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Treaty of Paris
Great Britain won its war with France, and under the terms of the Treaty of Paris signed on Feb. 10, 1763, obtained the remainder of Canada that it didn’t already control, and the land east of the Mississippi River. North America became divided between Great Britain and Spain with the Mississippi River as the boundary, and France was left with no land on the continent of North America. -
First Continental Congress
The first Continental Congress met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, from September 5, to October 26, 1774. Delegates from all the colonies except for Georgia participated, however each colony had different goals that they wanted to achieve. Pennsylvania and New York sent delegates with firm instructions to seek a resolution with England. While the other colonies wanted to separate from Britain completely. -
Lexington and Concord
On April 19, 1775, part of the British occupation force in Boston marched to the nearby town of Concord, Massachusetts, to seize the guns and ammunition that the colonists had collected, however Militiamen of Lexington and Concord intercepted them and attacked. The first shot fired in this battle is said to be the first shot of the American Revolution. -
Second Continental Congress
On May 10, 1775, the members of the Second Continental Congress met at the State House in Philadelphia. The meeting began with the battle of Lexington and Concord fresh in their minds. It established the militia as the Continental Army to represent the thirteen states. They also elected George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill, fought June 17, 1775, was considered to be a success for the British over the rebellious colonials at Charlestown, Massachusetts. Although they were successful, the British were unable to take control of the port of Boston, and the Revolutionary War suddenly became more than a small problem confined to the Atlantic seaboard. -
Olive Branch Petition
On July 5, 1775, Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition. It outlined their issues and concerns, and it asked the British government to respond to them. King George III of England refused the petition. He believed the Americans were rebelling, and believed he could solve the problems with his military force instead of finding a peaceful solution. -
Quebec Military Campaign
This battle began on Dec. 31, 1775, and was fought between the American Continental Army and the British defenders. The objective of this campaign was to gain control of the British province of Quebec, and to convince the French-speaking Canadians to join the revolution. This battle was considered to be the fist major defeat of the American Revolution because General Montgomery was killed, many were wounded and over 400 were captured. The remaining soldiers retreated to saftey. -
Common Sense Published
Published in 1776, Common Sense challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy. The plain language that Paine used spoke to the common people of America and was the first work to openly ask for independence from Great Britain. It brought the rising revolutionary sentiment into sharp focus by placing blame for the suffering of the colonies directly on the reigning British monarch, George III, and empowered the colonists to take action. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. The colonial governments tried to reach a peaceful reconciliation of these differences with Great Britain, but were continually ignored. This document states that their rights were violated by Britain. These rights include the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Upon the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the United States became its own nation, and would have no further relations with Great Britain. -
Trenton
On Dec. 26, 1776 General Washington and his troops attacked the German troops camped in Trenton. Washington assumed that the Germans would be celebrating Christmas and would be thoroughly drunk, and took the chance of launching a surprise attack on them. The Germans were taken by surprise, and Washington and his troops killed or captured more than 1000 Hessians (the German soldiers) in only 45min. This attack was a success for the colonists, and helped boost their spirits. -
Princeton
General Howe (British general) heard of the defeat in Trenton, and ordered 8000 British soldiers to capture Washington’s force of only 1500 men. Washington and his troops pretended to be trapped, but on Jan. 3, 1777, slipped away and launched a surprise attack on a British force in Princeton. This victory helped to replenish the hopes of freedom for the colonists. -
Saratoga
On Oct. 7, 1777, Burgoyne and his troops were forced to surrender to New York and New England’s militia. They had been surrounded by a force almost twice the size of his own, and they were unable to get food, retreat or advance to safety. This victory resulted in the British ministers granting the Americans the right of self-government within the British Empire, and France signed 2 treaties with the Continental Congress. -
Valley Forge
On Dec. 19, 1777, General Washington`s troops marched into Valley Forge after a treacherous journey from Pennsylvania. The troops were famished, poorly dressed, and they had to endure harsh, winter weather condidtions. Valley Forge, 25 miles from Philadelphia, was a good choice. It was a high plateau, and one side it was protected by the river. Two shallow creeks provided natural barriers that would present problems for attacking cavalry and artillery. Any attackers would have to charge uphill. -
Charleston
The Battle of Charleston took place from April 11 to May 12, 1779. On October 25, 1779, Sir Henry Clinton led a combined British military and naval expedition southward from Newport, Rhode Island. He was joined by Charles Cornwallis and Lord Rawdon for a combined force of 14,000 troops and 90 ships. They reached Charleston on April 11 and began a siege. The town was poorly fortified. On May 12, American Major General Benjamin Lincoln was forced to surrender the city along with his 5,000 troops. -
Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown is considered to be the battle that ended the Revolutionary War. The Americans and French were fighting against the British led by Lord Cornwallis. General Washington and his troops trapped the British with the help of the French. They decepted the British into thinking they would be in New York, but actually they went south to Virginia. They surrounded the British by land and cut off their escape route by the York River to force them to surrender.
