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Passing of the Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts was legislation that was passed during 1774. These acts greatly infringed on the rights of the colonists and were a leading cause of the revolution. These acts angered the colonists due to the fact they lost several rights, and led to the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre (Intolerable Acts). -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington & Concord were the first battles of the Revolutionary War. In the morning of April 19th, 1775 British General Gage send a division to arrest Samuel Adams John Hancock in Lexington, and to seize gunpowder in Concord. However, spies leaked word of this attack and a series of horseback riders went to warn the public. Minuteman of the colonial militia prepared to fight to defend the locations. The shot that was shot at Lexington is known as “the shot heard around the world” -
George Washington Appointed Commander-In-Chief of the Contenental Army
On June 15, 1775 George Washington became the commander in chief of the Continental Army (George Washington). This is an important decision by the Continental Congress as Washington becomes a great general and makes several strategic decisions that lead to the American victory. -
Signing of the Declaration of Independence
On July 4th, 1776 the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is the event that formally begins the Revolutionary War as the Congress declared that they were to be free from rule under the king. -
Battle of Long Island
Following a rebel victory the British evacuated Boston in March of 1776, and Washington predicted that the next British attack would be on New York. The British arrived with 400 ships and 32,000 men. At this time the American Army was unorganized and not ready to be attacked. “ In retreating we had to cross a level clear spot of ground, forty or fifty rods wide, exposed to the whole of the enemy’s fire; and they gave it to us in prime order; the grape shot and language flew merrily, which serve -
Battle of Trenton
On Christmas Night, 1776 immediately after George Washington’s famous Delaware River crossing, Washington was able to have a surprise attack on the city of Trenton. A Hessian lieutenant incorrectly reported that the city was surrounded and thus the English forces stayed in the city. Washington was able to capture 900 men and a large number of weapons in order to help the war effort (Lass). -
Assassination of General Simon Fraser & Guerilla Warfare
Fraser was a British general that was assassinated as a part of the Americans guerilla warfare. Fraser was an important and influential commander at Saratoga. Fraser was a very good general who commanded his troops and demanded respect, and thus was an important asset for the English Army (Brigadier General Simon Fraser). While guerilla warfare started before this time this was one of the times when it was most prevalent. Throughout the war the Army made many surprise attacks, attacking both of -
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Valley Forge
Washington’s Army entered Valley Forge in December of 1777. They were ill-equiped, had no training, and no match for the English Army. However during their time at Valley Forge the Rebel Army received training from Baron Von Steuben and turned into a true Army (Valley Forge). -
Arrival of Baron Von Stuben
Von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge in the winter of 1778; and turns the American rebel soldiers into a true army. At the beginning of the winter at Valley Forge the American rebel army was organized and untrained. According to an account of Valley Forge before the arrival of Von Steuben the American army had very few provisions, moral was low, and disease was rampant. “There comes a Soldier, his bare feet are seen thro' his worn out Shoes, his legs nearly naked from the tatter'd remains of an o -
Treaty of Allience with France Signed
In 1778 the American rebels sign a Treaty of Alliance with France. Prior to this treaty the Americans had been fighting with no outside help. When compared to England prior to the treaty the colonists had no Navy to help them fight with, when England had what was considered to be the best Navy in the world at the time. However the treaty with France allowed the colonists to have Naval assistance, thus giving them a fighting shot against England. -
Seige of Yorktown
While the American Revolution didn’t actually end until 1783; the Siege of Yorktown is considered to be the battle that ends the war. This is the battle brings the surrender of General Cornwallis’s Army. Even though the British still had 26,000 troops in North America after the battle, the British troops had just lost the will to fight, leading to a full British surrender in March 1782 (History of the Siege). When you compare the Army that fought in Yorktown to the Army that fought in Long Beach