Revolutionary WarApril 1775 to October 1881

American Colonists vs. Great Britain

(patriots vs. loyalists)

(Continentals vs. Read Coats)

Major Battles:Lexington & Concord April 18 & 19, 1775 British tried to take the

colonial arsenal; British gained nothing & were humiliated

Bunker Hill June 17, 1775 Colonists lost because they ran out of ammunition; “hold your fire until you see the whites of their eyes”

New York 1776 Colonists lost to Hessians because of poor equipment and lack of training

Trenton Dec. 26, 1776 Colonists surprise Hessians and winSaratoga October 1777 Colonists win and earn French helpYorktown October 1781 Washington corners Cornwallis; British

surrender; war ends

TURNING POINT: Saratoga

WINNER: Colonists

RESULTS:• British colonies became independent of British power• Britain, France, and other major powers recognize American

independence• Idea of egalitarianism spread to other European nations

People of the Revolution

• John Locke – English philosopher whose natural rights of “life, liberty, and property” were the basis of the Declaration of Independence

• Charles Cornwallis –Commander of the British Army• George Washington – Commander of the Continental

Army• Marquis de Lafayette – French military leader who

helped the Colonists by leading troops from Virginia• Friedrich von Steuben – Prussian drillmaster who

transformed the Continental Army during the winter of 1777-78 by teaching soldiers how to execute field maneuvers, fire and reload quickly, and wield bayonets