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Fort Ticonderoga
In July 1777 a British army invading from Canada recaptured American-held Fort Ticonderoga, a key stronghold on Lake Champlain in New York. -
Lexington and Concord
The battles of Lexington and Concord resulted when the British tried to seize military stores that colonists were stockpiling at the town of Concord. Warned in advance by Paul Revere and William Dawes, colonial militias first met the British at Lexington and again at Concord, where they forced the British to retreat. -
Bunker (Breed's hill)
After the initial battles of the Revolutionary War at Lexington and Concord, the British sought to take control of Boston, notably through securing Bunker Hill. Patriot forces heard of the plan, however, and arrived early to fortify Bunker and Breed's hills just north of Boston. Although they sustained heavy casualties, the British had more resources than did the Patriots and managed to take Breed's and Bunker hills. -
Trenton/Princeton (The New Jersey Campaign)
After the disastrous campaign of the summer and fall of 1776, General George Washington gained two crucial victories by attacking outposts at Trenton and Princeton in New Jersey and forcing a British withdrawal to the area immediately surrounding New York City. While these victories did not significantly impair the British army, they represented a major political coup, rallying the supporters of independence and gaining international attention. -
Saratoga (Bemis Heights, the second battle)
On October 7, 1777, British commander Major General John Burgoyne's army attempted to break through American lines south of Saratoga, New York. The Americans routed the outnumbered British troops and pursued them to Saratoga, where Burgoyne surrendered several days later. This map shows troop movements and other details of the Second Battle of Saratoga. -
Seige of Charleston
Facing a stalemate in the northern theater of operations in the summer of 1778, the British commander in North America, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton, secured the approval of the British government to shift the focus of the war to the South. This region was closer to British bases in the West Indies, and Clinton hoped that operations in the South would bring a large number of Loyalists into the British militia. His immediate goal was the capture of the city of Charleston and its garrison. -
King's Mountain
On October 7, 1780, American militiamen defeated British-backed American Loyalist troops on King's Mountain in South Carolina. The Patriot victory was an important step in regaining control of the South. This map shows troop movements and other details of the Battle of King's Mountain. -
Yorktown
From September 28 to October 18, 1781, American and French forces besieged a British army trapped at the port of Yorktown, Virginia. The siege ended with the surrender of the British army, an event that effectively ended the American Revolution. This map shows the positions of troops, artillery, and other details of the Siege of Yorktown.
