Transcript Battles of the American Revolution

Battles of the American
Revolution
Unit 3
American Revolution
Lexington and Concord
• Date: April 19, 1775
• Cause: British soldiers came to confiscate
weapons that the militia were storing.
• Summary: British troops (redcoats) marched into
Lexington and fought 70 minutemen. After the
minutemen retreated, the British troops marched
to Concord where they were stopped at the
North Bridge by colonial troops.
• Why important: First battle of the American
Revolution “Shots Heard Around the World”
• Victor: Colonial troops won at the North Bridge
Battle of Saratoga
• Date: October 7 - 17, 1777
• Cause: British troops retreated to Saratoga for supplies
after being defeated in Vermont
• Summary: Colonial troops blocked and surrounded
British troops. British troops surrendered.
• Why important? turning point of the war; France
joined the colonists after this victory, tipping the scale.
European countries realized colonists could win.
• Victor: Continental Army (colonists)
Winter at Valley Forge
• Date: winter of 1777.
• Summary: after suffering several defeats,
Washington took his army to Valley Forge for
the winter. The winter was harsh and men
suffered from starvation and frostbite.
• Why important: the men were trained and
became more of a professional army (rather
than militias). George Washington became
known as a great leader.
Battle of Yorktown
• Date: September - October 19, 1781
• Cause: George Washington’s spies discovered the
location of General Cornwallis’ troops and planned an
ambush.
• Event Summary: Continental and French troops
surrounded General Cornwallis on land and by sea in
Chesapeake Bay. British and Hessian (German) troops
were trapped and ran out of supplies. Colonial troops
attacked and the British surrendered.
• Why important: Last Battle of the American Revolution
• Victor: Continental Army wins the war!
Battle of Yorktown
Colonial Leader and Advantages
• Leader: General George Washington
• Advantages:
– Americans were fighting on their own land and
new the land better.
– Patriots (Americans) had more motivation- they
wanted to be free!
– Leader George Washington.
British Leader and Advantages
• Leader: General Charles Cornwallis
• Advantages:
– Strongest army in the world
– More money to spend on war
– Best navy in the world
Allies
• France
– Marquis de Lafayette
• Spain
– Juan de Miralles
• Poland
– Thaddeus Kosciuszko
– Casimir Pulaski
• Prussia
– Friedrich von Steuben
Treaty of Paris
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Date: September 2, 1783
Location: France
Officially ended the American Revolution
Britain recognized the independent nation of the
United States of America.
• Britain agreed to remove all of its troops from America.
• The treaty also set new borders for the United States
including all land from the Great Lakes on the north to
Florida on the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean to
the Mississippi River.
Treaty of Paris