-
Batles of Lexington and Concord
British General, Thomas Gage was chose to seize ammunition and weapons stored in towns, Lexington and Concord. Word spread via Paul Revere's midnight ride. When the british first reached Lexington they were met with a small group of militiamen who, after a standoff, exchanged fire and were routed. The British marched to concord where they met a larger group of local militias. British left for boston and were harassed all the way back, losing 273 men by the time they returned back to Boston. -
2nd Continental Congress
After Lexington and Concord, it was doubtful that relations could be mended. The 2nd Continental Congress met with the sole design of responding to the situation of aggression from Britain. The Continental Army was created. With Geroge Washington made the Commander. At first, only radicals wanted to break away form Britain, and the olive branch peitition was sent. It was rejected by George III, and colonists saw it necessary to create a declaration of independence. Became a governing body. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Rebel troops were dispatched to hills on Charleston peninsula over Boston. They fortified the positions during the night and awaited a british advance. British General, Howe chose to march his troops up the hills instead of bombarding their fortifications. Howe sent his troops up for two assaults, both turned back by patriot fire. By the third attack, colonial ammunition was running low and hand to hand fighting followed. Americans retreated, but the british suffered heavy losses. -
Battle of Quebec
Patriot forces under Colonel Benedict Arnold and General Richard Montgomery attempted to take the British stronghold of Quebec to support the American cause in Canada. Arnold and Montgomery attacked the city from two sides, but both failed as the British were prepared for an assault. Montgomery was killed in the first wave- leaving his troops without a commander. Meanwhile, Arnold wasn't doing too well either. After a few tries, the Americans were forced to retreat before suffering more loses. -
Declaration of Independence
After a year of war with the British, sympathies for a full fledged independence from the crown had grown. A five man committee was tasked with creating a declaration of independence. This group included Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin. Jefferson was the man given the duty of writing it. It outlined grievances and the famous preamble that presented the beliefs of american patriots in response to British tyranny. -
Battle of Long Island
Part of a British campaign to take New York and isolate New England. General Howe sends three attacks into Washington's positions in Long Island. After holding his own in two of the attacks, Washington was unable to prevent the third "sneak" attack in his flank and had to retreat. Howe expected Washington to surrender his forces, and thus ending the American revolution, but under cover of darkness, Washington fled the scene with his men across the river to fight another day. -
British Occupy New York City
Folowing Washington's defeat at Long Island, General Howe is free to march into New York City without contest. Washington lost the strategic location of the city as well as a lot of ammunition and weapons. Considered his low point, many began to question Washington's authority and ability to lead the continental army. -
Battle of Trenton and Princeton
On Christmas day, Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware river and over 10 days, won two battles. First, the battle of Trenton to lure British south, then princeton to solidify control of New Jersey and build morale among the troops. Trenton was captured on Christmas morning as Hessian troops were too drunk to put up a fight. Knowing he couldn't hold the position, Washington retreated back and returned to capture Princeton under General Cornwallis' nose. -
Battle of Brandywine
Charles Cornwallis and Howe launched an attack on Washington's position at Brandywine creek. Like always... the british split into two forces to flank Washington. Washington didn't anticipate the split (whaaa??) and was outnumbered and outmaneuvered. He retreated his men to Germantown, Pennsylvannia. Instead of pursuing Washington, Howe decided to try to occupy Philadelphia. The colonials lost more men, and much of their artillery in the day long fighting. -
Battles of Saratoga
2 Separate battles 14 days apart, Saratoga was the turning point of the American revolution. The American colonists were led by Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold against British general, John Burgoyne. Arnold defied Gates' orders to remain in his quarters and attacked Burgoyne during the second battle, forcing a surrender of the British forces when Burgoyne didn't recieve reinforcements from New York. American victory convinced the French to fully support the revolution. -
Articles of Confederation
The first written constitution of the United States, the Aricles of Confederation were first adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1997, but not ratified completely in every state until March 1, 1781. The articles were made out of urgency, but kept from authorizing central power among the united states. Given the power to maintain armed forces and currency, the government was unable to levy taxes or regulate commerce. -
Valley Forge
Facing serious loss in morale, the American forces under Washington retreated to Valley Forge in Pennsylvania. Dying of disease and the cold, Washingtons forces faced over a thousand losses in death and desertion. Prussian Baron Wilhelm von Steuben helped train the troops to be a true army. Washington received harsh criticism for his decision to camp his men at Valley Forge, but in the end, the training of his continental army proved to be crucial to winning the war. -
Sir Henry Clinton made Commander of British Forces
Following General Howe's decision to take Pennsylvania instead of helping General John Burgoyne in Saratoga, he submitted his resignation and left the war. He was replaced by Sir Henry Clinton. Clinton staged a new phase of the American revolution- choosing to send troops to the south and squeeze Washington in the middle after destroying colonial food supplies. -
Treaty of Alliance between France and America
After discussing the situation in the American revolution after Saratoga, Benjamin Franklin helped to build French trust in an American alliance against Britain. The treaty ensured French assistance in American independence without backing out of the war, as well as the assurance of American claims to land in North America. France was guaranteed claims in the West indies. -
British take Savannah/ Cornwallis made General
British Colonel Archibald Campbell launched a surprise attack under Sir Henry Clinton's orders against American fortifications in Savannah Georgia, taking the town until the British chose to leave for further battles in the South. Lord Charles Cornwallis was also made into a British General of the southern campaign. -
Philipsburg Proclamation
Historical proclamation issued by Sir Henry Clinton during his southern campaign, the Philipsburg Proclamation assured all enslaved african americans their freedom and security behind British lines. Was a sort of extension of Lord Dunmore's proclamation earlier. The plan was too successful, as many thousands of slaves left their masters to go to the British army. Clinton had to ask many to return to their owners as the numbers were too great. -
Capture of Charleston
One of the major battles in the later part of the American Revolution, Sir Henry Clinton (after his first attempt failed) took Charleston, South Carolina and captured its garrison of 5000 troops. This victory for the British marked one of the last complete successes in the southern campaign as Washington started to dispatch troops to meet Clinton, and later Cornwallis. -
Battle of Camden
General Charles Cornwallis, (given command after Clinton returned to New York in anticipation of an assault) routed American forces under General Horatio Gates (hero of saratoga). Gates failed to rally his men and their smaller numbers were duly defeated. Immediately following the capture of Charleston, British victory at Camden assured dominance in the Carolinas for the following years of the war. -
French send Troops to Rhode Island
The Marquis de Lafayette, who had been assisting Washington, convinced the French to send 5000 troops into Rhode Island where they would help the American cause for independence. -
Battle of Cowpens
Turning point in the British campaign in the Southern colonies. Brigadier General Daniel Morgan defeated the British under Colonel Banastre Tarleton. Cowpens bought Major General Nathaniel Greene enough time to build up his troops before the battle of Guilford Courthouse against Cornwallis to officially stop the british advance in the South. -
Battle at Guilford Courthouse
Following the American victory at Cowpens, Major General Nathaniel Greene in turn defeated British general, Charles Cornwallis at Guilford Courthouse. Although the actual battle was rather a draw with neither side completely losing or winning, the British took far more casualties than Greene's army. The result of Guilford Courthouse led Cornwallis to abandon his campaign in the Carolinas to pursue one in Virigina. -
Battle of Yorktown and Surrender of Cornwallis
Washington, aware that the French had entered close proximity to the Chesapeake bay, had been feinting an attack on New York City. Sir Henry Clinton, anticipating the attack chose to build up troops in New York instead of issuing reinforcements for Cornwallis who had entered Virginia after skirmishes in South Carolina. Washington then moved his troops to meet Cornwallis. Trapped by land and sea, Cornwallis was forced to surrender. -
Treaty of Paris 1783 and Treaty of Versailles 1783
Although the war for American independence officially ended in North America following the defeat and surrender of Charles Cornwallis, the war sitll went on around the world until in 1783 when peace was signed. The Treaty of Paris granted American colonies independence and further land east of the Mississippi River. A separate peace between European nations was signed as the Treaty of Versailles granting colonial territories and treaties for trade. -
American Constitution Signed
The Articles of Confederation proved to be very useless. Other than the Northwest Ordinance for admission of new states, it had failed to meet the basic demands of a government. Representatives from each state (except rhode island) met in Philadelphia to draft a new government. After intense debating, delagates made a system built off of checks and balances. Written by James Madison, the document would not be binding until 9 of the 13 colonies signed it- becoming the constitution. -
Bill of Rights
James Madison wrote the bill of rights as the first ten amendments to the constitution. These reserved specific inalienable rights for the people and allowed for the future addition of amendments to the constitution as crises or events occured requiring a new change.