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The Battles of Lexington and Concord
British intelligence hear about weapons stashed at Concord. They send hundreds of troops to confiscate the weapons. . A group of about 70 farmers and other commoners assembles at a tavern in Lexington to put a stop to this. They intercept the British and someone on either side fires. This starts a battle and the British win. They then march on the Lexington and take the weapons, but the colonist defeat them there. This is significant because these are the first battles of the war. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
1,000 Colonial Militia under William Prescott build an earth fort on top of Breed's hill near Boston. The British first attack by firing their cannons. This does not work so they charge the hill once, but our mowed down. Their leader General Howe tells them to attack again, and for the second time they are decimated. American troops then run low on ammunition and retreat. This battle was a morale booster for the Americans because they lost 139 and the British lost 2,300. -
The Battle of Long Island
This was the first major battle after the Declaration of Independence. British General William Howe lands boats on Long Island and attacks George Washington's troops that are in three groups. The patriots lose, but Washington and his troops escape across the East river. This battle is significant because if the American army would have been captured, then they would have lost the war. -
The Battle of Trenton
This was a surprise attack done by Washington. His troops crossed the freezing Delaware river in boats on Christmas night 1776. They then attacked the drunken Hessian mercenaries at Trenton, and made them surrender within an hour. This was a significant battle because it was a complete sneak attack because it was done at night, during winter a day after Christmas. It is also significant because it was a morale booster for the Americans. -
The Battle of Saratoga
This was actually two battles in the fall of 1777. British General John Burgoyne won the first one, but he lost a lot of men. The generals on the American side were Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold. Burgoyne attacked the Americans again, but was then defeated and forced to retreat. This battle is significant because it convinced France to ally with the colonist, and that is a major reason why they won the war. -
The Battle of Yorktown
A combined army of American and French troops attacked the British at Yorktown. This was lead by General Washington and French General Comte de Rochambeau. They slowly trapped, bombarded, and attacked the British until British General Lord Corwallis surrendered. This is significant because it was the final battle of the American revolution.
