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John Locke (Social Contract and Natural Rights)
John Locke was an English philosopher who contributed to the start of the Enlightenment. The Social Contract Theory states that life, liberty, and property is given to us by nature and should not be taken away. This theory is also seen as our natural rights. And during that time, if the government failed to protect these rights, the citizens would have the right to overthrow the government. This idea deeply affected and influenced Thomas Jefferson as he drafted the Declaration of Independence. -
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was elected to the Continental Congress and was the third president of the United States as well as the main author of the Declaration of Independence during the Revolutionary War, which officially declared that the American Colonies were free from British authority and their influence. -
Battle of Lexington & Concord
The Battle of Lexington and Concord was the first battle of the Revolutionary War. This happened because of the tensions that had been going on between the colonies. No one really knows who fired the first shot at Lexington but eventually it became known as the "shot heard around the world." The British then marched to Concord and then the groups attacked. The British lost more of their soldiers and the colonists won, which was a moral boost and gave them confidence they could win more battles. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress managed the colonial war effort and moved toward independence which eventually led to the Declaration of Independence. The Second Continental Congress acted as a national government and governed the colonies during war. They raised armies, strategies and treaties. They even created a Continental Army and had George Washington to lead it. This was important in the Revolution because the delegates spoke and acted for the people and their benefit. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the American War of Independence. It proved to the British that the colonists would not be easy to defeat and although the British won the battle many died. Also, even with the colonists losing more people wanted to join the Army and gave the colonists more courage to stand up against Britain, the battle was a significant morale builder, however the king promised to use stronger methods that would crush and bring the colonists down. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition was a document sent out by Congress asking the king to help bring back peace to the colonies and Great Britain but the king rejected the petition. This caused him to issue out even more rules for punishments for the colonies. This was the point of no return for the colonies and is what sealed their fate and also furthered tensions between Britain and the colonists. The Olive Branch Petition was the final attempt by the colonists to avoid going to war in the Revolution. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a document that declared independence from Britain and declares the formation of a new and free nation, which is USA. This document gives the reasons for why this country was created and it provides hopes, beliefs, and ideas to the people about how they have some degree of control over their government given by their rights. This impacted the war because it gave the colonists something to fight for and inspired most to take up arms against the British. -
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton was fought between the Americans against the Hessians and British troops after the Americans lost the battle in New York and was forced to retreat through New Jersey. The Hessian army was crushed in Washington's raid across the Delaware River and the Americans were upset about the easy defeat of the Hessian forces. The victory of the Battle of Trenton turned around the face of the war and after months of defeat this victory changed the morale of both the country and army. -
Battle of Princeton
The British were planning a counter attack on the Continental Army due to the outcome of the battle at Trenton. George Washington knew and expected General Cornwallis to come and he was smart enough to leave a few soldiers in Trenton to stay and fool the British to make it look like the Continental Army was camping there. Afterward he surprised the British and they were able to outwit General Cornwallis and gave the Continental Army 2 wins in a row, securing Washington as a leader. -
Battle of Saratoga (September and October)
The Battle of Saratoga comprised of two significant battles during September and October of 1777 and was a turning point in the American Revolution. It gave France the confidence to enter the war as an American ally and also the French decided to support the Americans with military aid by equipping them with soldiers, money and a navy. The Americans "morale" was boosted and the country then felt they could win the war. -
Valley Forge
Valley Forge was a place for George Washington to rest and train his men for upcoming battles. Valley Forge proved to be a turning point in the Revolutionary War by testing George Washington and his troops and "paving" the way for their ultimate victory in the war for American independence. However when there was a harsh winter in Valley Forge, horrible outcomes occurred. Washington's men were starving getting diseases and sick because of the cold and with there not being any medicine some died. -
France (Treaty of Amity & Commerce, Treaty of Alliance)
The Treaty of Amity and Commerce recognized the U.S. as an independent nation and promoted trade between France and America while the Treaty of Alliance aimed for military alliance against Great Britain, promising the absolute independence of the United States and work together on a peace agreement. Both of these documents impacted the War. -
Spain
Spain declared war on Britain as an ally of France and provided supplies and munitions to the American forces. Spain's motivation to help the American colonists was caused by the desire to regain the land they had lost to Britain and to make gains against British possessions in other parts of the world. -
Battle of Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens allowed the Continental Army to regain control of the South from the British. After losing several battles in the South, the Continental Army defeated the British in victory at Cowpens, which forced the British Army to retreat and gave the Americans that confidence that they could win the war. Cowpens was a major turning point in the war and led to the British surrendering at Yorktown 10 months after. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was the last battle of the American Revolution and the significance of this was that Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington when the French and American forces "trapped" the British at Yorktown leaving them to give up and try to consider making some sort of peace agreement. The outcome in Yorktown caused the start of a new nation's independence. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
The Treaty of Paris of 1783 was a peace treaty between Great Britain and the American colonies, which recognized independence in the 13 colonies.This peace treaty formally ended the Revolutionary War and in terms of this Great Britain gave up most of their territory to the American colonies. -
French and English Enlightenment
The French and English Enlightenment (Age of Reason),
was a time where Enlightenment thinkers in Britain, in France and throughout Europe, such as John Locke, Charles Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau questioned traditional authority and embraced the fact that humanity could be improved through change. The American and French Revolutions were directly inspired by Enlightenment ideas and was more than just a protest against English authority, but also an outline for a democratic society. -
George Washington
George Washington was born in 1732 and died at the age of 67 in 1799. He is known for leading the Continental Army in victory over the British in the American Revolution from 1775 to 1783 and for later on being the first President of the United States.
