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Lexington
Thomas Gage learned about the minutemen-civilian soldiers who pledged to fight against the British. He ordered troops from Boston to nearby Concord, to seize illegal weapons. 700 British troops were headed to Concord.The redocats reached Lexington, outside of Concord and saw 70 minutemen. Someone fired, and the British shooted, killing eight minutemen, ten were wounded, only one British soldier was wounded.The Battle of Lexington was the first battle of the Revolutionary War, only 15 minutes. -
Concord
The British marched on to Concord and found an empty arsenal, then they lined up to march back to Boston, but the march became a slaughter. 3,000-4,000 minutemen assebled and fired on the marching troops. Some remaining British soldiers made it to Boston. The colonist had become enenies of Britain and now held Boston and its encampment of British troops under siege. -
Philadelphia
Colonial leaders called the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia to debate their next move on the war. The loyalties that divided colonist sparked endless debates. Some delegates called for independence and other for reconciliation with Great Britain. But despite the differences, Congress agreed to recognize the colonial militia as the Continental Army and made George Washington the commander. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
General Thomas Gage decided to strike at militiamen on Breed's Hill, north of the city and near Bunker Hill, north of the city, so he sent 2,400 British soldiers up the hill. The colonist fought the British soldiers, but soon retreated. The colonist lost 450 men, and the British suffered 1,000 casualties. This battle proved to be the deadliest battle of the war. -
New York
The British attempted to seize New York City to stop the rebellion by isolating New England. British sailed in the New York Harbor with a force of about 32,000 soldiers. The colonial troops were to defend New York, but retreated because the colonial troops were untrained and poorly equipped. The British pushed Washington's army across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. -
Trenton
Washington was desperate for a win and made a risky move set for Christmas night and led 2,400 men across the Delaware River and marched to their objective, Trenton, New Jersey and they defeated a garrison of hessians in a surprise attack. The British then regrouped. -
Saratoga
General John Burgoyne planned to lead an army, to meet British troops as they arrived from NYC. The two regiment joined forced to isolate New England from the rest of the colonies. As he traveled, the militia gathered from all over NYC and New England, and while he was fighting colonial troops he did not realize that his fellow British officers were preoccupied with holding Philadephia. American troops finally surrounded at Saratoga, where he surrendered. -
Valley Forge
Due to the victory of Saratoga, the French signed an alliance with the Americans in February 1778 and joined them in their fight because they believed the American could win the war. This was a hopeful event, but desperately Washinton and the Continetal Army in-low food and supplies-fought to stay alive at winter camp in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. More than 2,000 soldiers died, and the survivors did not desert. -
Marquis de Lafayette
American troops began an amazing transformation. Marquis de Lafayette offered his help. He lobbied France for French reinforcements in 1779 and led a command in Virginia. The country became an effective fighting force because of the help. -
Yorktown
Colonist continued to battle Charles-hindering his efforts to take the Carolinas.The British general moved the fight to Virginia.He led his army of 7500 men onto the peninsula between James and York rivers, camped at Yorktown.Charles planned to fortify Yorktown and take virgina and then move north to join Clinton's forces.17000 French and American troops surrounded the British on the Yorktown Peninsula. Less than a month later Charles surrendered at Yorktown.The Americans defetaed the British. -
Treaty of Paris
In Paris, peace talk began in 1782. John Adams, John Jay of NY and Benjamin Franklin were the negotiating team. The delegates signed the Treaty of Paris, which confirmed the United States independence and set the boundaries of the new nation. The U.S. now stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and from Canada to the Florida border.