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Battles of Lexngton and Concord
British General Gage has dispatched 700 troops from boston to capture colonial leaders and supplies in concord, but the patriots had gotten word of this and Paul Revere was dispatched to warn the towns near by. At dawn the minutemen, or colonial militia people, confronted the british at lexington and he concord. By the end of the day the british had suffered the following losses: 73 dead, 174 wounded, and 26 missin, and the american patriots had suffered 49 deaths and 39 inhuries. -
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2nd Continental Congress
This comittee held delegates from each of the 13 colonies, and they made decisions about how to proceed with independence, the revolutionary war, and the creation of government. Most noteable they appointed Washington as general, they tried to make amends with brittain, they declared independence, and they created the articles of confederation. Some of the major events from the Congress are included on the timeline. -
George Washington named Commander in Cheif
At the 2nd continental congress the delegates decided to appoint Washington to comand the army. the idea came from John Adams who later remarked that the vote passed only by bare margins. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
At the Battle of Bunker Hill the patriots created a dirt wall to protect them from brittish attacks on them. The Patriots defeated the british three times wen they tried to attack because of their great wall and their strategy (dont fire until you see the whites of their eyes). Eventually the patriots ran out of ammo and the brtish attacks were successful, but the patriot advantage did increase morale -
Olive Branch petition
The effort for this petition was headed by John Dickinson, who sent this to GeorgeIII with pleas to negotiate. -
Lord Dunmore raises a loyalist army in Virginia
After being ousted from virginia by patriots and taking refuge on a british ship in chesapeake bay, Lord Dunmore created the Queen's Own Loyal Virginians (for whites) and the Ethioian regiment (for blacks). He also issued a proclomation promising freedom to slaves and indentured sernavsts who joined the loyalists. -
Common Sense is published
written by thomas paine it assulted monarchial order and called ofr indeendence and republican government.Beause if the printing press and the print revolution, in 6 months there were25 editions and it had reached hundreds of thousands of people. -
Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge
Josiah Martin's loyalist force of 1,500 loyalist scottish highlanders clashes with the patiot militia in NC,patriots win and capture 800 scots. After this battle the patriots in NC told their congress delgates to join in the group for independence. -
Thoughts on government by John Adams
He gives a version of mixed governmentwith the following: 2 house legislature, anexecutice branch, and a judiciary branch -
Kentuck recieves supplies
After fighting for land in Dunmore's war, many settlers traveled to the fronteir. they had petitioned for recognition by virginia, and virginia agreed by creating 6 new counties. in July of 1776 they reieved supplies and men from thm virginia and the continental congress. -
Howe's Northern Stategy
The goal of Lord North and General Howe was to seize control of the Hudson river, so they could isolate the northen colonies from the southermn and middle colonies. in July Howe landed 32,000 troops outside newyork consisting of british regulars and german mercenaries. Howe also was not aggressive, he opposed the coercive acts of 1774,and because of his lax startegy of trying to show the weaknesses to the continental congress, the brits missed an opportunity to polish off the rebrllion. -
Washington's Defensive strategy
In the first few years of the war washington had to play a defensive strategy because of his lack of resources and his gradiose opponent. One of this main tactics was to pull the british away from the coast to lengthen their supply lines and hurt their morale. -
Declaration of Independence
Te delaration was written by thomas jefferson, who used enlightenment ideas to right it. the document included included doctrines of popular soverignty, individual liberty, and republican government. The Declaration was a declaration of war also. -
Battle of Long Island
Howe's new british Army surrounded washigton and his army on three sides in brooklyn forcing their retreat to manhattan. The brits set up camp and wait for surender, but washington evacuates all of the troops in the dead of night across the hudson. -
Pennsylvania constitution of 1776
The constitution created a one house legislature with complete power, along with provisions like education andcitizen protection. it was alarming to some becaue it was so democratic and did not have any land holing rule to vote or hold office. -
Battle at Trenton
Washington leads his army acroos the deleware river on christmas night to attack Trenton, NJ, which is being held by hessians. After hiking 9 miles, the patriots only fought for 1 hour before they had won. -
Campaign against Philidelphia
General Howe decide to try and stop the rebllion by attacking the home o the continental congress. He was successful by sailing up the chesapeake in a slow movement, instead of across land, and he did take philly. The Continental congress however peristed and fled to the safety of the country side. -
Battles of Saratoga
General Burgoyne led his british troops in new york but they were stalled in september when they ran out of food and supplies. They had no hope when the patriots under horashio gates surrounded them and forced burgoyne to surrender. -
Articles of confederation
Created a loose union, or society of equals. created rukes for passing laws, declare war, make treaties, calm disputes, and borrowand print money. However, it could not tax, enforce treaties, and it did not have an executive or judiciary branch. -
Valley Forge
Washington Brings his army to valley forgefor the winter, but they grew hungy, fatigued, and cold; by the end of the winter over 3,000 had left. -
Baron von Steuben
While at valle forge a prussian military officer came and became inspector general of the army. He instituted strict drills and proffessionalism. -
Treaty of Alliance
Signed by the US and freance ensuring neither would leave the war withouth libery for the US. France was convinced after the american victory at saratoga and the pleas of the french foreign minister, Comte de vergennes. -
Howe replaced by Clinton
General Howe of Brittain retirea and is relaced by sir Henery Clinton. -
Britain's southern strategy
the british revised their strategy and shifted from a northern heavy offensive to a southern heavy offensive. they hoped to defend the west indies and capture the tobacco and rice farms in the colonies of virginia, North and south carolina, and georgia. -
British occupation of Savannah
Under the advisement of sir clinton and leadership of colonel campbell, the british army captured savannah greorgia as part of their southern strategy. By early 1779 they have moved inland and also captured augusta. -
Spain declares war on Great britain
Spain joined effort against britain primarily to get florida and the strait of gibraltar back -
Philipsburg Proclomation
similar to dumores proclomation, this proclomation y brittain gave protection freedom and land to any slave that deserted a patriot master. -
British capture Charleston
As a continuation of theri southern strategy the british capture charleston, SC and continue north. -
Cornwallis relives Clinton
a british chande in leadersjip after the capture of charleston. -
French troops arrive in Newport, RI
French troops arrive in Newport after the treaty o alliance and air the american cause. They will be effective at the battle of yorktown -
Nathanael Greene becomes comander of the southern patriot army
Nathanael Greene had previously been serving as the Quarter master of the patriot army, collecting suppplies for the under supplied army. He was now nbeing appointed by washington to comand the forces in the south, and go against the british southern campaign. -
Battle of Cowpens
Morgan of the patriot army and his soldiers were victorious at Cowpens, S. This battle became an advantage because it was near the mouth of two rivers feeding Charleston and Savannah. (picture for humor purpose only because all these battle pictures ook the ame) -
Draw at Gulliford court house
This was a costly battle for both sides, and it ended in a draw. Greene and morgan had only sent a small group of soldiers though becahse they wanted to distract corwallis. -
French navy takes over cheapeake
the french navy that was in rhode island has sailed into chesapeake bay and defeated the british fleet making it so they cannot go in or out. -
Final battle at Yorktown
Cornwallis is surrounded by patriot forces. The french navy in the chesapeake, Nathanael and morgans forces from the south and the french and patriot troops from new york. Also not expecting attack because washington has been staging a pretend attack in NY. Corn wallis is forced to surrender. -
Treaty of Paris
Great britain recognizes america and gives up land. Some of its terms were: fishing rights in NE canada, navigation of the mississippi, and no territory was set aside for American indians. -
Ordinance of 1784
established principle that territories could become states as their populations grew. written by thomans jefferson. -
Land ordinance of 1785
created system and price for survaying land. Also created rule for ow land should be sold. -
Shays rebellion
An uprising (1786-87) led by farmers in Mass., many veterans, protesting taxation policies of the eastern elliets who controled the state. -
Northwest ordinance of 1787
Created a sysstem and laws for territories to become states. Also resolved issues of education, government, ad slavery in the territories. -
Constitution is signed
the constitution is finally signed after weeks of debate at the constitutional conention. They had many issues to resolve including state representation and slavery (both resolved by the great compromise and the 3/5 compromise, respectively) -
The federalist papers
a group of 85 essays written by federalist leaders. won appreaciation and considration throughout the countr. -
Constitution is Ratified
the constitution is made effectve after the 9th state ratifies it (new hampshire). the 9 states werePennsylvania, Deleware, New Jersey, Conneticut, georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and New Hampshire
