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Philadelphia
Colonial leaders called the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Some delegates called for independence, while others argued for reconciliation with Great Britain. -
Lexington
The weather was cold, and windy. Eight minutemen were killed and ten more were wounded, but only one British soldier was injured. -
Concord
At Concord they found an empty arsenal. Between 3,000 and 4,000 minutemen had assembled by now, and they fired on the marching troops from behind stone walls and tree. -
Bunker Hill
The colonist had lost 450 men, while the British had suffered over 1,000 casualties. The misnamed Battle of Bunker Hill would prove to be the deadliest battle of the war. -
New York
The British sailed into New York harbor in the summer with a force of about 32,000 soldiers. They included thousands of German mercenaries, or hired soldiers. known as Hessians because many of them came from the German region of Hesse. -
Trenton
Desperate for an early victory, Washington risked everything on one bold stroke. In the face of a fierce storm, he led 2,400 men in small rowboats across the ice-choked Delaware River. -
Saratoga
The surrender at Saratoga turned out to be one of the most important events of the war. Although the French had secretly aided the Patriots since early 1776, the Saratoga victory bolstered France's belief that the American could win the war. -
Marquis De Lafayette
In the Friedrich von Steuben, a Prussian captain and talented drillmaster, helped to train the Continental Army. Other foreign military leaders also arrived to offer their help. -
Valley Forge
More than 2,000 soldiers died, yet the survivors didn't desert. Their endurance and suffering filled Washington's letters to the Congress and his friends. -
Yorktown
The colonists continued to battle Cornwallis--hindering his efforts to take the Carolinas. Cornwallis planned to fortify Yorktown, take Virginia, and then move north to join Clinton's forces. -
Treaty of Paris
Peace talks began in Paris in 1782. The negotiating team included John Adams, John Jay of New York, and Benjamin Franklin.
