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British Army and American Army
Britian had 48,000well-trained, disiplined troops plus German ( Hessian) troops, thousands of Loyalist in America, and the help of Indians ( 4 out of the 6 Iroquis nations in New York, Cherokee, and the Shawnee)
America had 18,000 un-trained troops but were motivated to win, led by Washington -
Revolution start (tactics)
Colonist defensive forces were Minutemen, were untrained, and were poorly supplied
Colonist fought with a cause unlike the British, giving America an advantage over the British -
Lexington and Concord
First major battle of the Revolution
British won at Lexington due to colonist being unprepared and untrained
Colonist managed to push the British back out at the Concord battle, British got attacked by surprise and were forced to retreat -
Period: to
Lexington and Concord to the Ratifcation of the Constution
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Second Continental Congress
Leaders of the Patriots went to Philadelphia
John Adams told everyone America needed to create the Continental Army, Adams nominated Washington as the leader of this new army -
John Dickinson
Dickinson pursuaded Congess to send King George III the Olive Branch Petition, pleading King to negotiate before war started
Dickinson wrote some documents during the Revolution in order to help America, not one document was successful -
Thomas Paine-Common Sense
Paine wrote Common Sense which helped gather colonist to want independence and have a republican form of government -
Battle of Long Island
Howe led his troops into Long Island, defeating the Americans causing a retreat to Manhattain Island.
Outnumbered on Manhattan Island, Washington got defeated again and almost trapped. America retreated again, into New Jersey -
Battle of Trenton
British settled down for the winter, what most armies do.
Washingtonsees this as an oppurtunity to surprise attack Britian, Washington takes his army across the Delaware River, then traveled to Trenton, New Jersey.
1,000 hessian soldiers surrender. moral booster for the Patriots -
Lord North and George Germain; and their strategy
Lord North and his colonial secretary, Lord Germain launnched a major military campaign in 1777.
The 2 Lord's main goal was to isolate New England from the rest of the colonies.
Germain planned a 3-pronged attack on Albany, New York.
General John Burgoyne would attack south from Quebec
Colonel Barry St. Leger and an Iroquis force attack from the west.
General Howe would lead troops North from New York City. -
Battle of Saratoga pt. 1
Started with Lord Germain's 3-pronged attack on Albany, New York.
Howe decided to attack Philadephia, instead of Albany first. Howe's attack on Philadelphia was a slow, long on boat trip around Chesapeake Bay.
Burgoyne defeated Americans at Fort Ticonderoga in early July 1777. Burgoyne then traveled down the Hudson River, stalling along the way to be pampered in shelters and eating.
In August, Burgoyne's army of about 7,000 troops attacked Saratoga, New York in order to get more food and horses -
Battle of Saratoga pt. 2
Instead of winning the Saratoga raid, Burgoyne is defeated by 2,000 American troops.
St. Leger and his Iroquis army were forced to retreat after Patriots troops from Mohawk Valley attacked Leger.
British commander called the 4,000 troops sent to Albany back to help Howe in Philadelphia, leaving Burgoyne isolated with no help.
General Gates was met with troops from northern areas, blocking Burgoyne in and forced Burgoyne to surrender in October of 1777. -
turning point of the war
The victory at Saratoga was the war's turning point
America captured 5,000 British troops
The win was a large moral booster for the colonist
The most important reason was because the victory lead to the military alliance with France, a huge ally that helped us greatly in the war -
Articles of Confederation
Approved by the Continental Congress.
Aloud Confederation to start war, sign treaties, decide state disputes, borrow and print money, and collect state funds for defensive welfare. -
Valley Forge
Washington's army goes through a tough winter.
Poor conditions of lack of food, little lodging, cold, fatigue, nasty clothes and nasty hygene.
After Spring in Valley Forge, Baron von Steuben helped the Continental Army in training -
Baron von Steuben
Prussian officer
One of the few foreign aristocrats who helped the Americans.
Trained Washington's army into a disciplined, tougher army. -
Philipsburg Proclamation
Document issued by Lord Dunmore.
Stated, any slave who deserted their rebel master would recieve protection, freedom and land from Britian.
Sir Henry Clinton had to push this proclamation in the South -
French Intimidation
European aristocrat, Marquis de Lafayette convinced King Louis XVIto sent 5,500 troops to Newport, Rhode Island as an intimidation factor for the British troops in New York City. -
Benedict Arnold
Originally a high ranking officer under General Gates, Arnold betrays the Americans and goes to work under the British -
Battle at Yorktown
Washington planned a fake attack on New York City, really he was having General Rochambeau and his men march from Rhode Island to Virginia.
The French would take over the Chesapeake Bay, leaving the British with no where to go.
by the time Cornwallis noticed what was happening, there was no where for him to retreat to or get reinforcements from.
Cornwallis surrendered in Yorktown -
Treaty of Paris 1783
British recognizes American independence, lets go of their land claims south of the Great Lakes, and gives up on their allied Indians in America. -
Treaty of Versailles
Made peace between Britian and Spain, France.
Neither Spain or France got, in full amount, what they wanted from helping in the war but did partially get what they wanted. -
Great Compromise
Created a Senate, two members from each state, and a House of Representatives, number of representatives was proportional to the amount of people in each state. -
Constitution's Ratification
Antifederalists opposed the Constituion because they felt it would make the state's governments loose power.
Most Americans accepted the ratification and wanted to see how it went.
