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Boston Tea Party
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American Revolution
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First Battle between Americans and British
The first battle of the Revolutionary War between minutemen and redcoats in Lexington and Concord -
Continental Congress votes for independence
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America declares independence from Great Britain
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Thomas Paine publishes "The American Crisis"
This is a turning point in the war because it motivates the soldiers that are fighting to endure the cause and to keep fighting and it also recruits a lot of people to fight for the cause. This is also an act of leadership because he is communicating to the people of America that they need to fight for this cause and it brings a lot of people to fight for the war. -
Battle of Trenton
Washington leads his men the night of Christmas across the Delaware river to attack the Hessian mercenaries the next morning and is a turning point because it takes away one of the allies of the British early in the war. This is also an act of leadership because Washington has to communicate to his soldiers the plan and he has to be strong. -
Battle of Saratoga
Americans are victorious in the Battle of Saratoga in New York, the Native American allies desert the British before the battle under the false impression that the Americans have a lot more soldiers than they actually do. Americans imprison 5,700 British soldiers and word of the victory gets to France and leads to the alliance of the Americans and French. This is a major turning point in the revolutionary war because it leads to the alliance of the French and Americans. -
Winter at Valley Forge
Washington and his army have to endure a long brutal winter at Valley Forge. This shows Washingtons leadership by his courage, it keeps many of his soldiers alive and still fight with the cause. -
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Alliance of France and America
French sign Treaty of Amity and Commerce and Treaty of Alliance with Americans and become allies. This is a major turning point in the war because it gives the Americans soldiers some support to fight the British -
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British alliance with Native Americans
Iroquois tribes along with tories attack frontier settlements and kill hundreds of militiamen. The Iroquois and many other Native groups form alliances with the British. -
British shift of focus on the south
Cornwallis shifts his focus to the south hoping for support of tories but doesn't find as many as he expects and turns tories in the south against him due to harsh behavior towards them. -
Surrender of Charelston
Americans surrender Charleston to British Navy and Cornwallis. This was the biggest American loss of the war, surrendering 5,500 soldiers. -
Settlement of Yorktown
Cornwallis settles his fleet of 7,200 men in Yorktown, Virginia. -
Siege of Yorktown
French fleet of 3,000 soldiers sail up the coast to meet with General Washington’s army and combine to have 16,000 soldiers siege Yorktown and cut off any hope of relief for Cornwallis. This is a turning point because it traps the British army in Yorktown. This is also an act of leadership because Washington had to make a decisive decision that eventually led to the surrender of the British. -
Surrender of Cornwallis
Cornwallis surrenders to the French and American foces at Yorktown, Virginia -
Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris is signed and ends the Revolutionary War.