Patriots at WarChapter 9 Lesson 2

Fort Ticonderoga

• Ethan Allen, like George Washington, was a tall man famous for his strength. He could out-wrestle, out-throw, and out-lift any challengers.

• He moved out to the green mountain land of New Hampshire to farm.

• He and his friends called themselves the “Green Mountain Boys” and they loved to prove how strong and tough they were.

• The American Revolution gave Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys something to fight about.

• The Patriots asked the Green Mountain Boys for some help with the war. They asked the Boys to capture the weapons at Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York.

• Ethan Allen planned the attack very carefully

• He sent in a spy to get information. The spy told Allen the number of men in the fort and where there was a weak spot in the walls.

Enter Benedict Arnold

• Benedict Arnold was a colonel in the Continental Army and one of Washington’s most trusted men.• Arnold was very hard to get along

with and very soon Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys disliked him and his orders.

Enter Benedict Arnold

• To keep the peace, the two men agreed to share command of the men.

• Arnold fought like a proper soldier while Ethan Allen and his men growled and whooped like animals.

• Before long, the fort, its ammunition, and rum belonged to the American Army.

The Long Trip to Boston

• Washington knew the trip back to Boston with the cannons would be difficult.

• He sent Henry Knox, an engineer, to figure out a way to bring the 5,000 pound cannons back through forests, over hills and streams in the middle of winter.

Henry Knox

• Knox and his men built sleds and used horses and oxen to drag the cannons 250 miles.

• Knox brought back 59 cannon and helped Washington put them on hills that overlooked Boston. The hills were called Dorchester Heights.

The British Leave Boston

• With the cannons pointed down at them in Boston, the British knew they were in a terrible position.• The British decided to leave Boston and

sail north to Nova Scotia. • Many of the Loyalists felt they would be in

danger if they stayed. They boarded the ships with the British soldiers and left their lives in Boston behind.

Time to Reflect and Weigh in

• Read and complete the worksheet on “The British Leave Boston”

• Work independently and carefully.

• This will be taken for a grade.

Who were the soldiers of the American Revolution?

• No one knows the numbers for sure, but some 5,000 black men and boys fought in the American Revolution.

• Most of the American soldiers were said to be Scotch-Irish = poor farmers from Scotland or Ireland who came to America for new opportunities.

Who were the soldiers of the American Revolution?

• The American soldiers were mostly citizens and not career soldiers.• They would sign up to fight for a period of

time (sometimes 2-6 months, sometimes a year) and go home when their time was up.• Many soldiers would just leave and go

home when they wanted to or if they had to tend to their farms.

Who were the soldiers of the American Revolution?

• George Washington had to be very tough on deserters threatening them with whippings, imprisonment, or hanging.

• He spent a lot of his time trying to convince soldiers to re-enlist and stay for longer periods of time.

• These were also soldiers that were fighting for their families and their livelihoods. They would fight to the death if they had to. Many did.

Who Fought with the British?

• King George III was determined to defeat the Americans.

• He hired European soldiers from Germany to add to the already large British Army.

• These soldiers were called mercenaries.

• A mercenary is a soldier that is paid to fight for another country.

German Soldiers in the American Revolution

Victory and Defeat

• After the British left Boston, things started to go badly for the Americans.

• George Washington and his army were almost captured in New York as the British surrounded Manhattan Island.

• The only thing that saved the Americans was that the British were so confident that they delayed their attack for a day or two so they could attend some parties in the city.

America the Story of Us

Nathan Hale-teacher, spy, Patriot

• Nathan Hale was 21 years old when George Washington asked him to step behind enemy lines and gather information on the British in New York.• New York was set on fire

and Nathan Hale was captured as he was running out of the burning city.

Nathan Hale-teacher, spy, Patriot

• He was condemned to death without a trial.• It has been reported that his

last words before he was hung were, “I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”• Hale’s story inspired many

terrified Americans to keep up the fight.

Defeat and Victory

• After Washington's defeat in New York, He retreated into Pennsylvania.

• The men in the army were cold, hungry and sick.

• Washington knew that he was about to lose many men who would just quit and go home. If this happened, he would lose the war, for sure.

• Washington needed a victory.

• In order to achieve that victory, he needed a remarkable plan.

The Battle of Trenton

• Trenton, New Jersey was filled with German mercenaries hired by the British to fight the Americans.

• Washington knew a surprise attack would give him the advantage he would need to capture these soldiers.

• Washington shared his plan with only his highest ranking officers and keeping all of the soldiers in the dark.

• Washington knew that the German soldiers would be celebrating Christmas, so he planned to attack them on Christmas night after they had a full day of celebrating.

While the Hessians sleep…

What Victory Means

• Washington and his men won at Trenton.

• Washington captured 1,000 Hessian prisoners and all of their supplies: food, blankets, tents, clothes, weapons, and ammunition.

• Washington’s victory at Trenton encouraged the men that victory was possible.

• At Washington’s request, many of his soldiers re-enlisted after January 1st and stayed with their beloved leader.

• There would be more victories ahead, but many defeats as well.

The Battle of Saratoga

• After the winter was over, the British went on the offensive to destroy the American forces.

• The plan was to establish British control along Lake Champlain to Albany, New York and south along the Hudson River to the Atlantic.

• This would separate the Northern Colonies from the rest of the Colonies. Divide and Conquer.

• British General John Burgoyne devised a three-fold plan. If all went as expected, he would capture Washington and his forces in Albany, New York.

All did not go as expected.

The Battle of Saratoga

• Burgoyne was the first leg of the plan.

• He would start in Montreal and travel south toward New York.

• Burgoyne took his time

along the way and even

recaptured Fort Ticonderoga

just because he didn’t want

the Americans to have it.

William Howe

• The second leg was led by General Howe in New York.

• He was to travel North toward Albany and meet Burgoyne .

• Howe decided that Philadelphia was a more important city than Albany, New York.

• Howe disregarded orders and attacked Philadelphia instead.

St. Leger

• The third leg was led by Barry St. Leger.

• St. Leger was to advance east toward Albany, N.Y. from Lake Ontario down the Mohawk River.

• St. Leger’s men were made up mostly of Native Americans. Their first stand was at Fort Stanwix.

• The Native Americans heard that an additional force led by Benedict Arnold was on the way.

• The Native Americans deserted St. Leger and he was forced to retreat to Canada.

The Plan

To Philadelphia

Surrender of Burgoyne

Benedict Arnold-Traitor

• At the Battle of Saratoga, Benedict Arnold was wounded in the leg. He would never again lead an American army.

• Arnold was angry at the American Army because he had been passed over many times for promotions despite heroic service to our country.

• Arnold had married, Peggy Shippen, the daughter of a Loyalist sympathizer. Ms. Shippen was used to a life of means and luxury and Arnold was now in need of money.

• Peggy Shippen was used to deliver messages from Arnold to the British. Some say she helped negotiate the terms.

Benedict Arnold-Traitor

• Arnold supplied the British with information on the number of soldiers, supply depots, and troop locations.

• The British Army was very interested in the plans for West Point, a fort along the Hudson River.

• Arnold was to hand over the plans as his final act of treachery.

• The transfer of information went wrong and Arnold was discovered by George Washington. Regrettably, Washington sent the orders for his friend to be arrested.

• Arnold escaped onto a British prison ship and lived in London until his death in January of 1801 at the age of 60.

• John André, the British partner of Benedict Arnold, was captured and hanged as a spy.

• He was found with notes written in Arnold’s handwriting containing sensitive information.

Fort West Point

West Point Today

Valley Forge Camp

• Things weren’t going well for the Americans. They lost the battles of Brandywine and Germantown and then British General Howe captured Philadelphia and Congress had to flee!

• While the British were warm and comfortable in Philadelphia, Washington and his troops were, cold, hungry, sick, and miserable in a place called Valley Forge Camp.

Valley Forge Camp

Valley Forge Camp

Valley Forge Camp

• There was little at Valley Forge except the Schuylkill River.

• The army had no barracks for the men. These needed to be built from the trees in a nearby woods.

• Washington liked Valley Forge because it was high land, hear enough to Philadelphia to keep watch on the city, but not so close the British could surprise him with an attack.

From Colonies to Country :pages 128-130

Von Steuben made an army.

Spring Arrives

• During the winter, more than 2,500 men died from the cold, hunger and disease.

• Washington appointed Nathaniel Greene as Quartermaster General to get supplies to the soldiers.

• Without Greene’s efforts, many more American men would have died.

• By June, the British left Philadelphia and went to New York.

• They had no idea that the men that suffered through Valley Forge were now a strong fighting force.

Time to Read, Write, and Think

• Open your text book to page 302.

• Read the lesson with a partner.

• As you read, check over your notes.

• Be sure you have all of the IMPORTANT information from the textbook included in your notes.

• Finally, complete the Lesson Review questions on page 308 (1-5)