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Lexington & Concord
Who- Paul Revere, William Dawes, General Thomas Gage, Samuel Prescott
What- We see it now as the first military engagements of the Revolutionary War
Where- Massachusetts
Why- The British marched to seize the weapons that the colonists had been collecting -
Bunker Hill
Who- Colonel William Prescott
What- A battle between the colonists and the British that inflicted a significant amount of casualties in the British army, that even though the colonists lost, it boosted their confidence significantly.
Where- Bunker Hill (most of the fighting took place on Breed’s Hill), Massachusetts
Why- The British were planning on sending men to occupy the hill’s surrounding the city, so the Americans built earthen fortifications -
The Battle at Trenton
Who- George Washington, Colonel Johann Rall, Nathaniel Greene, John Sullivan
What- A surprise attack on Trenton that the British did not see coming
Where- Trenton, New Jersey
Why- It was a small, but crucial, victory for the Americans -
Battles of Saratoga
Who- George Washington, Benedict Arnold, Colonel Daniel Morgan, John Burgoyne
What- A turning point in the Revolutionary War that convinced the French government to formally recognize the colonist’s and then enter the war as an American ally
When- September 19, 1777 to October 7, 1777
Where- New York
Why- This battle ended the British threat on New England -
Winter at Valley Forge
Who- George Washington, Continental Army
What- An extremely hard winter in a makeshift camp at Valley Forge
When- December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778
Where- Valley Forge
Why- From Valley Forge George Washington could keep an eye on General Howe’s British army that was in Philidelphia -
Siege of Yorktown
Who- George Washington, Charles Cornwallis, General Charles O’Hara
What- The most important battle in the Revolutionary War
When- September 28, 1781 to October 19, 1781
Where- Yorktown, Virginia
Why- George Washington saw an opportunity to trap Charles Cornwallis on the Yorktown peninsula -
Articles of Confederation
Who- John Dickinson
What- The first written constitution of the United States
When- Adopted on November 15, 1777, ratified by all 13 colonies on March 1, 1781
Where- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Why- Helped the states stay sovereign and independent