Chapter 6: The American
Revolution
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Chapter 6 Section 1: Fighting Begins in the North
In this section, we will:
• Describe how
Congress struggled
between peace and war
with Britain.
• List the advantages
each side had as it
entered the war.
• Explain how the
Continental Army
gained control of
Boston.
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Key vocabulary terms this
section
• Olive Branch Petition
• Green Mountain Boys
• Continental Army
• Patriot
• Loyalist
• Battle of Bunker Hill
• blockade
• mercenary
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Peace or War?
• Shortly after the
battles at Lexington &
Concord, colonial
delegates would meet
at the Second
Continental Congress
on May 10, 1775.
• Most were hopeful
war with England could
be avoided.
• While at the Congress
though, the fighting
spread.
A Peace Petition
• delegates sent a petition to King
George, swearing their allegiance to
him and asking for a repeal of the
Intolerable Acts.
• It was called the "Olive Branch
Petition."
• King George was
furious when he
got the petition.
He ordered
20,000 more
soldiers to the
colonies to crush
the revolt.
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Rebels Take Ticonderoga
• Ethan Allen led a
small group of
Vermonters known as
the Green Mountain
Boys in a surprise
attack on Fort
Ticonderoga which is
located at the
southern tip of Lake
Champlain.
• The fort held
cannons the colonists
could desperately use.
• In May of 1775,
Allen attacks the fort
and overpowers the
guards on duty.
• British
commander
surrenders the
fort.
• cannons and
gunpowder seized
by the Green
Mountain boys.
• Americans also
gained control of
a key route into
Canada.
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Setting Up an Army
• Back at the Continental
Congress, the delegates took
the bold step of setting up
the Continental Army.
• Why do you think it was
considered "bold?"
• George Washington of
Virginia is named commander.
• Washington immediately
sets out to take charge of
the forces in and around
Boston.
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Advantages of the Opposing
Sides
Patriots
The British
Loyalists
Disadvantages
• Patriots were
colonists who
favored war with
Britain.
• 1/3 of colonial
population.
• poorly
organized and
untrained.
• few cannons,
little gunpowder
and no navy.
• few wanted to
join the army
long-term,
preferring to
fight near home
as members of a
local militia.
Advantages
• many owned
rifles, were good
shots.
• were
determined to
defend their
"home turf."
Disadvantages
• Army was 3000
miles from home.
• supplies took long
time to reach the
colonies.
• British soldiers
risked attacks by
colonists when they
left the cities for
the countryside.
• Poor knowledge of
American geography.
Advantages
Disadvantages
• these were colonists
who remained loyal to
Britain.
• hated by many
colonists.
• they were often
tarred and feathered.
• many fled to Canada
or England.
• loyalists made up
about 1/3 of the
colonial population.
• highly trained and
experienced army.
• best navy in the
world.
• many colonists
supported the
British.
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The Fight for Boston
• much of the
fighting during
the first year of
the war centered
on Boston.
• 6000 British
soldiers were
stationed there
and they were
surrounded by the
colonial militia and
were prevented
from marching out
of the city.
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BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL
• On June 16, 1775, Col.
William Prescott leads 1200
minutemen up Bunker Hill,
across the Charles River from
Boston.
• From here, they would fire on
British ships stationed in
Boston Harbor.
• Prescott noticed that nearby
Breed's Hill was a better
location and sent his men
there.
• At sunrise, the British
commander Gen. William Howe
spotted the Americans and
ferried 2400 men across the
harbor.
• Patriots hold their fire while the
British advanced.
• When the Americans fire, the
British are forced to retreat.
• 2nd attack by British failed, but
on the 3rd try, British pushed
over the top, taking both Bunker
and Breed's Hill.
• British pay a steep price
however; 1000 are killed or
wounded.
• Americans only lose about 400
men.
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THE BRITISH LEAVE BOSTON
• George Washington's
job when arriving in
Boston in 1775 is to turn
16,000 volunteers into
soldiers.
• While faced with many
challenges, Washington
was successful in creating
an army that worked
together and followed
their orders.
• Soldiering is HARD
WORK!
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• The cannons that the Green Mountain
Boys seized at Fort Ticonderoga would
arrive in Boston in January 1776. Timing is
everything!!!
• Soldiers dragged them across the
mountains in the winter snow and Gen.
Washington had them placed above the
city overlooking the harbor.
• When British General Howe saw
the cannons, he realized the
British could not hold Boston. In
March 1776, Howe leave Boston
for Halifax, Canada.
• over 1000 American Loyalists
leave with Howe.
Dorchester Heights, overlooking Boston
Harbor
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• King George next orders a blockade of all colonial ports.
Why do you think he would do this???
• A blockade is the shutting of a
port to keep people or supplies
from moving in or out.
What have we already learned about
England that suggests a blockade
might be successful against the
colonists?
• King George also hired
mercenaries, or troops for hire to
help in the war against the colonists.
These mercenaries were from
Germany.
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