Revolutionary War Timeline

  • French ally with the Patriots

    Out of bitterness from the French and Indian War, the French allied with the Patriots, sending them weapons since 1776.
  • War shifts location

    The British fleed from Boston in March of 1776. This resulted in a shift of location in the war, moving twords the Middle states.
  • Brothers sail into Boston Harbor

    Brothers sail into Boston Harbor
    During the summer of 1776, General William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe- two brothers- led an army of 32,000 soldiers, and mercenaries, on ships into the New York Harbor.
  • Colonial retaliatiion

    In response to the large British Army, George Washington sent in 23,000 men to defend New York. While it was a good effort, the small army was no match for the redcoats, who outnumbered the colonists by 9,000 people.
  • Women help the War cause

    Throughout the war, civilians helped the war behind the scenes, but women were the backbone of the war. They ran farms/businesses, helped injured soldiers and through all of the took care of children. Perhaps the most famous women in the war was Mary McCauly or "Molly Pitcher". During the Battle of Monouth she brought pitchers of water out to the soldiers, and some say she manned a cannon after a soldier got wounded.
  • Finances of the war

    Inflation (value of money plunged) and profiteering (selling scarce goods for profit) became very common during the entire war
  • Low point for the colonies

    Whether gone by death, or abandoning the army, Washington has less than 8,000 men left by late fall. The majority of the soldiers terms ended on December 31, worrying him of what would come when their terms were up.
  • Washington gets a tough defeat

    British push Washingtom across Delaware
  • Washington strikes back

    Washington strikes back
    On Christmas night, while the British were partying, Washington led 2,400 men through a rough storm across the Delaware River.
  • The Battle of Trenton

    The Battle of Trenton
    By 8 o'clock a.m, George Washinton and his troops marched into Trenton, New Jersey. They killed 30 men and captured 918. They were also able to snag six cannons. The Battle of Trenton was a huge turning point in the war. It gave the colonial Army the boost they needed.
  • Another victory for the colonies

    Eight days following the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army had another win against 1,200 British at Princeton.
  • The fight for Philidelphia

    In spring of 1777, General Howe began creating plans to seize the American capital, Philidelphia. By late August, his troops landed near Philidelphia. The Continental Congress grabbed all of the important documents, and fled. The British captured the city, and felt welcomed by all of the loyalists living there.
  • Victory at Saratoga

    American General Horatio Gates defeated British General John Burgoyne at the Battle of Saratoge. Burgoyne created a complex plan to send in troops from Canada to meet up with his troop in NYC. The original point of the plan was to isolate New England from the rest of the colonies, but it failed miserably.
  • Winter at Valley Forge

    Winter at Valley Forge
    Albigense Waldo worked as a surgeon in Valley Forge during the Winter of 1777-1778. Valley Forgewas located just out of Pensylvania, and served as the Continental Army's camp.
  • Treaty of Cooperation

    The French signed a treaty of cooperation with the Americans, agreeing to help them throughout the Revolution.
  • A posative change

    Friedrich von Steuben voulenteered to train American soldiers at Valley Forge in February of 1778.
  • The British change direction

    After the loss at Saratoga, the British send troops to the South to try and rally Loyalists.
  • British take on the South

    British troops took over Savannah, Georgia.
  • Royalty takes over the capital of Georgia

    A Royal Governor ruled Savannah, Georgia in the spring of 1779.
  • Lafayette joins Washington

    Marquis de Lafayette joined the Continental Army at Valley Forge. He badgered the French for assistance in the war.
  • British capture Charles Town, South Carolina

    Charles Cornwallis sailed to Charles Town with 8,500 men, succefully capturing the city in South Carolina. They were able to take 5,500 American soldiers as prisoners.
  • Cornwallis dominates the War

    Cornwallis sucessfuly set up forts across the state of South Carolina. But when he tries to North Carolina, they quickly retreated after Patriots fought back.
  • The French land in Rhode Island

    In 1780, a French Army with 6,000 soldiers landed in Newport, Rhode Island.
  • Rein of the redcoats end

    The British were suprised when American forces didn't back down to the much larger redcoat army. After fighting back, the Continental Army forced the redcoats to surrender.
  • Robert Morris

    Robert Morris was made superintendent of finance during the year of 1781.
  • Victory in Yorktown

    With his troop half the size of the Americans, Cornwallis finally surrendered.
  • Victory at last

    British surrender during the afternoon of October 19, 1781.
  • Peace

    In 1782, representatices from the United States, Great Britain, France and Spain met in Paris. Britain agreed to allow full independence to the US.
  • Treaty of Paris

    In Spetember of 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed. This confimed US independence, and set the boundaries of our country. The Treaty said the US stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and Canada to the border of Florida.
  • Respect

    Now that the US is considered it's own country, European Nations automatically considered it a threat. They Revolution set a ripple effect across the world, letting them all know we are here.