How did these two
generals,
Washington and
Cornwallis, meet
for the fateful
British surrender at
Yorktown?
Lexington and Concord April, 1775
“The Shot Heard „round the World”
 General Gage‟s goal:
capture John Hancock &
Sam Adams; take militia
weapon stores
 Paul Revere, William
Dawes, and Samuel
Prescott warn colonists
 8 Colonists killed at
Lexington
 73 British Troops killed
during retreat back to
Boston (130 injured)
 Start of the War!
Battle of Bunker Hill June, 1775
“Don‟t fire „till you see the whites of their eyes”
 Colonial militia surround
British in Boston and take
positions on Breed‟s Hill
 Fighting? Bunker Hill is too
far away; Colonial cannons
can‟t reach Boston
 British advance but stopped
2 times - huge # of casualties
 Gunpowder runs out; militia
retreats
Colonists gain confidence:
We can defeat Brits!
Battle of Quebec Dec., 1775
“The Key to Canada”
 Arnold/ Montgomery
want to take Quebec
(control St. Lawrence
River)
Benedict
Arnold
 Trip through Maine:
many killed by cold and
hunger; Arnold‟s
leadership holds them
together
 New Year‟s assault is
a disaster; British hold
onto Quebec
Battle of Long Island- Aug, 1776
 General Howe takes
his Army from Boston
to Canada, then to
New York
 Washington is badly
defeated
 Colonial Army barely
escapes to New Jersey
 Many soldiers killed,
captured, or missing
 Washington‟s army is
in bad shape and
needs a victory
Battle of Trenton Dec.,1776
 Washington‟s Army=losses
 Need victory: need soldiers
to re-enlist & boost morale of
troops and country
Sends a spy to trick the
Germans (Hessians) into
thinking he won‟t attack
 Germans drink all night:
Merry Christmas!
-Washington crossing
the Delaware
 Washington completely
surprises and defeats them
 First victory for Colonists/
first Offensive!
Battle of Saratoga Sept-Oct, 1777
Turning Point of the War
 “Gentleman” Johnny
Burgoyne moves
9,000 British troops
south from Canada
 Through N.Y.
wilderness: very
difficult
 Goal: split the New
England Colonies
from the Middle
Colonies
Battle of Saratoga 1777 Cont..
British Burgoyne
wants fame from a
victory
British Reinforcements
never show up = a
disaster
 Benedict Arnold
defeats British (gets no
credit)
Surrender! Now France recognizes
the new independent nation. They
supply troops, supplies, and a navy
to the Continental Army. Spain
helps, too! (Lafayette).
Valley Forge Dec.1777-May 1778
 Winter Camp for American troops
 Many soldiers die of disease, cold, and hunger/lice
 Baron Von Steuben hired to train the troops
________________________________________
 Now they resemble an army
 Confident to fight the British in the field
Battle of Monmouth Courthouse, NJ
June 28, 1778
 First test of newly
trained American
troops
 Fought British troops
all day
 No real winner
 But proved
Americans would not
back down from
field battle
 Continental Army
gained a lot of
confidence
Battle of Yorktown Oct., 1781
 French General
Rochambeau and
Washington v. British
General Cornwallis in
Yorktown, VA
 French Navy comes up
York river
 French and Continental
Army move in from the
south and west
 Cornwallis is trapped
 After long siege, he
surrenders most of the
British Army
 Brits out of $ for war
Treaty of Paris 1783
 Treaty signed by the
British - legally ends the
American Revolutionary War
& sets borders of U.S.
 Great Britain now officially
recognizes the
independence of their
former 13 colonies
The United States of
America is born