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In early 1776 the French secretly sent weapons to the Patriots since they were still bitter from their defeat by the British in the French and Indian War.
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The British retreated from Boston, moving the war to the Middle States as part of a plan to stop the rebellion by isolating New England. So the British decided to seize New York
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Brothers General William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe joined forces on Staten Island and sailed into the New York Harbor with the largest British force ever assembled. Americans called the troops: Hessians. Washing ton rallied his troops in defense, but was outnumbered greatly.
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The battle for New York ended
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By late fall, the British pushed Washington's army across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. At this time fewer than 8,000 men were under Washington's command due to desertion or death.
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Washington and his troops left at night to attack the Hessian's at Trenton.
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Washington and his men made it to Trenton by 8:00 and took the Hessians by surprise. The Americans killed 30 of the enemy and took over 900 captives.
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The enlistment for Washington's troop ends.
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Eight days after the battle at Trenton, the Americans get another victory. This time it was against over 1,000 British stationed at Princeton. After this, Washington marches his army into winter camp near Morristown, in northern NJ.
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General Howe begins his campaigne to seize the American capital in Philadelphia. His troops sailed from New York to the Chesapeake Bay, and landed near the capital in late August. The Continental Congress left the city while Washington's troops tried but failed at blocking the redcoats. The British captured Philadelphia.
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General Burgoyne was in partnership with General Howe. Burgyone had a plan to join forces with Howe so they could isolate New England from the rest of the colonies. He set out with thousands of men, but continued to get thrashed everytime he came in contact with Americans. Eventually, mass American troops surrounded Burgoyne at Saratoga, where he surrendered his army to General Gates.
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Valley Forge served as the site of the Continental Army's camp during the winter. Conditions were very harsh.
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The French recognized the Americans independence and signed a treaty with them. The Saratoga victory supported French trust in the American Army, so Franch agreed to support the Revolution.
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Friedrich von Steuben volunteered his services to General Washington and went to work to make the country men into real soldiers. He taught the men valuable war skills that made the army become an effective fighting force.
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After the defeat at Saratoga the British begin to shift operations to the South. They hoped to rally Loyalist support while they were there, and slowly fight their way back north.
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Toward the end of 1778, the British expedition took Savannah Georgia
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The Royal Government commanded Georgia.
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A military leader named Marquis de Lafayette joined Washington's staff and went throught the misery at Valley Forge, lobbied for French reinforcements in Franch in 1779 and led a command in Virginia in the last years of the war.
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British captured Charles town, South Carolina
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General Henry Clinton sailed south with 8,500 men
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Cornwallis' army smashed American forces at Camden, South Carolina
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Within 3 months, British established forts across the state
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The British and Americans fought. The redcoats eventually surrendered
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Cornwallis attacked Greene, Cornwallis won the battle
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Congress appointed a rich merchant named Robert Morris as superintendent of finance.
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Due to inflation, Congress struggled to hook up the Continental Army. So the superintendent of finance, and his associate Hayme Salomon raised money to provide salaries for the Army. On September 18, 1781, the troops were finally paid in gold coins.
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Cornwallis surrendered
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The British formally surrendered.
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Washington and the French accept the surrender
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Peace talks began in Paris
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Delegates signed the Treaty of Paris
