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Stamp Act
As a result of the Seven Years' War, the British passed the Stamp Act, which forced the colonists to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper that they use.This created a lot of violence and tension between the two worlds.
This is not asymmetrical because the British are the ones who passed it.
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Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists, dressed as Native Americans, dumped 342 chests of tea off the docked ships in Griffin's Wharf in Boston to protest taxation without representation. This was the first major act of defiance to the British rule over the colonies, and rallied up Patriots from across the New World.
It is asymmetrical because the British were not expecting the colonists to throw the tea into the water.
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Lexington/Concord
In April of 1775, hundreds of British troops marched towards Concord in an attempt to seize an arms cache. Paul Revere famously rode to warn the militiamen of the coming Redcoats. They were able to drive off the British, winning the first major battle of the Revolution.
It was not asymmetrical because the British troops were expecting other Patriots to be there.
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Bunker (Breed's) Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought during the Siege of Boston in the early stages of the Revolution. The colonists built earthen fortifications on top of Breed Hill to surprise a passing group of Redcoats. Though the British were able to capture Charlestown Peninsula, the battle gave the colonists a significant confidence boost.
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Common Sense
"Common Sense" is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine persuading the colonists to fight for freedom against the British. He advocated freedom from England by stating that they cannot fulfill their dreams of the new world without separating themselves from "the monster."
It was not asymmetrical because the British knew that colonists were protesting.
[Source])https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/thomas-paine-publishes-common-sense) -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, was adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting on July 4th, 1776. Its purpose was to cut all political connections with Great Britain, so the colonists could make an official allegiance with France and receive help from them in the war.
It was not asymmetrical because the British were expecting the colonists to separate.
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Battle at Trenton/Princeton
After crossing the Delaware the day before, Washington and his men were able to win two crucial battles in the Revolution. Several days later, Washington returned to Trenton to lure the British south, then marched to Princeton that night to capture it. This event is asymmetrical because the British were not expecting him to march to Princeton.
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Boston Massacre
A mob of angry colonists confronted a lone soldier standing guard one morning on King Street in Boston. They began insulting him and threatening violence, causing the soldier to whack one of the colonists with his bayonet. In response, the colonists pelted him with ice and snowballs, causing him to yell for help. Thomas Preston and several other soldiers arrived and opened fire, killing five of the colonists.
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Battle of Saratoga
The two Battles of Saratoga, fought eighteen days apart, were crucial American victories in the war. As British forces pushed upward in an attempt to take New York, French forces swept in to aid the colonists and forced the British to retreat. This is considered the turning point of the Revolution.
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Continental Army wintering at Valley Forge
After several defeats in Pennsylvania, Washington decided to move his army to Valley Forge where they would be safe from the British so Prussian military adviser, Frederick von Steuben, could train their troops. Despite the strategic positioning the valley provided against the British, 11,000 men died from hunger, cold, and disease due to the harsh winter.
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War in the south/Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was the most costly battle for the colonists in the Revolution. Half of General Clinton's men then traveled to New York, causing a civil war in the divided south. Though they were outnumbered, the Patriots were able to drive out the British using guerrilla warfare.
This is asymmetrical because the Patriots surprise attacked small groups of British soldiers.
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Battle of Yorktown
In the fall of 1781, French and Colonial forces led by George Washington attacked a British army in Yorktown, New York. Several days later the British surrendered, ending the Revolution and beginning peace negotiations.
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