The American Revolution
Patrick Henry
● Patrick Henry inspires ​Virginia
​
and the Colonies to go to war.
May 1775​ ​The​ ​Second Continental Congress
● The Second ​Continental Congress
​
​began meeting in
Philadelphia
​
after The battle of Lexington and Concord
They agreed to​:
1) Form the ​Continental​ ​Army and name​ ​George Washington
its commanding general.
2) Allow the printing of paper money to pay the troops.
3) Ordered Washington to
​ ​Boston immediately to take over the
siege of the British
The Siege of Boston
​
● After the battle of Lexington and Concord, the American
Militia surrounded Boston and held it​ under ​Siege for almost
a year, starting in April of 1775.
● The 10,000 man strong Militia was put under the command
of George Washington and became the Continental Army
The Battle of Bunker Hill June 1775
● The​ British ​Redcoats tried to end the American siege by
attacking
​
​Bunker Hill in Charlestown. It was a British victory,
but a costly one!
● The Battle
​
of ​Bunker Hill was a victory for the British but a
costly one, they suffered heavy losses: over 800 wounded and
226 killed.
● For the rest of the siege of Boston, there was little action
other than occasional raids,
​
minor ​Skirmishes and sniper
fire. Both sides had to deal with supply issues especially in
the cold Boston winter.
​
​
The Olive Branch Petition​ ​July 1775
● ​ A final effort to “​Make Up” with Great Britain was made by
Congress
​
with the ​Olive Branch Petition, it asked the king to
restore ​Peace between Britain and the colonies.
Outcome:
The king ​Rejected It and announced new punishments!
• British navy would block American ships from leaving their
ports, not just in Boston but all of the Colonies!
• He would
​ send thousands of ​Hessians, German mercenary
soldiers (soldiers for hire), to fight in America.
What did Patrick Henry say
that inspired Americans to go
to war against Britain?
“Give me liberty or give me
death!”
Define Militia:
A volunteer military group
used to defend the area
where they live
Define Siege:
When an army surrounds
an enemy not allowing them
to leave
What did the American
commander tell his men at
Bunker Hill?
“Don’t fire until you see the
whites of their eyes!”
Define skirmish:
Small battles
What does the Olive Branch
symbolize?
Peace
Define Mercenary:
Soldiers for hire
Battle of Trenton
•
•
After New York, Washington and his army was in a pitiful
condition, and​ growing weaker. Troops were ​Deserting it
was bitter cold and they lacked food, shoes and blankets.
On Christmas Day, 1776 Washington decided to make a
Surprise Attack and made his famous crossing of the
Delaware River. He had heard from a scout that the Hessians,
(German mercenaries) were spending the evening relaxing
and enjoying food and wine for the holiday. The army silently
crossed​ the icy Delaware eight miles north of ​Trenton and
nine hours later 2,400 continental assaulted the British
occupied city of Trenton.
​
Outcome of the Battle of Trenton
​
● Washington's army was ​Victorious - killing 22 Hessians and
taking 918 prisoners. American losses included one wounded
officer, future president ​James Monroe.
● The American victory ​Inspired the Colonies. With the
success of the revolution in doubt just a week earlier when
the army had seemed on the verge of collapse. The dramatic
victory inspired soldiers to serve longer and attracted new
recruits to the ranks
Define Deserting an army:
Leaving without permission
with no intention of
returning
Who won the Battle of
Trenton?
Americans
Why was the Battle of
Trenton so important to the
Continental Army?
It inspired the colonies
Battle of Saratoga
● In the Summer of 1777, the British planned to divide New
England in half. A large army under the command of John
Burgoyne was to march south from Canada and take the
state of ​New York
● Defending New York was ​Horatio Gates and ​Benedict
Arnold. The two armies met and fought two battles near
Saratoga. The ​Americans won a huge victory!
● Saratoga is considered the turning point of the war!
● Burgoyne and his British army of over 6,000 men
Surrendered to the Americans.
● Benedict Arnold fought heroically at the battle of Saratoga
and suffered a terrible leg wound, which took years to
recover. He didn’t get along with Horatio Gates and felt that
Gates stole the credit for the battle and became bitter over
this.
Why is ​Saratoga​ important?
It is the turning point in the
war
What does it mean by calling
Saratoga a turning point?
The Americans began to win
the war
The French enter the War
● Benjamin Franklin and John Adams had been sent to France
in 1776 to negotiate alliance with France
● After the victory at Saratoga the ​French agreed to help the
Americans and signed the Treaty of ​Alliance
● France would send men, supplies, and its Navy to fight its old
enemy, the British.
Who was America’s biggest
ally in the American
Revolution?
France
Marquis de Lafayette
● The most famous French soldier to fight for the U.S. was the
Marquis de ​Lafayette
● Lafayette joined the Americans before the French even joined
the War. He fought for free, George Washington basically
adopted him, and he was extremely brave and enthusiastic
about fighting for liberty and ​Freedom
● He would also return to France in the middle of the war and
get even more help for the cause
Valley Forge winter of 1777-78
● Washington’s army was once again in bad shape. After two
Defeats and Philadelphia being captured, the ​Moral of the
army was very low.
● For the winter Washington and his men camped at ​Valley
Forge, Pennsylvania.
Why did Lafayette want to
fight with Americans?
enthusiastic about fighting
for liberty and freedom
Define Moral:
Attitude of the soldiers
● Underfed and poorly clothed, living in crowded, damp
quarters, the army was ravaged by sickness and disease. Over
2,000 men would not survive the ​Winter
● The British solider they were facing were better ​Trained. The
Americans needed to train and practice. The task of
developing and carrying out an effective training program fell
to the Baron Friedrich von ​Steuben, a recently arrived
Prussian ​Military Instructor. He drilled the American
soldiers constantly and by the time they left Valley Forge,
were a much stronger, and more ​Disciplined Army
The Revolution at Sea
● The British had the largest and most powerful ​Navy in the
world, so it was difficult for the Americans to compete with
them in the war to control the ​Atlantic Ocean
● The mostly used ​Privateers (basically Pirates) to attack
British supply ships. The difference in a privateer and a pirate
was that the privateers fought for America while pirates fight
for themselves.
● Once the ​French joined the war their Navy helped out
tremendously and would be very important in bringing the
war to an end.
“I have not yet begun to fight!!!”
● The most famous naval battle of the war involved the
American ​John Paul Jones whose ship the ​BonHomme
Richard defeated the British ship the ​Serapis.
● The two ships became locked together and the British yelled
for Jones and his crew to surrender. He replied, “​I have not
yet begun to fight,” and he and his men took the British ship!
Which countries Navy helped
the Americans win their
Independence from Britain?
France
Thomas Paine
● Thomas Paine (the writer of ​Common Sense) wrote sixteen
pamphlets titled ​The American Crisis which summoned up the
American Revolution in the winter of 1778 as the Continental
Army froze at Valley Forge
What does it mean to be a
summer soldier?
Those who only support a
cause when times are good
“THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier
and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the
service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves
the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not
easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the
harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”
The War Moves South
·​ ​The ​British​ ​believed that most colonist in the ​Southern
colonies were loyalist.
·​ ​They believed that these colonists would help them hold
territory​. They also promised to free any ​slave ​who was willing
to fight for ​England​.
·​ ​Savannah ​and ​Charleston ​quickly fell to British forces and
the American forces there were forced to surrender
·​ ​Lord Charles ​Cornwallis ​was in charge of the Southern
British Army. He had served under General Howe throughout the
war.
·​ ​He marched his army north to challenge Horatio Gates and
defeated him in the Battle of ​Camden​.
Why did the British move the
war to the Southern Colonies?
​ hey believed most of the
T
colonists in the South were
loyalists
What was promised to slaves
if they fought for the British?
They would be set free
Prelude to Yorktown
·​ ​After victories in the south by the Americans and the arrival
of a ​5000 ​man French army under the command of
Rochambeau​, in August 1781 Cornwallis and the British went
North and establish a base at Yorktown in Virginia on the
Chesapeake Bay.
Where did the British
establish their base?
Yorktown, VA
Washington Changes Plan
·​ ​August 1781- George Washington was in ​New York ​ fighting
the British and their ​commander ​Henry Clinton and getting
nowhere.
·​ ​He ​tricked ​Clinton into believing he is still in New York, but
actually ​sneaks ​his troops and cannons south, towards
Yorktown.
·​ ​The troops travel with great ​speed ​and walk approximately
400 miles in 5 weeks.
What trick did Washington
play on Clinton?
​He tricked him that he was
still in NY but he was
actually marching South
Siege of Yorktown
·​ ​With the arrival of ​Washington ​and the French, Cornwallis is
badly ​outnumbered ​and must retreat inside the city. A siege
soon develops.
·​ ​Cornwallis is ​confident ​that the British ​Navy ​will be coming
soon to save him
The French Navy Blockades Chesapeake Bay
·​ ​The ​French Navy ​ arrives and manages to blockade
Chesapeake Bay. They pound the British defenses at ​Yorktown
and keep British ships from getting near the fight. There will be
no escape for ​Cornwallis ​and his British Army.
·​ ​October 14, 1781- George Washington and Rochambeau
storm the two closest redoubts (earthen mounds of dirt built for
protection) and moves ​cannons ​closer to ​Yorktown​.
What is a siege?
When an opposing army
surrounds a city and will
not let in supplies
What is a blockade?
ships block the coast and do
not allow supplies or
reinforcements in
How did the blockade help
the Americans?
British ships could not get
near the coast
Cornwallis Surrenders
·​ ​October 17, 1781- Cornwallis seeks a ​cease fire​_. He argues
terms with Washington for the next ​two ​days. Cornwallis
realizes that he has lost and surrenders ​⅓ ​of all British
Yorktown ​in the Colonies to Washington and the Colonial Army.
The Surrender
·​ ​Cornwallis ​does not attend the ​surrender ​ceremony. This is
seen as a slap in the face to Washington. Cornwallis sent General
O’Hara in his place. Washington made General Benjamin Lincoln
accept the surrender because since O’Hara was the ​second ​in
charge, it was only appropriate that the Colonial Army’s second
in command (Lincoln) accept the​ surrender​.
What is a cease fire?
​The fighting between the
two sides stops - sometimes
for set time
How did Washington respond
to Cornwallis not showing up
to the surrender ceremony?
​He had his second in
command accept the
surrender
Siege of Yorktown
·​ ​Yorktown is considered the ​last ​major battle of the American
Revolution. There was some small fighting after this but this
defeat in Virginia caused the British government to begin
negotiating ​for peace.
·​ ​The American Revolution was won at​ Yorktown​!
What type of fighting
occurred after surrender?
small fights