1. Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson – main writer
Five-member committee appointed by the Continental Congress
Jefferson, Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman
Preamble – states purpose – to declare independence from Great Britain and to let the world know why.

2. Declaration of Independence
Formally signed on July 2, 1776
July 4, 1776 Congress approved the final text of the Declaration
August 2, 1776 officially signed.
Once the Declaration of Independence had been written and signed, printer John Dunlap was asked to make about 200 copies
Copies were distributed throughout the colonies.
In 1989 someone discovered a previously unknown Broadside and it sold for $8 million in 2000.
There are only 26 known surviving Dunlap Broadsides today.

3. Common Sense Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine
120,000 copies of Common Sense were printed.
Paine’s arguments helped persuade thousands of colonies that independence was the only sensible option and that the colonies should be totally free of Britain.

4. The Crisis Written by Thomas Paine
By the end of 1776 Britain thought the war was just about won.
Washington knew he had to do something to inspire his troops. Thomas Paine’s new pamphlet:
These are the times that try men’s souls. …..

5. Lexington and Concord
A spy told General Gage that the colonists were hiding a large supply of gunpowder and weapons in concord.
Lexington – colonists had their own spies
When British troops reached Lexington, a small number of Minutemen gathered. This is where the firsts shots were fired.
British Victory!

6. Lexington and Concord
Concord – Minutemen stood their ground and fired back.
Two minutes later, redcoats were running back to Boston.
More than 4,000 armed and angry Minutemen lined their route, shooting at every redcoat they saw.

7. Fort Ticonderoga
Ticonderoga was an old British fort located in New York.
American militiamen seized the fort.
Henry Knox was able to load 59 cannons and 2300 pounds of lead for bullets onto 42 huge sleds
Dragged them 300 miles to Boston and to George Washington.

8. Battle of Bunker Hill
British Victory – because they succeeded in driving the Americans off of Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill.
American Victory – The Americans had few men killed than the British. More than 1,000 British troops were killed and wounded.

9. Battle of Trenton
Washington led American troops across the Delaware River to attack.
Password “Victory or Death”
German Hessians were caught by surprise on December 25,
These mercenaries surrendered.
Washington took 868 prisoners without loosing a single man.

10. Valley Forge
Biggest challenge was ORGANIZING and DISCIPLINING the men.
Winter camp in Pennsylvania
They lacked food, clothing, shelter, medicine
Farmers in the area preferred to sell food to the British because they had gold

11. Casmir Pulaski Forgotten hero Volunteer from Poland
Brigadier General under Washington
Saved Washington’s life at the Battle of Brandywine.
Reorganized the Calvary.

12. Marquis de Lafayette – Valley Forge
From France
Used his own money to buy the men warm clothing.

13. Baron Von Steuben – Valley Forge
From Prussia
In charge of training and disciplining the men
Men came out of this winter camp well trained, organized, and disciplined.

14. Battle of Saratoga
Before the victory at Saratoga, the American cause looked hopeless to the world.
With this victory, foreign countries began to give aide to the Americans.
Benedict Arnold was a hero of this battle, but later became known as a traitor.
France was the most significant ally

15. Battles in the South and Yorktown
British believed the war would be easier to win in the south.
They believed that thousands of Loyalists were just waiting to join the king’s cause.
Swamp Fox Marion led a band of rebels to harass the British with hit-and-run raids.
They would fad into the swamps and forests like foxes and then hit the British again and again.

16. General Nathaniel Green led Cornwallis’s troops on an exhausting chase through the southern backcountry.