American Revolution American Revolution Major Battles and Events Major Battles and Events
American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
Major Battles and EventsMajor Battles and Events
Three Major Phases of the Three Major Phases of the
WarWar
�� New England 1775New England 1775--17761776
�� Mid Atlantic 1776Mid Atlantic 1776--7878
�� Southern 1778Southern 1778--17811781
April 1775 Lexington and April 1775 Lexington and
ConcordConcord
�� Revere, Dawes, and PrescottRevere, Dawes, and Prescott
�� British march on LexingtonBritish march on Lexington
�� ““Shot heard around the world.Shot heard around the world.””
�� Militia confront British at ConcordMilitia confront British at Concord
�� British forced to retreat to BostonBritish forced to retreat to Boston
May 1775 Fort May 1775 Fort
TiconderogaTiconderoga
�� Ethan Allen and Ethan Allen and
Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold
surprise Britishsurprise British
�� Green Mountain Green Mountain
BoysBoys
�� Capture cannons, Capture cannons,
gunpowder, and gunpowder, and
supplies supplies
June 1775 Bunker HillJune 1775 Bunker Hill
�� Americans occupy BreedAmericans occupy Breed’’s Hills Hill
�� British full scale attackBritish full scale attack
�� ““Do not fire until you see the whites of Do not fire until you see the whites of
their eyestheir eyes””
�� Militia men hold their groundMilitia men hold their ground
King George Draws a Line King George Draws a Line
in the Sandin the Sand
�� Olive Branch PetitionOlive Branch Petition
�� King GeorgeKing George’’s Proclamations Proclamation
�� Rebels are deemed traitorsRebels are deemed traitors
�� Colonists begin to unify in responseColonists begin to unify in response
PainePaine’’s s ““Common SenseCommon Sense””
�� Common Sense spreads through Common Sense spreads through
colonies colonies
�� Builds on LockeBuilds on Locke’’s ideass ideas
�� King and ParliamentKing and Parliament equally wrongequally wrong
�� Complete SeparationComplete Separation
June June -- July 1776July 1776
�� LeeLee’’s Resolutions Resolution
�� JeffersonJefferson’’s s
thought processthought process
�� Vote on the Vote on the
DocumentDocument
AugustAugust-- September 1776September 1776
Siege of New YorkSiege of New York
�� British arrives with large navy and British arrives with large navy and
armyarmy
�� Washington defeated in series of Washington defeated in series of
battlesbattles
�� General Howe fails to deliver KOGeneral Howe fails to deliver KO
�� British occupy New YorkBritish occupy New York
Dec. 1776 WashingtonDec. 1776 Washington’’s s
CrossingCrossing-- Battle of TrentonBattle of Trenton
�� Hessians caught by Hessians caught by
surprisesurprise
�� Major morale boostMajor morale boost
�� New recruits for New recruits for
AmericansAmericans
Jan 1777 Battle of Jan 1777 Battle of
PrincetonPrinceton
�� British detachment stumbled onto British detachment stumbled onto
WashingtonWashington’’s Armys Army
�� Washington wins Washington wins
Fall 1777 Battle of Fall 1777 Battle of
Brandywine and Brandywine and
GermantownGermantown�� Washington loses both BattlesWashington loses both Battles
�� Howe wastes time in PhiladelphiaHowe wastes time in Philadelphia
�� Burgoyne left without helpBurgoyne left without help
SeptSept--Oct 1777 Battles of Oct 1777 Battles of
Saratoga Saratoga
�� Gates and Arnold defeat BritishGates and Arnold defeat British
�� Burgoyne surrenders entire armyBurgoyne surrenders entire army
�� *French give support after *French give support after
American victory*American victory*
June 1778 Battle of June 1778 Battle of
MonmouthMonmouth
�� Molly PitcherMolly Pitcher
�� Americans hold the Americans hold the
fieldfield
�� Considered a draw, Considered a draw,
but another morale but another morale
boostboost
African American African American
ParticipationParticipation
�� New England New England
BattlesBattles
�� Some fought for Some fought for
the Britishthe British
�� Dunmore Dunmore
Proclamation VS. Proclamation VS.
Virginia AssemblyVirginia Assembly
�� Hollywood Hollywood
PortrayalsPortrayals
Battle of Camden 1781 Battle of Camden 1781
and Southern Battlesand Southern Battles
�� Prior to this Savannah Prior to this Savannah
and Charleston are and Charleston are
under siegeunder siege
�� Gates is routed and Gates is routed and
loses credibilityloses credibility
�� Greene harasses Greene harasses
Cornwallis throughout Cornwallis throughout
the South with guerilla the South with guerilla
tacticstactics
Battle of Yorktown 1781Battle of Yorktown 1781
�� Americans siege Americans siege
YorktownYorktown
�� French block retreatFrench block retreat
�� British surrender to British surrender to
AmericansAmericans
Treaty of Paris 1783Treaty of Paris 1783
�� Jay, Adams, and Franklin negotiate Jay, Adams, and Franklin negotiate
�� Independence Independence Recognized Recognized
�� United States boundaries> Great Lakes to United States boundaries> Great Lakes to
the North, Mississippi River to the West and the North, Mississippi River to the West and
Spanish Florida to the SouthSpanish Florida to the South
�� Loyalist property restoredLoyalist property restored
�� England wanted to prevent French from England wanted to prevent French from
gaining strength in New World gaining strength in New World