(U.S. history) Revolutionary war

The Fighting Begins

• After intolerable acts - creation of Militias (minute men)

• April 1775- 700 British march to Concord, Mass. = seize munitions

• British reach Lexington

  • 80 minutemen were waiting (shot heard round the world)

  • First battle of Revolutionary war

• British reach concord-several hundred minute men waiting due to Paul Reveres Midnight Ride

• 200 British killed and they were forced to retreat to Boston

Shaky Start

• Odds were not promising

• Britain =40,000 soldiers & 30,000 German Mercenaries

• Washington= 20,000 soldiers supplemented with militias

• After declaration signed- Britain went full force
  against NYC- Washingtons forces were no match-heavy losses forced to retreat

• heavy losses in 1st weeks- forced to retreat

• Dec 1776, congress fled Philly to Baltimore

• soldiers weak and ill

• Washington led Crossing of the Delaware in NJ-

  • surprise attack in the winter- 4k Americans surprise 1,200 German mercenaries- leading to surrender

• Victory gave Americans hope

Washington At Valley Forge

• Winter of 1777-1778 The British still
  occupied Philly

• Washington has his troops stationed
  nearby at valley forge

• Very rough winter- 1/6th (2,000 men)
  died from disease and exposure

• Still was able to successfully train army

• June 1778 = British left Philly to go to NY- Americans prepared

• British unprepared for attack- American
  victory, British continue to retreat to New York

• Last Major clash in the North

War in the South

• war stalled in the North= British turn
  attention south

• December 1778- British capture Savannah, Georgia

• Didn’t last long- faced Guerilla Warfare by Americans in deep forests, also faced traditional forces

• Battle of Yorktown- joined by French
  & Naval forces, Americans were able
  to defeat the British in the south two
  weeks later (Oct 1781)

War Ends

• Yorktown was the last battle of the war

• Took Britain several months to admit defeat

• Peace talks began in Paris in 1782

• September 1783- Treaty of Paris was signed ending the war

• In this treaty- Britain renounced all claims land & recognized American Independence

• 6,500 Americans died in combat and 17,000 of disease

• Next Challenge: Setting up a brand
  new country