1. The War for Independence From Great Britain
The Revolutionary War
The War for Independence
From Great Britain

2. First Continental Congress
October 1774
Met and decided to continue boycotting British goods and prepare for war, but wanted to avoid it if possible
Sent King George III the Declaration of Rights which expressed to the King the rights that the colonists felt like they should have such as life, liberty and property

3. The beginning Lexington & Concord
British wanted to seize weapons from Concord
Patriots found out about it, this is when Paul Revere made his famous ride
April 19, 1775 Colonists meet British at Lexington they were badly outnumbered and it was an easy British victory
Brits continued on to Concord

4. Concord
Colonists were able to hide the weapons before the Brits got there
This upset them so the Brits set fire to some of the buildings an in reaction to the this the Minutemen charged forward firing the “Shot heard ‘round the world”
British suffered a lot of casualties and were forced to retreat

5. Second Continental Congress
Met in May 1775
King George refused to even read their Declaration of Rights
Some wanted to go to war others didn’t
They did make the Mass. Militia the Continental Army and named George Washington to lead it

6. Battle at Bunker Hill May 1775
It was actually launched from Breeds Hill
British kept charging and the Militia kept forcing them to retreat, but they ran out of ammo and had to retreat themselves
The redcoats suffered many casualties
This battle proved the Patriots could compete with Britain

8. Olive Branch Petition July 1775
The colonists sent this to the King in hopes of avoiding war and reaching a compromise
The King refused to even read it

9. Boston March 4 1776 the British control Boston
Washington strategically places his army at Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
He was able to force the British into retreating from Boston and reclaimed it for the colonies

10. Declaration of Independence
July 4th 1776
Continental Congress approves the Dec. of Independence
This act broke all ties to the British crown
The United States of America was born

11. Strengths Colonial Forces British forces
Fighting for a cause they believed in (Patriotism)
Have support from other European nations (France)
Guerrilla Warfare
Knowledge of the land
Leadership of G. Washington
Well trained well equipped forces
Large powerful Navy

12. Weaknesses Colonists British Untrained soldiers Poorly equipped
Small Navy
Used mercenaries as soldiers
Had to cross the Atlantic
Not a lot of support at home for the war

13. The War Patriots wanted to make Canada the 14th colony
They were able to take Montreal but were then defeated at Quebec
This was a crushing defeat for the Patriots
June 1776 General Howe and the British forced Washington from New York into New Jersey

14. The War
Nov Washington is forced from New Jersey into Pennsylvania
The moral was low and the Colonies needed a victory bad, Washington understood this
December Washington and 2400 soldiers snuck up on the Hessians whom How had left in charge
The Battle of Trenton ensued

15. Battle of Trenton
The Hessians had been celebrating Christmas and weren’t ready for the attack
Washington and his men were able to take 900 prisoners
Washington continued to march toward Princeton
Gen Cornwallis rushed to stop him
Washington circled behind him and forced them to flee on January 2, 1777

16. Battle of Saratoga
10/17/1777
General John Burgoyne of the British was forced to surrender his army to General Horatio Gates
This battle is considered to be the turning pt of the war
After this America began receiving aid from Holland, Spain and France

17. War Continues
Early 1781 war is going bad for the Patriots they are running low on money and supplies
British held most of the South, New York City and Philadelphia
Cornwallis was in the South Nathaniel Greene and his men began harassing him Cornwallis decided to move his men Yorktown, Virginia

18. Battle of Yorktown
Washington saw a chance to trap Cornwallis and cut him off and with the help of the French Navy he was able to do so
With no place to go and no way to escape Cornwallis was forced to surrender on 10/19/1781
Patriots took some 8000 prisoners
Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the war

19. War comes to an end After Yorktown there were only a few small battles
Lacking the money to pay for a new army Britain gave up and entered into peace talks with the Americans

20. Peace Talks
Benjamin Franklin led the peace treaty talks for the Americans, these talks lasted for nearly two years
Finally in 1783 the Treaty of Paris was signed

21. Terms of theTreaty of Paris
Britain recognized the independence of the US Also set American borders and British leaders also accepted America’s right to settle and trade west of the original 13 colonies A separate treaty between Spain and Britain gave Florida back to Spain