Key Events in the Revolutionary War - Wednesday, November 19

The next few blog entries will serve to update the records regarding the work we have been engaged in.

To begin, we discussed key events of the Revolutionary War....Here is a collection of student responses:

1. Americans and French signed the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce on February 6 1778. This helped even the military might of the U.S to evenly match Britain’s.
2. The Battle of Freeman's Farm on September 19 and the Battle of Bemis Heights on October 7 were also important, as the former saw the British suffer higher than expected casualties, showing Americans would fight hard and the latter was a demoralizing rout which raised the confidence and spirits of Americans. .
3. The Battle of Saratoga which took place in September and October of 1777, was a major victory for the Americans, they surrounded 9000 British troops and captured them; this was a major loss for Britain.This was called the turning point of the revolution, as France and Spain supported America thereafter. The European powers wanted to weaken Britain and to get revenge for former losses. They supplied the Colonists with troops, money, observers, naval support, uniforms, arms and ammunition and supplies. Spain opened up a different war front against England to distract them from the Colonies
4. The Battle of Quebec was mainly a diversionary battle, but caused Benedict Arnold to betray America. Benedict Arnold was expecting to be promoted and receive excess recognition but was not as he expected and betrayed the Americans to join the British.
5. On the first day of 1776 George Washington flew the first colonial flag, sewn by Betsy Ross. It had thirteen red and whites stripes which to represent the thirteen colonies.
6. Fort Ticonderoga: In 1775 Ethan Allan led an assault on the Fort Ticonderoga with about 170 of his Green Mountain Boys. It was significant because it helped the Americans later on in the Battle of Saratoga.
7. The Second Continental Congress: They wrote the Declaration of Independence which was their way of saying that they were separating from England.
8. Lexington and Concord:PAUL REVERE’S RIDE April 18th 1775
-warned the Colonists of the British’s planned ‘sneak attack’
-town was evacuated, militia was able to move out and meet the British
-if there had been no warning, many more people would have killed; it could have drastically changed the outcome of the revolution
--First shot of the American Revolution an "accident"
-Official start of the war
9. Battle of Bunker Hill:
-Americans captured hill and killed many British soldiers before they were chased down the hill
-First official battle of the war
-Proved that the Americans were going to put a fight to the British and that this was not going to be short war
10. Battle at Kings Mountain:
-British had control of the south before this battle
-The Americans won this battle and it turned the tide to their favor in the south
-This battle eventually led to the Patriots winning the war
11. Battle of Yorktown:
-British were in Yorktown and the Americans put a siege on the town
-Cornwallis eventually surrendered and the Americans won the war
-It was the final battle of the American Revolution
12. WINTER AT VALLEY FORGE Winter of 1777-1778
-horrible conditions – lack of supplies, freezing and wet weather, disease rampant
-surviving it together gave the soldiers a sense of unity; also raised moral in future: “We survived Valley Forge, we can live through this.”
-there was really nothing to do but drill, so they became far more skilled and organized
13. Articles of Confederation
Completed in 1781, suggested in 1777, and was the governing constitution of alliance of 13 colonies
established the new government that united colonies officially, forced them to take full responsibility
14. WASHINGTON CROSSES DELAWARE December 25th 1776
-British troops were coming close to eliminating resistance in the North (attacking Boston and New York)
-Colonists took advantage of this chance to surprise the British (no-one fought during winter)
-they took 900 prisoners and turned the war in their favour in that one rush
15. Siege of Boston (1775)- While trying to take over Boston, Americans stood in Dorchester Heights were they were able to hit any British ship in the harbor forcing the British to retreat.
16. Battle of Brooklyn Heights: Started what seemed the end of the war. Washington divided his soldiers between Manhattan and Long Island (20,000). The newly release Declaration of Independence read to soldiers. British drive Americans back to Brooklyn Heights. The Americans lose New York in a massive retreat. Routed to the Delaware River by Lord Cornwallis.