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French send patriots weapons.
Still bitter from their defeat in the French and Indian War, the French decided to aid the Americans. -
Period: to
Revolutionary War
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The British decide to take New York
The British retreat from Boston, moving the fight to the middle colonies. -
The Howe brothers sail to New York
General William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe join up with 32,000 soldiers (the largest British force ever assembled). -
Patriot Defeat at New York
Even with Washington's 23,000 men, The battle for New York ended with retreat following heavy cassualties. -
Patriots pushed back across Delaware River
Most of Washingtons men had either been captured or killed. Less then 8,000 men remained underhis command. -
Patriots cross back over the Delaware River
Washington decided to risk possibly the entire rebbelion on one move. In the face of a storm he led 2,400 men in small boats across the frozen Delaware River. -
Surprise attack on British
The men had marched nine miles to Trenton, New Jersey being held by a Garrison of German Mercenaries. In a suprise attack the Patriots had captured 918 sleeping soldiers, killed 30 and took six Hessian cannons. -
Americans won another battle, then marched to winter camp
eight days after their first victory, they won another battle and set up their winter camp. -
British campaign to seize capital
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Saratoga
Massed American troops finally surround John Burgoyne and he surrendered his army to General Gates. This dramatically changed the British war strategy, they now kept their troops close to the coast and British suppliers. -
French-American treaty signed
France agreed not to make peace with Britain unless they also recognized American Independence. -
Troops get whipped into shape
A Prussian captain and talented drillmaster named Friedrich von Steuben, voulunteered his services. He taught them field comands, fire and reload quickly, and how to weild bayonettes. -
British move operation south
After the defeat at Saratoga, the British move south in an attept to rally Loyalists and reclaim their former colonies, then slowly fight North. -
Valley Forge
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British easily take Savannah, Georgia
they took savannah without much resistence. -
Royal Govonor commands Georgia
this was a big deal, because the British now took back a colony. -
Marquis de Lafayette lobbied for French reinforcements
Young Lafayette joined Washington's staff and went through Valley Forge. he later led a command in Virginia in the last years of the war. -
Cornwallis takes Charles town South Carolina
General Henry Clinton (who had replaced Howe in New York) had joined up with Charles Cornwallis and sailed south with 8,500 men and in their greatest victory of the warthey took Charles town South Carolina. They also marched off 5,500 prisoners of war. -
The French arrive
6,000 French men arrived in Newport, Rhode Island after the British left to focus on the south. they joined forces with the Patriots and their own two fleets to attack the forces at Yorktown. -
Cornwallis's army smashed the Americans at Camden, South Carolina
within 3 months the British had built forts across the state, but when he advanced into North Carolina Patriots attacked cutting their communications and forced them to retreat back into South Carolina. -
The Redcoats are forced to surrender
in Cowpens South Carolina the British expected the outnumbered Patriots to flee, but they fought back and forced the Redcoats to surrender. -
The victory at Guliford Court house cost the Redcoats dearly
In North Carolina Cornwallis won the battle, but he lost 1/4 of his army. 400 hurt, 93 killed and 26 missing. -
Greene asks for help
he had weakened the Brits, but he worried he would not win the fight for the south. He wrote a letter to Lafayette asking him to move his troops south to help him secure it. -
Robert Morris appointed superintendent of finance.
Robert and his associate Haym Salomon a Jewish refugee from poland begged and borrowed on their own credit to get the troops paid. -
The Troops were finally paid.
the troops were paid in specie a type of gold coin. -
Cornwallis surrenders
After the French blocked all sea exits, the Patriots constantly shelled Yorktown for three weeks before the British surrendered. -
Americans accept British surrender
Colonel William Fontane of the Virginia militia stood with the American and French armies on a road near Yorktown, Virginia, to witness the formal British surrender. -
Triumphant George
George Washington, the French Generals, and their troops assembled to accept the British surrender. After General Charles O'Hara filling in for Cornwallis handed over his sword they laid down their weapons. -
Peace talk starts
representatives from the United States, Great Britian, France, and Spain joined the negociations each only interested in what they wanted.The United States would not let the negotiations begin until the British recognised its Independence. -
Treaty of Paris signed
the treaty set the boundaries of the new nation, it stretched from the atlantic ocean, to the mississip river, and from Canada to the Florida boundary. Most of the agreements were not honored, but the United States was now free. The war was offically over
