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Battles of Lexington and Concord
"Shot heard round the world"
First battle of the American Revolution
General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts, orders 700 British troops to capture colonial leaders and supplies (weapons) at Concord.
However, Paul Revere and other riders warned the militiamen of several towns to prepare for the coming British and to move the weapons in Concord.
The British were forced to retreat back to Concord. -
Second Continental Congress
Patriot leaders gather in Philidelphia
Many of the same delegates as First Continental Congress
12 out of 13 colonies sent delegates
John Dickison and others write Olive Branch Petition as last effort for reconciliation
Others, such as Samuel Adams, draw support for independence -
Period: to
Washington is Commander in Chief of Continental Army
Washington was one of the few Americans with military experience, having served in the French and Indian War.
Washinton was also a southerner which helped unite the colonies in the New England driven cause. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Prior to BH, America is increasingly demoralized as the British become cocky and prideful.
This changes at the Battle of Bunker Hill
British wake up to find 6 foot dirt wall the Americans built on hill overlooking British position.
British storm the hill into colonists line of fire until the US has no ammunition.
"Don't shoot till you see the whites of their eyes".
1000 British vs. 500 US casualties
Technically a British victory, but Americans in high spirits
British forced to take US seriously -
"Common Sense"
Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine
Helped convince colonists of the need for independence and a republican form of government
Assaulted traditional monarchial order -
The Virginia Declaration of Rights
Written by George Mason
Precursor to the Declaration of Independence
Written to proclaim inherent rights of men
Right to rebel against inadequate governments -
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson is main author
Used European Enlightenment ideas
Justified independence and republicanism to Americans by vilifying George III
List of greivances against the king
Proclaimed all men had certain unalienable rights, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"
Said that government derives its power from the consent of the governed (popular sovereignty) and it was the duty of the governed to overthrow opressive governments -
Battle of Long Island
British General William Howe tasked by prime minister, Lord North, to sever New England from the rest of the colonies.
35,00 British troops
Washington and army of less than 25,000
Washington leaves part of Brooklyn undefended, British enter and surround Americans.
12,000 US deaths
400 British deaths
Howe waits for Washingtons surrender, but Washington escapes to New Jersey with 9000 troops on rowboats in the dead of night.
The British capture Brooklyn, but the Americans escape to continue fight. -
Battle of Trenton
Following 18th century custom, the British halted military campaign for the winter.
Washington is able to catch the British army off guard.
Washington and forces cross the Delaware and stage a successful surprise attack on Trenton, NJ where they force the surrender of 1000 German soldiers. -
Lafayette Arrives in the US
Lafayette comes to American after hearing of their endeavor to secure their independence.
Comes to help the colonies as a volunteer .
Because he is the highest rank of French nobility, he is commissioned to be a Major General on July 31st -
British Occupy Philidelphia
British under General Howe occupy Philidelphia, home of Continental Congress.
Howe loads troops onto boats and attacks from the south.
Howe's troops outflank the Americans along Brandywine Creek.
The Continental Congress flees to the countryside.
This is a huge moral defeat to the colonists.
The British won't leave this Continental capitol for nine months. -
Battle of Saratoga
General Burgoyne's arnmy of 6600 troops raids Bennington, Vermont for food but is defeated by 2000 American militiamen.
Thousands of militiamen join General Horatio Gates, blocking General Burgoyne and forcing him to surrender.
Benedict Arnold orders troops to target and shoot British officers.
Turning point of the war.
Patriots capture more than 5000 British troops.
Americans win military alliance with France. -
Period: to
Winter at Valley Forge
The Winter of 1777
12000 American soldeiers retreat to Valley Forge and suffer horribly.
200 officers resign
3000 die from malnutrition or disease
1000 desert
Valley Forge Winter takes as many lives as had two years of fighting. -
Treaty of Alliance
French pledges support to America
Continental Congress agrees to recognize all French conquests in West Indies
French alliance provieds American troops with much needed money and supplies.
Boosts Patriot morale and bolsters confidence -
Baron von Steuben Arrives
Raises the readiness of the American army
Former Prussian military officer, joins the American cause
Washington appoints him inspector General of the Continental army
He institues a strict drill system and encourages officers to be more professional.
The smaller army that emerges from Valley Forge is much better trained and disiplined. -
British General Henry Clinton
General Howe resigns from his position as British General saying that he had been inadequately supported.
He is replaced by his second-in-command, Henry Clinton. -
British occupy Savannah
The British revise their military strategy to refocus on the Southern colonies.
Sir Henry Clinton launches a seaborne attack on Savannah, Georgia.
Troops commanded by Colonel Archibald Campbell capture the town.
By the end of 1778, Clinton's forces and local Loyalists controlled the Georgia coast and had 10,000 troops ready to attack South Carolina. -
Spain Declares War
Spain joins the war with the Americans in an effort to regain Florida and the fortress of Gibraltar at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. -
Philipsburg Proclamation
Declaration that any slave who deserted a rebel master would receibe protection, freedom, and land from Great Britain.
Some 30,000 African Americans take refuge behind British lines. -
French sends troops to US
The Marquis de Lafayette convinces the French government to send 5500 French troops under the control of Count de Rochambeau to aid Washington in Newport, Rhode Island. There, they threated the British forces holding New York City. The British in NYC begin to panic. -
British occupy Charleston
Clinton forces the surrender of Charlestton, South Carolina and its garrison of 5,000 troops.
After this battle General Clinton returns to New York, leaving General Cornwallis in control of the Souther campaign. -
Battle of Camden
General Charles Cornwallis defeats an American force commanded by General Horatio Gates in Camden, South Carolina.
Washington sends Horatio Gates to South Carolina to stop Cornwallis, but he is a miserable failure.
Only 1200 Patriots fight at the Battle of Camden.
Cornwallis takes control of South Carolina and hundreds of African Americans flee to freedom behind British lines. -
Battle of Kings Mountain
900 American Patriots defeat a regiment of Loyalists at King's Mountain, South Carolina.
They take about 1000 prisoners. -
Nathaniel Greene- Commander of Southern Army
Washington sends his trusted Quartermaster, Nathaniel Greene, to South Carolina to deal with Cornwallis as General of the Continental Army's southern forces. -
Battle of Cowpens
General Nathaniel Greene splits his forces.
Greene leads half towards supplies in Cheraw, SC, and leaves the other half to stir up trouble in the back country.
General Daniel Morgan leads an American force to victory against General Tarleton at Cowpens, South Carolina. -
Articles of Confederation
Approved by the Continetal Congress
The Articles provided for a losse union in which states had most of the power
National government was very limited
Required unanimous vote to make decisions, was very inefficient
Lacked the power to tax the states or the people
Had no cheif executive or judiciary
Failure -
Battle of Guilford Courthouse, NC
General Greene's soldiers fight Cornwallis's army to a draw at North Carolina's Guilford Court House.
British are weakened by this war of attrition.
The British General decides to conced the Carolinas to Green and seek victory in Virginia instead. -
Yorktown
In 1781, Corwallis receives reinforcements from New York. The troops are under the control of American traitor Benedict Arnold.
Washington then fakes an attack on New York City while really moving his troops to supplement Lafayette's in Virginia.
The French fleet takes the Chesapeake Bay and thereby surrounds the British forces at Yorktown.
After a three week seige, Cornwallis was forced to surrender his 7500 troops, and ended the American Revolution. -
Lord North Resigns
Lord North resigns after the British embarassement at Yorktown. -
Articles of Peace
Served as the basis for the Treaty of Paris
Peace talks were complicated by the French and the Spanish who stalled for time as they were hoping to seize a West Indian island or Gibraltar.
This infuriated Patriot leaders.
British ministers and Patriots wanted to negotiate peace quickly. -
Treaty of Paris
Great Britian formally recognized American independence and relinquished its claims to lands south of the Great Lakes and east of the Mississippi River.
British negociaters did not insist on territory for thier Indian allies.
Granted Americans fishing rights off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia
Prohibited British from taking slaves or other property
Guarenteed freedom of navigation on the Mississippi to Americans
American government allowed British merchants to persue legal claims for prewar debts -
US Constitution signed
The US Constitution declared the the congressional law was the supreme law of the land.
The new government had the power to tax, raise an army and navy, and regulate foregn and interstate commerce.
The constitution was imperfect but as Benjamin Franklin states it was surprising to find a "system approaching so near to perfection"
All but three delegates signed the US Constitution. -
Ratification of the Constitution
Although the Constitution was signed earlier, it was not ratified into law until 9 out of 13 states ratified it.
In 1788, New Hampshire became the 9th state to ratify the Constitution.
Rhode Island was the 13th state to ratify the Constitution and did not do so until 1790.
