Key Battles and Campaigns of the Revolutionary War New York -- Summer of 1776 Who: British Leaders – General William & Admiral Richard Howe Colonial Leaders – Washington Result: British take NY. Colonists retreat Why does it matter?: Largest forces ever assembled in the war. Major city lost. Colonists act unconventionally to survive.

New Jersey 1776 Who: British Leaders – General William & Admiral Richard Howe Colonial Leaders – Washington Result: British take NY. Colonists retreat Why does it matter?: Largest forces ever assembled in the war. Major city lost. Colonists act unconventionally to survive.

New Jersey December 1776 Who: British Leaders – Hessians Colonial Leaders – Washington Result: Colonists surprise Hessians at Trenton and later a more conventional force at Princeton Why does it matter?: Colonists fight unconventionally again – guerrilla tactics. Moral victory for the colonists. Many men re-enlist. 1st major colonial victories.

Philadelphia 1777 Who: British Leaders – General William Howe Colonial Leaders – Washington Result: British take Philadelphia. Colonists retreat/fail to stop Why does it matter?: Capital city lost. Howe gets comfortable in city and with loyalists.

Saratoga October 1777 Who: British Leaders – Burgoyne Colonial Leaders – Horatio Gates, Ethan Allen Result: Colonists surround and defeat large force. Why does it matter?: Colonists fight unconventionally again – some guerrilla tactics. Also win some conventional battles. British show lack of communication or alignment. British change strategy going forward to stay near the coast. French take notice.

Savannah and Charles Town 1780 Who: British Leaders – Clinton and Cornwallis Colonial Leaders – Washington/Greene Result: British win and advance. Colonists retreat Why does it matter?: British strategy seems to be working. They get overconfident?

Carolinas 1781 Who: British Leaders – Cornwallis Colonial Leaders – Nathaniel Greene Result: Colonists weaken and defeat the British in major battles Why does it matter?: Colonists fight back and win. Push British North

Yorktown October 1781 Who: British Leaders – Cornwallis Colonial Leaders – Greene, Washington, Lafayette Result: Colonists surround and defeat British major force. British surrender Why does it matter?: Last battle of the war. French play a large role. British are broken!