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Paul Revere's ride
Britain had a secret plan to attack America. They sent out 700 soldiers in the night to head to Concord. Paul Revere heard that the British planned to attack Lexington and Concord, so he warned the colonists by riding his horse to Lexington (Revere's "Midnight Ride"). If Paul Revere didn't warn the colonists, there would have been no way that the Patriots could have won this battle. -
The Shot Heard 'round the World
The Patriots in Concord were warned about the British troops, and were waiting for them when they arrived in Concord. Both sides lined up and one took the first shot. Nobody knows who it was that took the first shot, but it is known as the "shot heard 'round the world" (The Battles of Lexington and Concord). -
American Rifles
An invention that eventually helped the Patriots win the war was the grooves in their rifles. These improved the accuracy of the rifles dramatically (Schreiber, L., & Green, N.). -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, was enacted on July 4th, 1776 (Declaration of Independence). -
British Attack on New York
Britain sent more than 500 war ships to New York. These ships hold hundreds of troops and can fire cannons from over a mile away. The attack on New York was detrimental to America. Over 20000 colonists were captured and held on the prison ships (Schreiber, L., & Green, N.). -
General Burgoyne surrenders
This is a major event during the war. This persuades France to join the war (Schreiber, L., & Green, N.). -
Inoculation
The surgeons at Valley Forge heard the African slaves talking about inoculation, the act of giving a healthy person a sample of the virus. The surgeons tried this with the small pox virus. Only 2% of the patients would die from this procedure (Schreiber, L., & Green, N.). -
Treaty of Alliance
The treaty states, "If War should break out betwan france and Great Britain, during the continuance of the present War between the United States and England, his Majesty and the said united States, shall make it a common cause, and aid each other mutually with their good Offices, their Counsels, and their forces, according to the exigence of Conjunctures as becomes good & faithful Allies"(Treaty of Alliance). This treaty would prove to be very beneficial to America. -
Von Steuben Arrives at Valley Forge
Von Steuben helped the Army get stronger to fight the British Redcoats (Schreiber, L., & Green, N.). He was a major factor in the win against the British. -
Bayonets
Von Steuben had the Patriots at Valley Forge attach bayonets to the end of their rifles. This helped greatly when there wasn't time to reload. Instead of reloading, they could stab the opponent (Schreiber, L., & Green, N.). -
Battle of Yorktown
France decided to help America by sending over 5000 troops to New York. They met the British soldiers in 1781. The French Commander and American Commander, George Washington, decided to attack Cornwallis at Yorktown. They had Cornwallis trapped by land and sea. Soon, negotiations between the two sides began (The Battle of Yorktown). -
Surrender of Cornwallis
Cornwallis was surrounded by land and sea. He officially surrendered on October 19th, 1781. On the 19th, Ebenezer Denny said, "Our division man the lines again. All is quiet. Articles of capitulation signed; detachments of French and Americans take possession of British forts"(Denny, E.). This is similar to the surrender of Burgoyne because they were both major turning points in the war that eventually led to an American win. -
Treaty of Paris
This treaty between Great Britain and America officially ended the American Revolution. The treaty was written a long time before it was signed in 1783 (Treaty of Paris).
