1. American Revolution

2. First Battle – Lexington and Concord, Mass. – April 19, 1775
The Coming Revolution
First Battle – Lexington and Concord, Mass. – April 19, 1775
“Shot Heard Round The World”
British army against Militia (Minutemen)
Mecklenburg Resolves – May 31, 1775
declared that British rule in the colonies was ended
Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence – May 20, 1775
Second Continental Congress – May-June, 1775 – Philadelphia
A. Created a Continental Army
B. Chose George Washington to command
Olive Branch Petition

3. Second Continental Congress

4. Bunker Hill
Battle of Lexington

5. War in North Carolina 1775-1776 Opposing Sides
1. Patriots – in favor of independence, many former Regulators
2. Loyalists/Tories – wanted to remain part of England - political elite, recent immigrants
3. Population is One/Third Patriot, One/Third Loyalist, One/Third Neutral at start of war – majority has become Patriot by end of war

6. Battle of Moore’s Creek
3 MINUTE BATTLE BETWEEN LOYALISTS AND PATRIOTS NEAR WILMINGTON
50 DEAD LOYALISTS, 1 DEAD PATRIOT
HELPED STOP BRITAIN FROM GAINING CONTROL OF THE SOUTH
Halifax Resolves – April 12, 1776 –
document that makes NC the first colony to officially support independence
Trivia:
Two dates on North Carolina’s state flag
May 20, 1775=Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence
April 12, 1776=Halifax Resolves

7. Declaring Independence
Common Sense – published January 9, 1776
Thomas Paine
First written work to state that the colonies should be independent
Declaration of Independence
A. Approved by Second Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776—signed by John Hancock President of the 2nd Continental Congress
B. Not signed until August 2nd, 1776
C. Contained three main ideas
1. All men possess Unalienable Rights
2. England had violated the colonists’ rights
3. Colonies had the right to break away from England

8. D. Written by Thomas Jefferson – originally contained a clause outlawing slavery – southerners would not approve
E. Declaration of Independence did not address the rights of slaves or women – New England states abolished slavery on their own by 1784
Signers from NC – William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
Signers of the Declaration of Independence were committing treason and it was punishable by death

9. THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
4.   People have “certain unalienable rights” (rights that can not be taken away)
a.   Life
b.  Liberty
c.    Pursuit of happiness
5.   People establish government to protect those rights.
6.   Government derives power from the people.
7.   People have a right and a duty to change a government that violates their rights.

10. Declaration of Independence
Picture of the Original Document
Declaration of Independence

11. Signing of Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson

12. Attakullakulla
Molly Pitcher

13. Advantages British Professional leaders Best army in world
Best navy in world
More financial resources
Americans
Fighting for a cause (Independence)
Support of the people
Fighting on their own land

14. War in the North A. 1775-1776 – British win most battles
B. Low point of war for Patriots – early winter of 1776
1. Battle of Trenton – December 25, 1776
2. Hessians – German mercenaries
C. Turning point of war in Northern colonies was the Battle of Saratoga – October 17, 1777
1. Defeated British plan to split the colonies in half
2. France and Spain join the Patriots against England

15. Washington crossing the Delaware
Battle of Trenton

16. Battle of Saratoga

17. Friedrich Von Steuben – Prussian General
3 types of troops: Continental Army, militia, partisans or “irregulars”
Valley Forge – Winter of – Americans did not have enough food, clothing, or shelter. They had also not been paid for months died. Ages ran from 12 to 60 –
Friedrich Von Steuben – Prussian General
3. Alliance with France in 1778
Marquis De Lafayette
sent supplies, money, troops, navy

18. Valley Forge
Marquis De Lafayette
Steuben trains the Americans

19. War in the South
After Saratoga (turning point of the war), British focus on the southern colonies – most loyalists in South
A. British are successful at first, winning most southern battles
B. Patriots had to resort to Guerilla warfare – hit and run, (terrorist-style) – Francis Marion (used as model for “The Patriot”) – Partisans
C. Nathanael Greene became commander of Continental Army in the South
D. British were commanded by Charles Cornwallis – decide to move north through North Carolina to meet main British army in the North.

20. Battle of King’s Mountain
Battle of The Waxhaws
May 26, 1780
British Lt. Colonel Tarleton attacks after Patriots surrender and kills 113.
Battle of King’s Mountain
October 7, 1780
All British either killed or captured.
Battle of Guilford Courthouse
March 15, 1781
Greene goes to NC and waits for Cornwallis at Guilford County Courthouse (now Greensboro)
British win, but are badly weakened—1/4 of British troops dead or badly wounded

21. End of War
Cornwallis is surrounded by American and French armies and French navy at Yorktown, Virginia
British surrender on October 20, 1781 – last major battle of war
Some trivia: The British army band played “The World Turned Upside Down”
British decided war was not worth the cost
Treaty of Paris is signed in 1783 – America gets independence

22. Francis Marion – The Swamp Fox
Kings Mountain

23. Nathanael Greene
Charles Cornwallis

24. British surrender at Yorktown