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Battle of Lexington and Concord
British troops were moving to Concord to destroy a colonial supply of weapons and ammo. A group of colonial militia moved to intercept the british red coats as colonists transported the military supplies elsewhere. Although the colonial militia initially had to withdraw, when the red coats arrived at Concord the supplies were gone. The militia eventually reformed and pushed the british all the way back to Boston thus beginning the siege of Boston. -
The battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill started after the battle of Lexington and Concord. The colonial militia began fortifying Breed's Hill to confine British soldiers in Boston. Despite the colonial militia's efforts however, the more experienced British soldiers pushed the militia off of Breed's Hill and secured control of the Charlestown Peninsula. Despite their defeat the colonial militia inflicted heavy casualties on the British forces, which gave the militia a morale boost. -
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Siege of Boston
George Washington arrives in the Boston area to take command of the new continental army. Washington's goal was to remove the British from Boston entirely. To do this Colonel Henry Knox sent over 60 tons of military weaponry from New York's newly captured fort of Ticonderoga to Boston during the winter. After many months of travel the supplies finally reached Washington in late January 1776. Cannons were placed around Boston and after 2 straight days of bombardment the British left Boston. -
Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge
Colonial patriots defeat a British led group of colonial loyalists in an ambush at Moore's Creek Bridge. This battle silences Carolinian loyalists for the next three years. -
Declaration of Independence
The second continental congress meets in Philadelphia to decide on officially declaring dependence. After 12 of the 13 colonies vote in favor of indendence the declaration is written and signed by the members of the continental congress. -
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Saratoga Campaign
British General John Burgoyne took an army from Britsh Canada down south following the Hudson river with the goal of splitting the colonies in half. Burgoyne's campaign fails due to succesful guerrilla attacks by revolutionary soldiers wielding accurate american long rifles. The colonials victory over Burgoyne pursuades the French to join the colonies fight against Britian. -
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Valley Forge
During the six month winter encampment of Valley Forge a great change occured in the colonial army. After several defeats at the hands of the British forces, the colonial army led by George Washington wearily set up camp in Valley Forge to endure the coming winter. Weather was terrible and food and clothes were in short supply. Many men deserted or died because of starvation or disease. This all changed with the innoculation of small pox and formal training done by German mercenary Steuben. -
French Alliance
After reaching news of the colonists success against the British during the saratoga campaign, the French decide that the colonists have a good enough chance of winning to warrant an alliance between the French and the colonies. -
Battle of Yorktown
George Washington and his army of 17,000 minute men lay siege to the British held town of Yorktown with help from the French navy. British general Cornwallis and his army of 9,000 red coats are stuck in Yorktown, Virginia as the French navy cuts their escape route by sea and the continental arm encircles them on land. After 3 weeks of continuous bombardment on Yorktown Cornwallis surrenders. -
Treaty of Paris
Delegations between Colonial and British diplomats end in the recognition of U.S independence by the British Crown and the end of the revolutionary war.