Chapter 6 Section 3: Struggles in the Middle States
In this section, we will:
• List the battles fought
in New York and New
Jersey.
• Explain how the Battle
of Saratoga marked a
turning point in the war.
• Describe the
conditions at Valley
Forge.
Winter at Valley Forge
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Key vocabulary terms this section
• Battle of Long Island
• Battle of Trenton
• Battle of Saratoga
• ally
• cavalry
• Valley Forge
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The British Take New York
• In mid-1776, fighting
shifts from New England
to the Middle States.
• Gen. Washington led his
forces south from Boston
to New York city as he
expected General Howe
to attack New York.
• Howe had 34,000
soldiers and 10,000
sailors, greatly
outnumbering
Washington's 20,000
men.
• In August, Howe's army
lands on Long Island.
• 1400 Americans are
killed and the rest flee
to Manhattan with the
British in pursuit.
• Washington heads
north to avoid capture.
• throughout the fall of
1776, Washington has a
series of battles with
Howe's army.
• Let's read on pages 181182.
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Washington Turns Retreat Into Victory in
New Jersey
• On Christmas night
1776, Washington and
his men made a bold
attack on Trenton, New
Jersey by crossing the
Delaware River in wintry
weather.
• marching through
snow, many without
shoes, the Americans
surprised the Hessians
guarding Trenton and
captured the city.
Battle of Trenton
4
• Gen. Cornwallis hoped to
retake Trenton and on
January 2, 1777 he saw
the lights from
Washington's campfires.
• But Washington had
fooled Cornwallis and the
British army by leaving
the fires burning and
sneaking around the rear
of the British army as
they marched toward
Princeton.
• Victories at Trenton &
Princeton gave the
Americans new hope.
Battle of Trenton
& Battle of Princeton
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A Turning Point in the War
• Gen. John Burgoyne and British officials
were hoping to cut off New England from the
other colonies in an attempt to win the war in
early 1777.
• Burgoyne's plan called on Gen. Howe to
march on Albany from New York City. But King
George III wanted Howe to begin his march
on Philadelphia instead. Howe defeated the
Americans at the Battle of Brandywine and
the Battle of Germantown.
• But he failed to move toward Albany as
planned. He spent the rest of the winter in
Philadelphia while Washington and his men
retreated to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
• In the north, Gen. Burgoyne marched from
Canada toward Albany.
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What do we mean by "troop
movements?"
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Victory at Saratoga
• facing obstacles on the way
to Albany, Burgoyne
recaptured Fort Ticonderoga
for the British.
• sends his soldiers into
Vermont to find food & horses.
• Patriots attack the Redcoats
at the Battle of Bennington.
• Green Mountain Boys head
into New York to help the
Americans there.
• Americans surround the
British at Saratoga.
• After 2 major battles,
Burgoyne surrenders his entire
army to the Americans on
October 17, 1777.
Battle of Saratoga
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• Victory at the Battle of
Saratoga was a turning
point in the war; it ended
the British threat to New
England.
• The victory also convinced
France to become an ally of
the United States.
• allies are nations that
work together to achieve a
common goal.
• Continental Congress had
always wanted help from
France. Also wanted France
to declare war on Britain.
Why is this so???
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Vocab alert:
What is cavalry??
Why was cavalry
important during
the Revolutionary
War?
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The Hardships at Valley Forge
• winter of 1777-78 was
difficult one for
Washington and his men
at Valley Forge.
• conditions were
horrible.
• as news spread about
the conditions, Patriots
sent help from around
the nation.
• food, medicine, warm
clothes and ammunition
were all sent to Valley
Forge.
Valley Forge 1:05
1) What are some of
the many hardships
of war?
2) What does it say
about soldiers who
overcome them?
Valley Forge 1:08 LL
Valley Forge video with soldier challenges faced. 3:35
Valley Forge­ extended clip. 7:30
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