne, continued toward Albany • Met by Continental forces under Gen. Horatio Gates • Burgoyne surrounded – surrendered army at Saratoga, NY in October 1777 • Major American victory and British defeat

13. Saratoga Importance of battle: • British plan to divide colonies failed And this is HUGE … • Ben Franklin in France trying to win foreign assistance – victory convinced France and Spain to join American side 3. Saratoga was the TURNING POINT of the war

14. Valley Forge • Britishcaptured American capital of Philadelphia • Winter 1777 – Washington’s army camped for 6 months at Valley Forge, PA • Lack of food, clothing, medicine, and shelter – miserable conditions • 1/4 of 10,000 troops died during winter

15. Foreign Allies • Baron Freidrich von Steuben – German officer who aided Washington at Valley Forge • Taught army how to use bayonets – drilled troops into better, disciplined army • Marquis de La Fayette – 19 yr. old French noble and friend to Washington who believed in American cause • Convinced French king to contribute money and troops to aid Americans

16. Yorktown • Britain tried to conquer Southern colonies • 1781 – BritishGeneral Cornwallis moved army to Yorktown on VA coast • Wanted port location for support by British navy • Washington moved army south to attack British by land …

17. French Aid Leads to Victory • French navy defeated British fleet off VA coast • Cornwallis trapped between American and French armies on land and French navy by sea • October 19, 1781 – Cornwallis and army of 8,000 surrendered to Washington • War in America over!

18. Yorktown Importance of battle: • Last battle between Americans and British • Parliament cut off supportfor war – started negotiating for peace • 1783 – Treaty of Paris officially ended American Revolution

19. Treaty of Paris - 1783 • Britain recognized America’s independence • SetU.S.-Canada border – U.S. reached Mississippi River • Americanfishermen allowed to fish inCanadian waters • British to leavefrontier forts (broken) • U.S. to return propertyto Loyalists (broken) • British to return escaped slaves in Canada (broken)

20. EXIT REVIEW TODAY IS A QUIZ • – take out a sheet of paper and the following notes: • 1. FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR • 2. SUGAR, STAMP, AND TOWNSHEND ACTS • 3. BOSTON MASSACRE, TEA PARTY, COERCIVE ACTS • 4. LEXINGTON AND CONCORD • 5. DECLARING INDEPENDENCE (STARTS WITH BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL) • 6. TODAY’S NOTES ON MAJOR BATTLES

21. QUESTION 1 • The major lasting effect of the French and Indian War was: • A. British debt led the British to tax the colonists • B. British were forced to stay on the East Coast • C. Native and British relations improved • D. France was able to gain more land and resources

22. QUESTION 2 • The Townshend Acts was a tax on imports and exports and would help lead the colonists to begin using violence. This threat of violence led to which event? • A. Boston Tea Party • B. Boston Massacre • C. Battle of Lexington • D. Battle of Concord

23. QUESTION 3 • Colonial newspapers referred to the events in Boston as a “massacre” because: • A. Hundreds of colonists were killed • B. It was a massive battle between the Redcoats and Colonists • C. They wanted to portray the British as tyrants who would kill anyone who opposed them • D. Hoping to prevent further rebellions, they wanted to show how dangerous it was to oppose the British

24. QUESTION 4 • The primary reason the colonists dumped tea into the Boston harbor was: • A. Protesting the tax on tea • B. Felt they were being prevented from making money by the British (British selling tea directly to businesses) • C. It was a reaction to the Intolerable Acts • D. It was a reaction to the Boston Massacre

25. QUESTION 5 • The British reaction to the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party was to issue: • A. The Townshend Acts • B. The Coercive Acts • C. The Stamp Act • D. The Sugar Act

26. QUESTION 6 One of the Coercive Acts states that colonist leaders must provide housing for British soldiers, this act is referred to as: • The Boston Port Act • The Administer of Justice Act • The Quartering Act • The Townshend Act

27. QUESTION 7 • The first two battles of the Revolutionary War were fought in: • A. Lexington and Saratoga • B. Lexington and Concord • C. Lexington and New York • D. Concord and Boston

28. QUESTION 8 • Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was published at a critical time in that it helped convince American colonists that: • A. there was no turning back, the time had come to break with England • B. the time had come to boycott the Townshend Acts • C. The Revolution could be won without foreign support • D. Stamp Tax was an internal tax and illegal

29. QUESTION 9 • The battle considered to be the Turning Point of the Revolutionary War was: • A. Lexington • B. Bunker Hill • C. Trenton • D. Saratoga

30. QUESTION 10 • The Declaration of Independence was heavily influenced by the ideals of: • A. John Locke • B. Thomas Jefferson • C. George Washington • D. King George III