Events of the American Revolution

Lexington and Concord

Apr 19, 1775

Entries from SoldiersOn April 18, the royal governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Gage, had ordered 700 British soldiers to seize the colonists' military stores in Concord. At Lexington, the British were met by seventy Americans lead by John Parker.They were pushed back to the noth bridge with 400 waiting colonists. The British were forced back to Boston, marking the start of the Revolutionary War #stoodup

Battle of Bunker Hill

Jun 17, 1775

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/british-account-of-bunker-hill "Amidst the hurry and confusion of a camp hastily pitched in the field of battle, I am sat down to tell you I have escaped unhurt, where many, very many have fallen." J. Waller
-rebels set out for Bunker Hill to overlook Boston
-came upon Breed's Hill instead
-British marched uphill to Americans, expecting retreat
-Patriots destroyed wave 1 of British
-wave 2 took back Breed's hill, 1,054 casualties wronghill

1st Battle of Saratoga

Sep 19, 1777

Hessian Account Burgoyne began his advance south, but was stopped about 10 miles below Saratoga. The first battle of Saratoga, the Battle of Freeman's Farm, took place on September 19, 1777. A militia of sharpshooters from Virginia harassed the British, while other colonist forces aggressively charged into battle with them. Burgoyne lost two men for every one on the American side. #outmatched

2nd Battle of Saratoga

Oct 7, 1777

Hessian Account The second battle, the Battle of Bemis Heights, occurred on October 7th, when Burgoyne determined to break free from the encircling colonial forces and drive them from the field. The British troops and their German allies were devastated, and nearly lost their entrenched positions. Benedict Arnold, on horseback, received a wound in his leg during this battle commemorated by a boot statue. #traitor

Effects of Saratoga

Oct 7, 1777

Because Arnold disobeyed his leader's orders, he was able to push a regiment of British soldiers to surrender. This stirred interest with the French, hoping they could ally with the colonists to fight England. This was the turning point of the war.

Valley Forge

Dec 19, 1777

http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1776-1785/albigence-waldo-from-the-diary-of-a-surgeon-at-valley-forge-1777.php Diary of a Surgeon
Washington led 10,000 to 12,000 troops to the site of their winter encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. While the British Army enjoyed the relative warmth and hospitality of loyalists in Philadelphia the Americans suffered throughout the winter. Faced with severe shortages of resources, over 2,500 men died. Regardless, the army did not crumble. #don'tgiveup

Articles of Confederation

Mar 1, 1781

Articles of Confederation In effect after ratification by Maryland inMarch 1,1781, the Articles of Confederation served as a bridge between the initial government by the Continental Congress and the federal government provided under the Constitution for the United States. However, the colonists opposed British government so much that their own government could not work properly. #fail

Battle of Yorktown

Sep 28, 1781

http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1776-1785/ebenezer-denny-1781-describing-the-surrender-of-cornwallis-at-yorktown.php Ebenezer Denny Diary
Nathanael Greene had taken over command of the Continental Army in the South. Greene put in new tactics that caused the British Army to retreat to the East Coast. At the same time that the British Army under Cornwallis was retreating to Yorktown,George Washington was marching in from the north, and the French defeated the British in the waters. #surrounded

Seige of Yorktown

Oct 19, 1781

http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1776-1785/ebenezer-denny-1781-describing-the-surrender-of-cornwallis-at-yorktown.php Ebenezer Denny Diary
For eleven days the American forces bombarded the British. Finally Cornwallis sent out the white flag for surrender. He originally made a lot of demands to George Washington for his surrender, but Washington didn't agree. When the American troops started to prepare for another attack, Cornwallis agreed to Washington's terms and the battle was over.#itsover

Treaty of Paris

Sep 3, 1783

Treaty of Paris
As a result of the surrender, the British formed a Treaty of Paris which not only granted colonists much western land, but independence. The 1783 Treaty was one of a series of treaties signed at Paris in 1783 that also established peace between Great Britain and the allied nations of France, Spain, and the Netherlands. #free