The Revolutionary War

1. The Revolutionary War

2. Review: After the First Continental Congress… • Colonists: • Stopped trade with Britain • Began to train for war • King George III: • Planned to send more soldiers to the Boston • Declared that the colonists had begun a rebellion

3. Battle of Lexington and Concord • When? April 19, 1775 • Who was involved? British soldiers vs. Patriots • Where? Lexington and Concord • Why did it happen? • The British soldiers heard that the patriots (colonists who opposed British rule) were storing gun powder and cannons in Concord • British traveled to Concord to destroy the supplies and search for hidden weapons

4. Battle of Lexington and Concord • What happened? • British soldiers went to Lexington and told the minutemen (people who received special training for battle) to leave • Minutemen started to leave and someone fired a shot then both sides started shooting • 8 colonists died, 9 were wounded; 1 British soldier was wounded

5. Battle of Lexington and Concord • What happened? • British went to Concord to search for hidden weapons • Minutemen forced them to turn back toward Boston • On the way back, colonists shot at British from behind trees and stone walls • More than 250 British soldiers were hurt and killed before they got to Boston

6. Afterward… • News of the battle spread quickly and when the British got back to Boston they were surrounded and trapped by militia (group of colonists who trained for battle) • Battle of Bunker Hill – British won but lost ½ their soldiers in battle • Why was the Battle of Lexington and Concord important? • Colonists decided they needed an army instead of a militia • Army – receive more training and fight until the war is over • Militia - fight for a few months at a time • New Army called the Continental Army – lead by George Washington

7. Afterward… • Colonists didn’t want war with Britain • Some wanted independence and some didn’t but NONE wanted war • Colonists tried to make peace with Britain two more times and were unsuccessful • King sent more soldier to the colonies to fight the colonists • Colonists wrote the Declaration of Independence – said the colonies were independent from Britain

8. Battle of Saratoga • When? 1777 • Who? Army of Americans vs. British • Where? Saratoga, New York • What happened? • Armies fought two fierce battles • Americans won & forced 5,000 British soldiers to surrender

9. Battle of Saratoga • Why was it important? • Before the battle, Benjamin Franklin had been trying to get France to help the American fight in the war • This war was a turning point b/c it convinced the French that America could win • Americans were losing before this battle • What was the result? • France sent money, soldiers, and powerful navy to help the Americans • Taught the Americans to march together and use their weapons properly

10. Battle of Yorktown • When? 1781 • Where? Yorktown • Who? British vs. Continental Army and French navy • What happened? • British went to Yorktown b/c it was located between 2 rivers. They thought it would make it easy to get troops and supplies to the British • Washington’s army (Continental Army) and French navy met them at Yorktown

11. Battle of Yorktown • What happened? • French navy blocked Yorktown harbor so the British ships couldn’t rescue the British army. • British were trapped, had no way to escape • British surrendered (gave up) • Why was it important? • Last big battle of the war • Victory meant that America had won the war and their independence

12. The War Ends • Treaty of Paris ended the war • King George III agreed that America was an independent nation • Gave Americans land (north to Canada, west to Mississippi river, south to Spanish Florida) • New Challenges • Slavery? Declaration of Independence said America was a country of freedom and equality • How would the U.S. rule themselves?