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George Washington
George Washington was appointed as general and commander in cheif of the new army. -
Start of Independence
The continental government had already started to act like an independent government. The government sent people to make deals with the NAtive Americans and they also established a postal system, a Continental Navey and a Marine Corps. They also authorized privateering. By this day, they Navy raided the Bahamas and had begun taking British merchant ships -
Declaration of Independence
Patriots was beginning to think that there was need independence as the war went on. In Early July a comittee made up of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston submitted a document Jefferson had drafted on Independence declaring themselves the USA . -
Landing on Long Island
Washington's inexperienced troops landed on Long Island in the summer of 1776. Many American solders ran. Another 1,5000 was casualties. Thankfully, the British didnt move very fast and the American troops thaat were able to survive escaped to Manhattan Island and joined the rest of the troops -
Troops
Congress sent Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee and Silas Deane to France to ask the French for troops. The French didn't want to risk the war until they were sure that the Americans would and could win. -
Battlr of White Plains
The British forced the Americans to retreat again. The British headed toward Philadelphia where the Continental Congress were meeting instead of coming after the Continental Army. Washington received this information and manages to get ahead of the British. Meanwhile Thomas Paine wrote another pamphlet called The American Crisis. -
Thomas Paine's Common Sense
In January 1776 Thomas Paine wrote a persuasive pamphlet stating arguing that monarchies had been set up by seizing power from the people, George III was a tyrant & that the people needed to declare independence. It sold 10,000 copies and George Washington loved it. -
The Winter Attack
ON this day, Washington led 2,4000 men across the Delaware River. It was very icy. The army attacked a group of Hessians at Trenton in a sleet storm. They killed or captured 1,000 men. Days later at Princeton, Washington scattered 3 British regiments then headed to New Jersey for the winter. -
King George III Approves a Plan
On this day, King George III approved a plan developed by General John Burgoyne to cut New England off from the other American states. Burgoyne proposed a threepronged attack on NewYork. He was going to take a force south into NewYork from Montreal and from Montreal To St. LAwrence River to Lake Ontario. Another army would march up North from NYC up the Hudson River valey. They would meet and march into New England. -
Howe Attacks Philadelphia
By the spring General Howe loaded about 13,000 men onto ships and moved them from MAryland. From there, he attacked Philadelphia from the south. It was a success for the military but a failure in political terms. -
Battle of Brandywine Creek
General Howe defeated Washington at the Battle of Brandywine Creek and also had Philadelphia captured. The Continental Congress escaped and he failed to defeat the Continental Army. The Continental Army soon took up winter quarters at Valley Forge. The cold and having no food nearly killed 2,5000 men. -
Battle of Saratoga
General Burgoyne didn't know Howe went to attack Philadelphia so he had about 8,000 troops march south from Quebec into NewYork. From Lake Ontario, another 900 troops and 1,000 Iroquois Indians headed toward Albany. The Iroquois chose to be on the British so the Americans would stay off their land. But they ere ambushed at Lake Ontario and driven back. Burgoyne's troops couldn't drive off the malitia because of low supplies. He surrendered at Saratoga, NY. It was the turning point of the war. -
French/American Treaties
The US signed their first 2 treaties on this day. In the first treaty, France recognized America for being an independent nation. The second was the Alliance between the US and France. -
America Destroys Iroquois Power
British troops and Iroquois warriors attacked western Pennsylvania. They burned towns and killed over 200 malitia. The next summer, America defeated the British & the Iriquois in Western NY and destroyed the power of the Iroquois people. -
Savannah, GA & Charles Town, SC
3,5000 British troops captured Savannah,GA. They took control of Georgia'd backcountry and returned the British royal governoe to power. They defeated the American and French troops trying to take savannah. After they did this, they attacked Charles Town. About 14,000 British troops surrounded the city and trapped the American forces. -
British Surrender
In 1778, George Rogers Clark took about 175 troops to the Ohio River and took several towns. By February 1779, the British surrendered and the Americans now controlled that region. -
War at Sea
John Paul Jones met a group of British merchant ships. They were protected by the warships Serapis & Countess of Scarborough. Jones attacked the Serapis but the British guns almost sank the Bonhomme Richard. The British asked Jones to surrender but he wouldn't. He had just begun to fight. The battle lasted 3 more hours then the British surrendered -
America Surrenders
American surrendered to the British in Charlestown. 5,5000 American troops were taken prisoner and this was the greatest American defeat in the war. -
Battle of KingsMountain
Fuguson tried to overtake the "overmountain" men of the Appalachian Mountains. The overmountain men out together a malitia forced and intrcepted Furguson at King Mountain and destroyed his army. This was a turning point in the war and farmers began organizing their own forces -
Cherokee Indians
A mixture of Shawnee, Delaware, and Mohawk convinced the Cherokee that the time had come to drive American settelers off the Cherokee's land. The Cherokee attacked the settlers in Virginia and North Carolina. The Americans were very strong and their army was stronger. They burned down hundreds of Cherokee towns