The American Revolution Key Battles

Who supported the American Revolution? Loyalists vs. Patriots Loyalists Support the King Who was likely to be a loyalist? Patriots Supported the Revolution About 50% of the population Who was likely to be a patriot?

Battle of Bunker Hill June 1775 British General: Thomas Gage British charge Breed’s Hill in Boston – Suffer heavy losses but finally take the hill from the local militia

Bunker Hill

Battles in New York August 1776 British under William Howe & Richard Howe land in New York harbor 32,000 British soldiers (including Hessians) vs. 23,000 Continental soldiers Washington forced to retreat through New Jersey into Pennsylvania, suffers heavy losses

What happened next?

Battle of Trenton December 25, 1776 Washington was down to ~8,000 men Crosses Delaware River from PA into NJ Stormy weather + Hessians in the British encampment were unprepared Surprise attack by Washington is successful!

Princeton and Morristown January 3, 1777 Continental Army defeats British at Princeton – Small number of soldiers, but important morally and strategically Washington then defeats British at Morristown (3 victories in a row!)

Philadelphia Congresses flees Philadelphia September 1777 Washington unsuccessful at blocking British from taking Philadelphia (Battle of Brandywine Creek)

Saratoga October 1777 Continental General: Horatio Gates British General: Burgoyne – His plan: Come South from Canada and join his army with Howe’s, which was moving out of NYC This would cut off New England Why did Bugoyne’s plan fail?

Green Mountain Boys

The French are Coming! France had been supplying weapons to patriots since early 1776 But in 1778, patriots formally ally with France, which promises to increase it’s support and not make peace with Britain until we are recognized as INDEPENDENT

Valley Forge Winter of Significance?

European Professionalism: Von Steuben and Lafayette

British Focus Shifts South 1778 – 1779: British take Georgia 1780: Clinton and Cornwallis capture Charleston (Charles Town), South Carolina British forced to retreat from North Carolina due to patriot harassment Cowpens, SC: General Greene wins decisive battle over British

Yorktown Cornwallis makes a series of poor decisions and expends high numbers of troops to secure areas in North Carolina and Virginia French arrive in Rhode Island with soldiers and ships Americans and French armies join forces and siege British at Yorktown, Virginia

Yorktown