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Bitter due to the French and Indian war, the French have been secretly sending the patriots weapons since 1776.
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British retreat from Boston, moving war to the Middle States. This was part of a grand plpan to stop the rebllion by isolating New England.To do so, the British decided to take New York City.
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Two brothers, General William Howe and Admiral RIchard Howe come together in Staten Island and sailed into New York with the largest British force ever assembled.
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Washington was vastly outnumbered and had poor equipment. Michael Graham, a Continental Amry volunteer, described the defeat saying "It is impossible for me to describe the confusion and horror of the scene that ensued" the artillery flying...over the horses' backs, our men running in almost every direction.."
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By late fall the British push Washington's army across the Delaware River into Pennsylavnia.
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Washington risked everything on Christmas Night, 1776. He faced a fierce snow storm, leading 2,400 men in rowboats across the icy Delaware.
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At 8 o'clock the men had marched nine miles into Trenton New Jersey. The Hessians who worked for the British were still asleep when the Americans attacked. The Americans killed 30 of the enemy and took 918 captives and six Hessian cannons
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Washington desperately neeeded a victory to keep his enlisted men from leaving. Of course he got them to stay with the victory of Trenton
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Eight days after the Battle of Trenton the Americans beat the 1,200 British stationed at Princeton. They then marched on to Morristown.
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General Howe wants the American Capital in Philadelphia so he begins his campaign.
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Continental Congress fled the city upon British arrival and Washington failed to block the redcoats. British take Philadelphia.
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Burgoyne a friend of Howe's set out to meet Howe at New York City to then take on New England. American troops surround Burgoyne at Saratoga where he surrendered his army to General Gates.
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Washington and his Army stayed at Valley Forge camp.
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Albignese Waldo was a surgeon at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, which was the Continental Army's campsite during the winter of 1777-1778. While Patriots ambushed homes and found comfort, the under dressed and shivering Patriots crowded together in makeshift huts in the freezing snow. Waldo describes a soldier, tired and worn with little clothing.
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French and Americans sign a treaty, France vowes support to America.
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Friedrich von Steuben helps out with shaping american troops into an effective fighting group.
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British start to shift their opeations South.
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British easily take Savannah, Georgia.
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Marquis de Lafayette asks for French reinforcements after seeing Valley Forge
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Royal Governer once again commands Georgia.(British)
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General Henry Clinton replaces General Howe in New York, sails south along with General Charles Cornwallis with 8,500 men
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French Army of 6,000 men arrive in Newport after the British left to focus on the South.
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The British captured Charles Town,SC and marched 5,000 American soldiers away as prisoners of war.
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Cornwallis' army destroyed American forces at Camden.
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British troops have successfully established forts across South Carolina.
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General Morgan and his army met the British at Cowpens, South Carolina and forced the British to surrender.
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Greene wrote a letter to Lafayette needing help due to him worrying about the South although the British were becoming weak.
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Congress selected Robert Morris as superintendent of finance along with Haym Salomon.
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Thanks to Morris and Salomon the troops were finally paid-in gold.
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Cornwallis surrenders after three weeks of fighting. The French fleet blocked Chesapeake Bay and 17, 000 French and American troops surrounded the British on the Yorktown peninsula.
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American and French troops gather near Yorktown, Virginia to accept the British surrender.
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Representatives of: United States, Britain, France and Spain look for peace and negotiation;
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Delegates signed the Treaty of Paris making America independent and setting boundaries for the country.
