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American Revolution Timeline

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    Clinton takes the Carolinas and Georgia

    General Clinton launched the "Southern Campaign" by capturing Savannah, Georgia, and then taking the Carolinas. After securing the South, he left Lord Cornwallis in charge, but Cornwallis quickly realized he lacked control over the region, as non-Continental soldiers were using guerrilla warfare to wreak havoc to British forces across the countryside.
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    Addition of Freed African soldiers

    Freed African Americans fought in early battles like Concord and Bunker Hill, but George Washington initially banned them from the Continental Army to prevent it from becoming a refuge for runaway slaves. The British, however, welcomed runaway slaves, because they saw it as a way to weaken the agricultural economy in some regions. Facing a shortage of recruits, Washington eventually allowed freed African Americans to join the Continental Army.
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    Siege of Boston

    The Continental Army tricked the British by spreading a rumor in Boston that the colonists had 1,800 barrels of gunpowder. Meanwhile, Washington requested supplies from Fort Ticonderoga, and Henry Knox was sent to retrieve cannons. On March 4, 1776, the British awoke to find Boston surrounded by cannons, leading them to evacuate 9,000 soldiers and 1,100 loyalists to avoid a bloody battle.
  • The Battle of Concord and Lexington

    Colonial spies learned that British troops were moving overnight, and Paul Revere and others rode to warn nearby towns, rallying minutemen in Lexington. The minutemen blocked the road, and after a shot rang out, 18 colonists were wounded or killed. The colonists then retreated to Concord, where they evacuated the town and hid weapons, and when the British arrived and found nothing, they burned houses—only to be surprised by a colonial counterattack.
  • Battle of Bunker Hill

    Colonists decided to fortify two hills that overlooked Boston, Bunker Hill. At daybreak, 2000 Redcoats attacked up the hill they were commanded to not fire until they saw “the whites of their eyes” (limited gun powder). The Redcoats were pushed back down the hill twice but on the third attempt they prevailed because the colonists ran out of gunpowder.
  • Defeat at New York

    On August 27, 1776, the British and American armies fought in New York City, a pivotal battle for control of the city. Despite the Americans' training, their inexperience made them no match for the well-trained British forces, resulting in heavy losses—1,407 Americans dead compared to 377 British deaths. After two days of fighting, the British offered a chance to surrender, but Washington refused, but he knew he had to retreat to save his army from total destruction.
  • Battle at Trenton

    While the Americans had made camp on one side of the Delaware River, the Hessians had made their camp at Trenton New Jersey. Late on December 25, 1776, Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware and surprised the Hessians after their Christmas celebrations The Hessians were Caught completely by surprise they surrendered without losing a single man.
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    Battle at Princeton

    868 Hessians were taken prisoner from the Battle at Trenton, and a week later a victory at Princeton saw another 300 British troops captured. These wins were what the Patriots needed.
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    Saratoga

    Burgoyne's slow advance through the New York wilderness allowed Washington time to strategize. By the time Burgoyne reached Saratoga Springs, he found himself surrounded by large militias and realized he was outnumbered. On October 17, 1777, Burgoyne surrendered, marking a pivotal turning point in the war and prompting France to officially support the Patriot cause.
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    Valley Forge

    After the victory at Saratoga, the Continental Army decided to winter at a place called Valley Forge. A brutal winter set in, and the army was low on food, clothing, fuel, and many other essential supplies. Many of the soldiers died from starvation and disease.
  • Foreign officers arrive (Prussia and France)

    As the winter started to turn to Spring, the Continental Army looked towards new training, Washington commissioned Friedrich von Steuben, a Prussian officer, to train the army. He used a method of continual drilling to turn the rag tag army into a true fighting force.
  • Battle of Monmouth

    As the British left Philadelphia, the Patriots chased them all the way to Monmouth, NJ. The battle took place on June 28, 1778. Washington was able to rally his troops into pushing the British back across the Hudson to NYC.
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    Battle of Yorktown

    In August 1781, George Washington secretly moved his army to Virginia, supported by 5,000 French troops and more on the way. When French warships arrived to block the Yorktown harbor, they trapped British General Cornwallis and his forces inside the town. On October 6, 1781, the Continental and French armies launched an artillery assault, effectively laying siege to Yorktown.
  • End of Fighting

    Despite hoping for rescue by the British Navy when the battle started, Cornwallis received no help and was forced to surrender to Washington on October 19, 1781. As British soldiers laid down their arms, Cornwallis refused to participate and sent his officers in his place, marking a decisive turning point in the war, with only a few small victories needed to defeat the remaining British forces.
  • Treaty of Paris

    The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, formally ended the Revolutionary War. It had three key ideas: England had to recognize America as a country, England giving up all land claims south of Canada and east of the Mississippi, and the US would have to return all land and property to the Loyalists taken during the war.