The Patriots Gain New Hope

Section 4Chapter 6

Focus Questions

What were Washington’s strategies at Trenton and Princeton?

Why was the Battle of Saratoga a turning point in the war?

How did foreign nations and individuals aid the Patriots?

How did the Patriots carry out the naval war?

By November of 1776, it looked as though General Howe and the British were ready to end the Revolutionary war with complete British victory

Victory in New Jersey

General Howe left the Hessians in charge of New Jersey

Hessians were German mercenaries hire to fight for the British

Howe chose to bed down in New York for the winter gave George Washington time to gather reinforcements

Victory in New Jersey

On Christmas night 1776, Washing crossed the Delaware River with his troops and the following morning surprised the Hessians (capturing 900 of them) and lost only five

This became known as the Battle of Trenton and it lasted less than an hour and this boosted the spirits of the patriots

The patriots then surprised British troops at the Battle of Princeton on January 2, 1777

Turning Point at Saratoga

In spring of 1777, the British put together a plan to cut off New England from the rest of the colonies

General John Burgoyne would lead this effort that would move the British into position to take back Fort Ticonderoga

Burgoyne recaptured Fort Ticonderoga but General How decided to attack Philadelphia before meeting with Burgoyne at Albany

Turning Point at Saratoga

Washington faced off with British General Howe at the Battle of Brandywine Creek

The British won a convincing victory

Burgoyne was expecting more troops and when he arrived near Albany he found that his troops were badly outnumbered

Turning Point at Saratoga

At the Battle of Saratoga the patriot troops drove back the British attack

Benedict Arnold led a bold charge that forced the British to retreat

On October 17, 1777 Burgoyne had to surrender after his entire army was surrounded

The victory at Saratoga was the greatest win yet and it boosted morale and led to increased foreign support for the Patriots

Foreign Allies

The victory at Saratoga convinced France that America could win the war

France became an official alley in May 1778

Spain joined the colonists against the British in 1779

Bernardo de Galvez was the governor of Spanish Louisiana and was a key ally to the Patriots

Foreign Allies

Marquis de Lafayette arrived from France in the summer of 1777

Lafayette was wounded at Brandywine Creek but continued to give more than $200,000 of his own money to the Patriots

Winter at Valley Forge

The entry of France and Spain into the war came at a critical time as Patriots were running low on supplies

Washington settled his troops at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in December of 1777

At Valley Forge they suffered shortages of food and clothing

During that winter one fifth of the soldiers died of disease and malnutrition

Winter at Valley Forge

Baron Friedrich von Steuben was a Prussian army officer who George Washington called in to teach the American troops basic military skills

The Continental army turned into a well trained group of soldiers

War at Sea

The Continental Navy and marines were created in 1775 but by 1776 they only had eight fighting ships

The Patriots tried to attack tried to attack individual British ships

They also attacked British supply ports and merchant ships

The British lost hundreds of ships to the small American raiding vessels

War at Sea

John Paul Jones was a successful American captain and was seen as a brave and clever sailor

The continental Navy used fewer than 100 ships during the war and the British Navy lost almost 200 ships to the small but effect naval forces

Focus Questions

What were Washington’s strategies at Trenton and Princeton?

Why was the Battle of Saratoga a turning point in the war?

How did foreign nations and individuals aid the Patriots?

How did the Patriots carry out the naval war?