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Difficulties in the Colonies
In October of 1774 the colonies were experiecing a lot of trouble because of unfair taxation, lack of represenation in the British Parliment, and the restriction of colonial freedoms. -
British capture Concord
The King declared the colony of Massachussetts to be in open rebellion and ordered that Boston's main leaders, Sam Adams and John Hancock be arrested for treason. Later, soldiers were commanded to seize American weapons and gunpowder being stored in Concord, Massachussetts. -
Lexington and Concord
Once people knew when and which way the redcoats were coming, Paul Revere and three other men went to warn people. The next morning in Lexington, armed citizens called the minutemen confronted the redcoats and lost. No one knows who fired first. British troops continued up to Concord but were forced to retreat back to British troops continued up to Concord but were forced to retreat back towards Boston. At the end of the battles 250 British and 90 Americans were either killed or wounded. -
The Second Continental Congress Begins
After the outbreak of war representatives from the thiteen colonies formed the second continental congress. It would serve as an emergency goverment throughout the war. -
The Battle At Bunker Hill
The battle at Bunker Hill was the second and bloodiest battles in the war. American militamen constructed a crude dirt fort at night atop a hill in Charlestown overlooking Boston's harbor. British started shelling the fort from ships in the harbor and from land batteries in Boston. Charlestown was burning. Americans didn't start firing until they could see "the whites of the enemies eyes." British had more soldiers than the Americans. At the end the British won but lost twice as much people. -
The Declaration of Independance
Thomas Jefferson and other members of a special congressional committee were busy at work writing the Declaration of Independence, Americas most famous historical document. It described how the British has taken all the rights of the colonists. On the fourth of July in Pennsylvania the document was approved. The signing of the Declaration of Independence was extremely important. -
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Valley Forge
George Washington set up a camp at Valley Forge, Pennslyvania. Soldiers built rows of log cabins and soon Valley Forge became the second largest city in the United States with 12,000 men. During the winter 2,000 soldiers died because of the harsh winters, lack of food, clothes, and shoes. -
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United States lose in the South
The United States suffered from horrid defeats in the south. Eventually they started to win again, but could not stop the British from invading Virginia. -
The Battle at Yorktown
British troops reached Yorktown, Virginia, an old tobacco port. British set up camp on the outside of Yorktown, positioned their weapons, and built walls and trenches while they waited for extra troops and supplies to ship over from New York. Meanwhile, Washington got 5,000 French troops , him and his army marched down to Virginia. A French fleet battled and stopped the ships from getting to the British so now they were trapped and outnumbered. The British surrendered. -
The end of the war.
A peace treaty was approved in which Great Britain formally recognized the independence of the United States of America. It officially ended this awfully long war.
