The Revolutionary War

The Divided Colonies

• 1/3 Patriots- Support Independence*

• 1/3 Loyalists or Tories- Loyal to GB*– (Middle and Southern Colonies)

• 1/3 Undecided- Lacked Commitment*

• A Civil War

Great Britain’s Strengths

• Professional Army*

• British Naval Tradition*

• Loyalist Support/ African American

• Native American Support

• Hessians- Mercenaries*

Great Britain’s Weaknesses

• Unpopular War in Great Britain*

• Long Supply Lines*

• Fight in Hostile Country*

• Wrong Tactics*

Colonial Strengths

• Fought on their Own Ground*

• French and Indian War Tactics*

• George Washington*

Colonial Weaknesses

• Never Enough Supplies*

• No Navy*

• Desertion/ Constant Turn Over of Troops

The Major Events of the War

• Lexington and Concord

• The Battle of Bunker Hill

• Princeton/Trenton

• The Battle of Saratoga

• The Winter at Valley Forge

• The Battle of Yorktown

Lexington and ConcordApril 1775

• Stockpiles of Ammunition at Concord– (20 Miles from Boston)

• American Victory*

• Beginning of the Revolution*

• “The Shot Heard Around the World”*

The Battle of Bunker HillJune 1775

• Actually Breeds Hill

• British Looking for an Easy Victory/ Show of Force

• Patriots Fight Tenaciously*

• Victory for the British*– 1,100 Redcoats Killed or Wounded

The Crossing of the DelawareChristmas 1776

Trenton and PrincetonWinter 1776

• Americans Defeated in Battle of NY• Many American Soldier Desert• Washington Attacks in Winter• Crosses Delaware River*• Caught by Surprise in Trenton*• 1,200 Hessians Captured*• Morale Boost*

The Battle of SaratogaSeptember 1777

• The Turning Point of the War*• Gen. Burgoyne (GB) Tries to Cut Off NE • Gen. Gates (A) Surrounds Burgoyne at

Saratoga• Decisive American Victory*• Help from Abroad– France Enters the War for the Colonies*– French Money, Troops, and Navy– Marquis de Lafayette – Assisted Washington *

– Baron von Steuben - helps train troops*

The Winter at Valley Forge

Winter 1777

• Disease/Starvation/Desertion*

• Continental Congress Could Not Tax– Supplies Could Only Be Requested From the

States

• British Warm and Supplied in Philly

• Showed Washington was great leader*

The Battle of YorktownOctober 1781

• Cornwallis Moves to Yorktown to be reinforced with Troops and Supplies

• Trap is Set – French Navy Cuts Off the Chesapeake– Lafayette is Reinforced by Washington

• “The World Turned Up-Side Down”*

• Last Major Engagement of the War*

The War is Over• The Treaty of Paris (1783)

– Great Britain Recognizes United States*

– Boarder Between Canada and US Estab.

–Mississippi River Boarder Between Spanish Territory and New Nation• The United States of America

– Florida Returns to Spain*

– Great Britain Removes Troops*

– Rights and Property of Loyalist Restored