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A Pivotal Turn
Since the French had still been bitter from their defeat by the British in the French and Indian War, they secretly supplied the Patriots with weapons. The Saratoga victory bolstered French trust in the American army, and France now agreed to support the Revolution. -
The British Retreat
The British retreated from Boston, moving the theater of war to the Middle States. In order to stop the rebellion by isolating New England, the British decided to seize New York City. -
Two Brothers Join Forces
General William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe came together in Staten Island and saild into the New York Harbor with the largest British expeditionary force ever assembled. -
Chaotic Withdrawal
Despite 23,000 men to New York's defense, Washington's troops were untrained with poor equipment, and were vastly outnumbered. So, the battle for New York ended with an American retreat following heavy losses. -
In Need of Victory
The majority of Washington's men had deserted, had been killed, or captured, while the remaining recruits desperately needed a victory for them to keep from going home. The terms of their enlistment were due to end on December 31. -
A Bold Christmas
Washington risked everything by ignoring a fierce storm on Christmas night and leading 2,400 men in small rowboats across the icy Delaware River. -
Surprise, Hessians!
Washington's men had marched nine miles through sleet and snow to the obkective- Trention, New Jersey. Most of the Hessians had been drunk from the night before and slept it off, while the Americans killed thirty of the enemy and took 918 captives and six Hessian cannons. -
ANOTHER AMERICAN VICTORY!
Washington and his army accomplished another astonishing achievement- the victory against 1,200 British stationed at Princeton. -
Newly- Seized Philly
General Howe and his troops sailed from New York to the Chesapeake Bay, and landed near the American capital. The Continental Congress fled while Washington's troops unsuccessfully tried to block the redcoats; the British captured Philadelphia. -
Drastic Changes
American troops surrounded British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga, where he surrendered his battered army to General Gates. As a result, making a tremendous change in Britain's war strategy. -
Valley Forge
Located outside of Philadelphia, Valley Forge served as the site of the Continental Army's camp in which they huddled in makeshift huts in the freezing, snow-covered woods. -
Alliances Are Formed
The French recognized American independence and signed an alliance, or treaty of cooperation, with the Americans, in which France agreed not to make peace with Britain unless Britain also recognized American independence. -
An Amazing Transformation
Friedrich von Steuben volunteered his services to Washington and taught the colonial soldiers to stand at attention, execute the field maneuvers, fire and reload quickly, and wield bayonets. With the help of such European military leaders, the raw Continental Army was becoming an effective fighting force. -
A Change in Military Strategy
The British began shifting their operations to the South after their devastating defeat at Saratoga. In the South, they hoped to rally Loyalist support, reclaim their former colonies in the region, and then slowly fight their way back north. -
British Expedition
The British easily took over Savannah, Georgia. -
Assistance Offered
Marquis de Lafayette joined Washington's staff and bore the misery of Valley Forge, lobbied for French reinforcements in France, and led a command in Virginia in the last years of the war. He was a brave, idealistic 2-year-old French aristocrat. -
Back to Origins
A royal governor once again commanded Georgia. -
The Replacement
General Henry Clinton, who had replaced Howe in New York, along with the ambitious general Charles Cornwallis saild south with 8,500 men. -
Greatest Victory for the British
The British captured Charles Town, South Carolina and marched 5,500 American soldiers off as prisoners of war. Clinton then left for New York, leaving Cornwallis to command the British forces in the South and conquer South and North Carolina. -
Suggesting of Forces Uniting
Cornwallis's army smashed American forces at Camden, South Carolina, and within three months the British had established forts across the state. However, when Cornwallis and his forces advanced into North Carolina, Patriot bands attacked them and cut British communication lines, forcing the redcoats to retreat to South Carolina. -
Good Luck and Well-timed Decisions
A French army of 6,000 had landed in Newport, Rhode Island, after the British left the city to focus on the South. The French had stationed one fleet there, and when the news of Cornwallis's plan reached him, the Marquis de Lafayette suggested that the American and French armies join forces with the two French fleets and attack the British forces at Yorktown. -
Redcoats Surrender Yet Again
American general Daniel Morgan and his men harassed Cornwallis as he retreated by a grueling chase through rough countryside. When the forces met at Cowpens, South Carolina, the British expected the outnumbered Americans to flee; but the Continental Army fought back, and forced the redcoats to surrender. -
Angered by Defeat
After the loss at Cowpens, Cornwallis attacked American general Nathanael Greene at Guilford Court House, North Carolina. Cornwallis won the battle, but the victory cost him nearly a fourth of his troops- 93 were killed, over 400 were wounded, and 26 were missing. -
In Hopes of Claiming the South
Greene had weakened the British, but he worried about the fight for the South. He wrote a letter to Lafayette, asking for help. -
Congress Actually Helps
The Congress appointed a rich Philadelphia merchant named Robert Morris as superintendent of finance. His associate was Haym Salomon, a Jewish political refugee from Poland. Both men begged and borrowed on their personal credit to raise money to provide salaries for the Continental Army. -
Yes... Finally Paid!
Morris and Salomon raised funds from many sources, including Philadelphia's Quakers and Jews. Due to the efforts of both these men, the American troops were finally paid in specie, or gold coin. -
Closing in on Cornwallis
Cornwallis raised the white flag of surrender due to his troops outnumbered by more than two to one and the exhaustion from constant shelling. By the American and French forces uniting, the siege of Yorktown lasted about three weeks. -
Lining the Road to Succes Near Yorktown
The American Revolution had finally ended, and the Americans had won- a fact that astonished the world. -
Handing Over of the Sword
A triumphant Washington, the French general, and their troops assembled to accept the British surrender. -
Peace Talks in Paris
Representatives of four nations- the United States, Great Britain, France, and Spain- joined the negotiations, with each nation looking out for its own interests. -
The Treaty of Paris
Delegates John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay of New York signed the Treaty of Paris, which confirmed U.S. independence and set the boundaries of the new nation.
