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The Declaration of Independence
There were many conflicts between the American colonists and British soldiers in April 1775, the colonies were fighting only for their rights as subjects of the British crown. The movement for independence from Britain had grown, and the Continental Congress were faced with a vote on the issue.The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, written largely by Thomas Jefferson in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence. -
Our Founding Fathers: Benjamin Franklin
In 1776, Benjamin Franklin was part of the five-member committee that helped draft the Declaration of Independence, in which the 13 colonies declared their freedom from British. That same year, Congress sent Franklin to France to help with the Revolutionary War. In February 1778, the French signed a military alliance with America, which helped their chances in defeating British. Franklin helped negotiate and draft the Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War. -
George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River
General Washington created a plan to cross the Delaware River at night, march to Trenton and attack the Hessian outposts in and around Trenton. The boats used for the crossing were gathered earlier in the month in agreement with Washington’s orders, primarily as a defensive measure. By moving ahead with his bold and daring plan, Washington re-ignited the cause of freedom and gave new life to the American Revolution. -
Battle of Trenton
Washington realized that without a crucial action, the Continental Army was doomed, so he planned a daring attack on the Hessian garrison at Trenton. Colonel Johann Rall, commander of Hessian troops in Trenton, had a total of 1,400 soldiers. His men were exhausted and unprepared for Washington’s attack, though rumors say that they were drunk from Christmas celebrations. Rall attempted to rally his troops, but failed and was shot from his horse and wounded. The Hessians quickly surrendered. -
Inoculation of Smallpox
Washington faced a difficult choice: whether or not to inoculate his Army. Inoculated Soldiers would develop a mild case of the disease which most would survive. The Continental Congress supported Washington, therefore passed a law to inoculate Washington soldiers. Washington became convinced that only inoculation would prevent the destruction of his Army. Emphasizing the need for immunity against the virus, Washington ordered the inoculation of all troops. It was risky ,but it was worth it. -
Battle of Saratoga
The battle of Saratoga took place on the fields of upstate New York. General John Burgoyne was attempting to invade New England from Canada with the goal of isolating New England from the rest of the United States. However, the American forces were able to defend their land. Burgoyne and his troops began a march to the town of Saratoga, in hopes of escaping. Within 2 weeks, however, Gates's army had surrounded them and forced them to surrender. -
France enters the war against Britain
During the American Revolution, the American colonies faced the significant challenge of conducting international diplomacy and seeking international support to fight against the British. The single most important diplomatic success of the colonists during the War for Independence was the critical link they forged with France. Representatives of the French and American governments signed the Treaty of Alliance. -
The most infamous traitor in U.S. history: Benedict Arnold
During the American Revolution, American General Benedict Arnold meets with British Major John Andre to discuss handing over West Point to the British, in return for the promise of a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. Their plan failed and Arnold, a former American hero, became the world most hated person in history. -
Battle of Kings Mountain
After the British victories at Charleston in May and Camden in August, General Charles Cornwallis moved his army in North Carolina. He assigned Major Patrick Ferguson and his force of Loyalists to secure the western mountains. Colonel William Campbell and his troops began searching for Ferguson and his 1,000 Loyalists. Concerned, Ferguson requested reinforcements from Cornwallis and set up camp on Kings Mountain. Due to the lack of reinforcements, Ferguson was shot deadand loyaltist surrendered. -
Woman Warrior of the American Revolution: Deborah Sampson
Assuming a man’s identity, she enlisted as “Robert Shurtleff” in the 4th Massachusetts Regiment in 1781. Sampson’s true sex had escaped detection despite close calls. Until she received a gash in her forehead from a sword and was shot in her left thigh, she was ultimately discovered. Once the war ended, she was awarded a small pension by the Congress. An account of her war experience, The Female Review, was published in 1797, and in 1802 she began to lecture on her experiences. -
African American Spy: James Armistead
Lafayette, the commander of French forces allied with the American Continental Army, employed Armistead as a spy. While working for Lafayette, he successfully entered British General Charles Cornwallis's headquarters posing as a runaway slave hired by the British to spy on the Americans. The British grew to trust him so much that they asked him to spy on the Americans. As a double agent, Armistead gave useful information to Lafayette while giving false information to the British. -
Battle of Yorktown
General George Washington had led a troops of 17,000 French and Continental troops, begins the battle known as the Battle of Yorktown against British General Lord Charles Cornwallis and a contingent of 9,000 British troops at Yorktown, Virginia, in the most important battle of the Revolutionary War. Unable to evacuate or receive reinforcements, the war for American independence is essentially over.
