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Start of the war
The battles of Lexington and Concord were fought on April 19, 1775.
They were the very first battles of the Revolutionary war. These conflicts are what sparked the American struggle for independence. These battles were also known as "The shot heard around the world." -
The battle of Bunker HIll
The Patriots learn that the Redcoats are sending troops to occupy Boston. The Americans, under Colonel William Prescott, set up defenses in Charlestown at Breeders Hill. The patriots did end up losing the battle, but not before causing heavy British casualties. This battle is what caused the Patriots to lose control of Charlestown, meaning they lost some of the best port/docks in the South. -
Washington becomes leader
George Washington became the leader of the Continental Army on July 3, 1775. He did not initially want the position, but thanks to him America gained their independence. -
The Declaration of independence
The Declaration of Independence was the first statement by the Nation of America saying the people had the right to chose their own government. It was written by primarily Thomas Jefferson, and in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1776 it was adopted by Congress. -
Delegates sign Declaration of Independence
On August 2, 1776, Delegates of the 13 colonies sign the Declaration of Independence. The first colony to sign was New Hampshire, the Delegate of New Hampshire whose signature is on the Declaration of Independence was Josiah Bartlett. -
Crossing the Delaware
At this point in the war, Americans hadn't won many battles and Washington knew they needed to win this one to gain support. At around 11 p.m. on December 25, the forces began to cross the river. At around 8 a.m. the next morning, the forces divided into 2 columns and surrounded the Hessian camp. While many of the Hessians escaped, 1,000 were captured and only 4 Americans were killed. This was not a significant victory, but it proved to Congress that the war effort was worth backing. -
The Flag
The first American flag was adopted by the U.S. on June 14, 1777. It is said to have been created by a Philadelphian seamstress named Betsy Ross. The flag was based on a flag called the "Grand Union" that the Continental army carried in 1776. -
The British Capture Philadelphia
After George Washington’s defeats at the Battle of Brandywine and the Battle of the Clouds, Philadelphia fell to the British. British General William Howe had been trying to capture Philadelphia for a while. As the seat of the Continental Congress, many of the people that were important to the Revolution were there. However, he did not manage to capture anyone. Before the attack, the Patriot government had moved its operations to the more secure site of York. -
Retiring to Valley Forge
After losing Philadelphia, Washington took his troops to stay at Valley Forge for the winter. Washington hoped for new supplies and good rations, but Congress didn't have the money for funding. The army may not have survived the winter if Washington had not had the troops inoculated against Smallpox, or if the Baron von Steuben had not arrived to help. -
The signing of the French-American Alliance
This is arguably one of the most important points of the war. Before the French began helping the Americans, they were doing pretty badly. They had no supplies, and no money to fund supplies. The soldiers would go unpaid, and people were getting desperate and often deserting. Thanks to the French, we received food, ammunition, Naval support, troops, weapons, food, and funding. -
The Battle of Barren Hill
American forces, under the Marquis de Lafayette, posted camp a few miles from British forces, once the British learned where they were, a party under Major General James Grant was sent to attack them. The Patriots managed to escape without many casualties, but they did not win the battle. -
The British capture Savannah, Georgia
On December 29, 1778, A force of between 2500 and 3600 British troops attacked Savannah Georgia. The British greatly outnumbered the Patriot troops stationed there, a force of around only 650 to 900 men. The Patriots suffered heavy casualties, however, the British lost only 3 men and only 10 Redcoats were wounded. -
The Battle of Newtown NJ
This battle was fought not to beat the British, but to beat a potential ally of theirs. The Redcoats were seeking an alliance with the Iroquois from a settlement in Newtown NJ which would have been a pretty critical one. Luckily, the Patriots won and the British eventually retreated, losing the alliance. -
The Patriot Siege on Savannah, GA
About a year before this attack, Britain had successfully taken Savannah Georgia. The Patriots and French troops tried to lay siege to the city but were ultimately unsuccessful. The British left Savannah of their own free will on July 11, 1782. -
The treason of Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold had been a respected army leader, that is until he committed Treason. On September 21, 1780, Benedict Arnold met with a British Major named John Andre and discussed handing West Point to the British. In return for this, he would have gotten a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. However, the plan was discovered. Benedict Arnold evaded capture and eventually moved to London. -
The Battle of Kings Mountain
The battle of Kings Mountain lasted only around an hour, but it was an important point in the war. British Major Patrick Ferguson led his troops into a battle they couldn't win, and while the British did outnumber the Patriots, they didn't know the terrain. 157 British soldiers were killed, 163 wounded, and 698 captured. The Patriots only lost 28, and 60 were wounded. This showed the British, that while they may be numerically superior, the Patriots had valuable knowledge of the land. -
The Articles of the Confederation are adopted
The Articles of the Confederation was a document giving power to Congress, it wasn't officially the law until March 2, 1781, when it was ratified by the 13th and last State to sign it, Maryland. It only took around 5 years for the people to realize it wasn't a good governing system, so on March 4, 1789, the U.S. Constitution formally replaced the Articles of Confederation. -
The French Fleet drive out the British fleet
When the battle of Yorktown started, British General Cornwallis had been waiting for ships carrying reinforcements, and supplies for his troops. Washington knew that if these ships managed to arrive and get to the British, there would be no hope of beating them. To keep the ships from reaching the British, he ordered the Marquis de Lafayette to take the French fleet and intercept the arriving British fleet. This was successful and proved valuable to the battle. -
The British surrender
After 3 weeks of fighting, the Battle of Yorktown was finally over. The British had been surrounded on land by the Patriot and French Army of 9,000 troops, and sea by the French Fleet. British General Cornwallis, realizing it was futile to keep fighting, as no reinforcements could reach them, finally surrendered on October 19, 1981. The war was not officially over until the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, recognizing the US as a free and independent nation. -
The signing of the Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris signified America’s status as a free nation. Britain formally recognized the independence of its 13 former American colonies, and borders were agreed upon. France and Spain were also involved in the Treaty.