Chapter 4 Section 4 • 127

Section 4Fighting for

Independence

Setting the Scene Although the Declaration ofIndependence was not approved until July 4, 1776,Britain and the American colonists had been fightingsince the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April1775. King George III had not expected a war, much lessa long one. “Once these rebels have felt a smart blow,they will submit,” he had vowed after Lexington andConcord. After all, the nation he ruled was the most pow-erful on Earth.

Yet the fighting continued, and even intensified. Itsoutcome would have long-lasting and far-reaching results,as American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote:

“ By the rude bridge that arched the flood,Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood,And fired the shot heard round the world.”

—Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Concord Hymn,” 1837

The Siege of BostonFollowing the clashes at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, as many as20,000 armed Patriots surrounded Boston. Although the Patriots were disorgan-ized, their presence prevented the 6,000 British troops under General ThomasGage from quickly crushing the rebellion.

With the main British force bottled up in Boston, the Patriots turned theirattention to gathering badly needed military equipment. In May 1775, a groupof Vermont militia under Colonel Ethan Allen crossed Lake Champlain and sur-prised the British troops at Fort Ticonderoga in northern New York. The cap-ture of the fort provided the Patriots with cannons and other supplies.

The Battle of Bunker Hill In June 1775, the Americans occupied two hillsnorth of Boston. General Gage decided that the rebels must be driven from

This engraving shows the retreatof the British from the Battle ofConcord. The Siege of Bostonfollowed this battle.

Fighting for Independence4

MAIN IDEA

Despite their considerable weaknesses, theAmericans won important battles against theBritish between 1775 and 1777.

READING FOCUS

• What happened during the Siege ofBoston? What was its outcome?

• What were the strengths and weak-nesses of the British and Americanforces?

• Why was the Battle of Saratogaconsidered a turning point of the war?

KEY TERMS

Battle of Bunker HillcasualtyLoyalistmercenaryBattle of TrentonBattle of Saratoga

TARGET READING SKILL

Identify Sequence Copy the chart below. Asyou read, fill in the major American victoriesand the reasons for these victories.

AmericanVictories

Boston

Reason

From Dorchester Heights, Washingtonshelled British forces in the city andBritish ships in Boston harbor.

Chapter 4 • Section 4 127

SECTION OBJECTIVES

1. Discover what happened during thesiege of Boston.

2. Find out about the strengths andweaknesses of the British andAmerican forces.

3. See why the Battle of Saratoga wasconsidered a turning point of the war.

BELLRINGER

Warm-Up Activity Read studentsthis quote by Thomas Paine: “Theseare the times that try men’s souls.”What is Paine referring to? What con-ditions created such anguish?

Activating Prior Knowledge Canstudents list countries that have expe-rienced revolutionary wars in recenttimes?

TARGET READING SKILL

Ask students to complete the graphicorganizer on this page as they read thesection. See the Section ReadingSupport Transparencies for a completedversion of this graphic organizer.

ACTIVITY

Connecting withHistory and Conflict

Tell students to debate the positionstaken by Colonists during the Revol-utionary War. Assign one third of theclass to represent the Patriots, onethird to represent the Loyalists, and onethird to remain neutral. Have studentspresent their arguments clearly, statingwhy they maintain their position.(Verbal/Linguistic)RESOURCE DIRECTORY

Teaching ResourcesLearning Styles Lesson Plans booklet, p. 11Guided Reading and Review booklet, p. 18

Other Print ResourcesHistorical Outline Map Book The Revolutionary

War in the Northeast, p. 25

TechnologySection Reading Support TransparenciesGuided Reading Audiotapes (English/Spanish),

Ch. 4Student Edition on Audio CD, Ch. 4Prentice Hall Presentation Pro CD-ROM, Ch. 4

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128 • Chapter 4 Section 4

LESSON PLAN

Focus Explain that in the fight forindependence, both the British andAmerican forces had strengths andweaknesses.

Instruct Tell students that not all thecolonists supported the Revolution. Ingeneral, colonists were split in theirloyalties. Some were Patriots, otherswere Loyalists or Tories, and the restwere neutral. Discuss the fact thatmore African Americans served in thePatriot cause than supported theBritish. Explain that important battlestook place in the North, including theBritish victory at Bunker Hill and theAmerican victory at Saratoga.

Assess/Reteach Have studentsmake a chart of British and Americanstrengths and weaknesses in the yearsbetween 1775 and 1777.

128 Chapter 4 • The Road to Independence

these strategic high grounds. On June 17, 1775,the British army attacked. In an awesome displayof power, the tightly packed lines of red-coatedtroops marched up Breed’s Hill with battle flagsflying and drummers tapping out the beat. As theBritish neared the American position, though,1,600 Patriots poured musket fire into theirranks. The advancing troops slowed, stopped,and then fell back.

The British launched another assault. Again,heavy Patriot fire from the top of the hill drovethem back. Determined, the British commanderGeneral William Howe ordered yet a third attack.This time, picking their way over the bodies oftheir fallen comrades, the troops succeeded intaking Breed’s Hill. The Patriots, having used all

of their ammunition, were forced to retreat. British forces then quickly overranthe second, weaker Patriot position on nearby Bunker Hill.

The British won the Battle of Bunker Hill, but victory came at a tremen-dous cost. Nearly 1,100 of 2,400 British soldiers there had been killed orwounded. Patriot casualties—that is, persons killed, wounded, or missing—amounted to fewer than 400. “You can never conquer us,” wrote a defiantPatriot after the battle. “All America will revenge our cause.”

The British Leave Boston Warning that the Americans “are now spirited upby a rage and enthusiasm as great as ever people were possessed of,” General Gageasked for permission to march on Rhode Island or New York. General Howe,still confident of an easy victory, advised against it. For the next nine monthsGage’s small army remained pinned down in Boston.

In July 1775, George Washington arrived from Philadelphia, where theCongress had named him commanding general of the Patriot forces. WhileGage’s troops remained in Boston, Washington worked to transform the Patriotmilitia groups into the Continental Army.

In January 1776, Colonel Henry Knox arrived outside Boston. He broughtwith him the cannons his Patriot troops had hauled through the snowy forestsfrom Fort Ticonderoga. Washington placed these big guns on DorchesterHeights, south of Boston. From there he could shell the British forces in thecity and the British ships in Boston Harbor.

Realizing that they could no longer defend their position, the British aban-doned Boston in March 1776. The British fleet moved the army to the Canadiancity of Halifax, taking along some 1,000 Loyalists, or people who remainedloyal to Great Britain. These particular Loyalists had no desire to be left behindwith no one to protect them from the rebels. During the Revolution, someLoyalists fled to England or the West Indies, as well as to Canada. Many others,though, remained behind during the conflict.

Strengths and WeaknessesAccording to John Adams, about one third of the colonists were Patriots. He alsobelieved another third were Loyalists, or Tories as the Patriots called them, thoughin all likelihood, the number of active Loyalists was probably less than 20 percentof the population. Adams believed that the remaining third of Americans wereneutral in the war: Among these were the undecided and those who lacked thecommitment or the conviction to join one side or the other.

VIEWING HISTORY In a costlyattempt to intimidate Americanforces, waves of British troopsclimb Breed’s Hill toward the wait-ing enemy. Drawing InferencesWhy did the British decide toattack Breed’s Hill?

READING CHECKDescribe the Siege of Bostonand its outcome.

RESOURCE DIRECTORYTechnologyColor Transparencies Fine Art, E4

Critical Thinking ActivityChecking Consistency: Lexington and Concord,found on TeacherExpress™, helps studentsapply this skill by comparing accounts of thebattles.

Primary Source ActivityWar Diary of Margaret Hill Morris, found onTeacherExpress™, profiles a colonial woman’sreactions to the advances of British troopstoward her Pennsylvania town.

Viewing History In June 1775Americans occupied two hills north of Boston. British generals Gage andHowe were determined to drive theAmericans off these hills due to theirstrategic value. The British acted inorder to attempt to safeguard Britishforces on lower ground in and aroundBoston as well as British ships in theharbor.

CAPTION ANSWERS

READING CHECKThe large cannons brought toBoston from Fort Ticonderoga by Colonel Knox were placed, by order of George Washington, on the Dorchester Heights. ThisAmerican firepower on highground rendered the British posi-tion in Boston completely unten-able, forcing the British to evacuateBoston.

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Chapter 4 Section 4 • 129

ACTIVITY

Connecting withCitizenship

Tell students that while the men wereaway fighting, many women took overthe responsibility of running the familyfarm. Have students research informa-tion about these women and write adiary entry. (Verbal/Linguistic)

BACKGROUND

A Diverse NationIn 1767 a Caribbean landowner traveled to London with his slave,Jonathan Strong, and, in a fit of rage,he beat Strong viciously. Strong wasfound and befriended by a whiteEnglishman, Granville Sharp, whohelped him to escape. In 1772 Sharptook the issue of slavery before theBritish Lord Chief Justice, who ruled,“Is not a Negro a Man? . . . As soon as any slave sets foot on English soilhe shall be free.” Sharp also helpedorganize the British Anti-SlaveryMovement. In 1807 Parliament voted tohalt Britain’s slave trade, but it did notend slavery in British colonies.

The British Britain’s main strength was its well-equipped, disciplined,and trained army. In addition, the British navy was the world’s finest. Itprovided military support by transporting and landing troops and pro-tecting supply lines at sea.

The British also received help from a number of sources. Roughly50,000 Loyalists fought with the British army. Some African Americans,largely in the South, also helped Great Britain. The British promisedfreedom to all slaves who served their cause.

Additional help came from Native Americans. Most Indian nationsbelieved an American victory would be harmful to their interests. Asyou read earlier, the American colonists were intent on moving into for-bidden Indian territory despite Britain’s Proclamation of 1763. Shouldthe colonists gain independence, their westward advancement wouldsurely continue. In the South and the West, the Creeks, Cherokees, andShawnees fought alongside British and Loyalist forces. In the North theMohawks, led by Joseph Brant, and most other Iroquois nations sidedwith the British.

The British also hired about 30,000 mercenaries, foreign soldierswho fight for pay. The colonists called these troops “Hessians” becausemost of their officers came from the German province of Hesse.

On the other hand, the British also had problems. The war was notpopular in Great Britain. Many British citizens resented paying taxes tofight the war and sympathized with the Americans. British troops had tofight in hostile territory, and British commanders resisted adapting theirtactics to conditions in America.

The Americans The very things that were British weaknesses were Americanstrengths. Patriot forces were fighting on their own territory. Many of their officerswere familiar with the fighting tactics that had worked in the French and IndianWar. George Washington, in particular, proved to be an exceptional commander.

Chapter 4 • Section 4 129

Women in the Revolution Manysoldiers’ wives traveled with theirhusbands during the RevolutionaryWar. These women did cooking, wash-ing, and sewing for the troops. Somewomen also distinguished themselvesin battle.

When Margaret Corbin’s husbandwas killed in battle, she took his placeand continued to fight until she suf-fered wounds that left her disabled.After the war, Corbin became one ofthe first women to whom Congressawarded a military pension.

During the Battle of Monmouth, MaryHays earned the nickname Molly Pitcherby carrying water to the soldiers. Accord-ing to folklore, Mary helped fire herhusband’s cannon after he sufferedheatstroke. The Pennsylvania legislaturelater awarded her a pension.

MAP SKILLS The major battlesof the early part of the war tookplace in the North. LocationWhere were most of these battlesfought? Be specific.

Germantown, 1777

Princeton, 1777

Brooklyn Heights, 1776

White Plains, 1776

Siege of Boston, 1775–1776

Bunker Hill, 1775

Monmouth Court House, 1778

Battle of Long Island, 1776

Trenton, 1776

BrandywineCreek, 1777

Saratoga, 1777

Ft. Ticonderoga, 1777 Lexington, 1775

Concord, 1775

Ft. Ticonderoga, 1775

Quebec, 1775

ATLANTICOCEAN

St. L

awren

ce

R.

Lake Erie

40°N

35°N

45°N

75°W 70°W 65°W

60°W

L. Huron

River

Ohio

1777

1777

1 7 7 8

17

76

Valley Forge

Albany

Montreal

Boston

Virginia

British Territory

NorthCarolina

Md.

Pa.

Del.

Conn.

N.H.

R.I.

Mass.

N.Y.

British troop movement

British victory

American victory

Fort

0 100 200 mi.

0 100 200 kmN

War for Independence, 1775–1778

Map Skills Massachusetts: Boston,Lexington, Concord; New York: in and around New York City, as well asupstate in the Hudson River valley;New Jersey: eastern; Pennsylvania:eastern; and Canada: St. LawrenceRiver valley and Quebec.

CAPTION ANSWERSCUSTOMIZE FOR ...Gifted and Talented

Have students analyze why the Revolution canbe considered “a people’s war.” Why did somany different kinds of people become involved?What might African Americans have hoped togain by participating in it? Why do you supposemany Americans sided with the British?

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130 • Chapter 4 Section 4

130 Chapter 4 • The Road to Independence

For much of the war, however, the Americans lacked a well-supplied,stable, and effective fighting force. New recruits were constantly arrivingwhile experienced soldiers, their time of service up, were heading home. As hetried to plan strategy, Washington never could be sure how many troops hewould have.

More African Americans served in the Patriot cause than supported theBritish. Washington’s army had some all-black units, but more often, AfricanAmericans served in white units.

Fighting in the NorthIn the summer of 1776, General Howe and a large British army appeared offthe New York coast. The British had decided to concentrate on the MiddleColonies, where many Loyalists lived. In a series of battles, including the Battleof Long Island, some 32,000 British and German troops battered Washington’spoorly trained and poorly equipped army.

Washington asked for a volunteer to cross enemy lines and obtain informa-tion on the British position. A young officer named Nathan Hale agreed toundertake the dangerous mission. Hale, disguised as a Dutch schoolmaster, suc-ceeded in obtaining the information Washington needed. But as he returned tothe American lines on September 21, 1776, he was captured by the British andcondemned to hang. Before Hale died, he is reported to have said, “I onlyregret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Retreat From New York By October, the British had captured New YorkCity and driven the Continental Army into Pennsylvania. Many troops desertedGeneral Washington. By the winter of 1776, the entire Patriot cause seemed on thepoint of collapse. Fearing for their safety, members of the Continental Congressfled Philadelphia.

In December 1776, Thomas Paine produced another pamphlet to inspireAmericans once again to the cause of freedom. He called this work The Crisis. Itbegan with this eloquent statement:

“ These are the times that try men’s souls. The sum-mer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis,

shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it NOW,

Patriot Nathan Hale disguised him-self to gather information behindenemy lines.

VIEWING FINE ART Washington Crossing the Delawareby Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze is afamous American painting.Analyzing Visual Information(a) How does the artist show thehardships of the crossing? (b) Howdoes he indicate heroism?

Viewing Fine Art (a) It is very cold; the water is clogged with ice; the sol-diers appear to be rowing against astiff wind. (b) George Washington andhis soldiers wear determined expres-sions, despite the harsh conditions ofthe crossing. The American flag is heldproudly aloft.

CAPTION ANSWERS

ACTIVITY

Connecting withHistory and Conflict

Although the American Navy during theRevolutionary War was vastly outnum-bered by the Navy of Great Britain, theAmericans did succeed in winning someimpressive naval victories. The mostspectacular of these was the victory ofCaptain John Paul Jones in the Battle ofFlamborough Head in September 1779.Ask students to research the history ofthis famous engagement and write anessay on it. (Verbal/Linguistic)

BACKGROUND

A Young LoyalistSpeaks

The Journal of Nicholas Cresswell,1774–1777 chronicles the travels of a young English Loyalist who said of Trenton: “Six weeks ago . . . [theAmericans thought] all was gone, allwas lost. But now the scale is turnedand Washington’s name is extolled tothe clouds. Alexander, Pompey, andHannibal were but pygmy Generals, incomparison with the magnanimousWashington. Poor General Howe isridiculed in all companies and all mycountrymen abused. I am obliged tohear this daily and dare not speak aword in their favor. It is the Hessiansthat has caused this, curse thescoundrel that first thought of sendingthem here.”

RESOURCE DIRECTORYTechnologyColor Transparencies Fine Art, E5Sounds of an Era Audio CD Sylvanus Woods

and Lieutenant Barker on the RevolutionaryWar (time: one minute, 45 seconds)

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Chapter 4 Section 4 • 131

ACTIVITY

Connecting withHistory and Conflict

Have students conduct research inorder to sketch a map of troop move-ments surrounding the Battles of Trentonand Princeton and then present theirmap to the class. (Visual/Spatial)

BACKGROUND

Art HistoryGottleib Leutze’s painting, GeorgeWashington Crossing the Delaware, isworld famous and a heroic image. Yet it is historically inaccurate. The cross-ing was made at night, and in a storm.George Washington would doubtlesslynot have struck the heroic pose. Theflag shown did not yet exist. The boat,even, is of the wrong type. Yet thepainting, though filled with artistic lib-erties, does in fact capture the feelingand spirit of the times.

deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell,is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that theharder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”

—Thomas Paine, The Crisis

Trenton and Princeton Desperate times called for heroic measures. Lackingadequate financial support, supplies, and experienced troops, Washington hadto be innovative. He and his troops met the challenge. Abandoning the tradi-tion of armies not fighting during winter, Washington’s army left their Pennsyl-vania camp on Christmas night of 1776 and went on the attack. Some 2,400troops were ferried across the ice-choked Delaware River in small boats. Earlythe next morning they surprised about 1,400 Hessians stationed in Trenton,New Jersey. Nearly the entire Hessian force was captured, while the Americanssuffered only five casualties in the Battle of Trenton.

A few days later, Washington made a similar attack on nearby Princeton.Leaving fires burning so the local Tories would think his army was still in camp,he led some 5,000 troops on a difficult nighttime march. One of the soldierslater described the ordeal:

“ The horses attached to our cannon were without shoes, and whenpassing over the ice they would slide in every direction. . . . Our men,too, were without shoes or other comfortable clothing; and as tracesof our march towards Princeton, the ground was literally marked withthe blood of the soldiers’ feet.”

—Soldier at the Battle of Princeton

The next morning, British troops under General CharlesCornwallis spotted Washington’s army and attacked. TheAmericans drove them back, however, inflicting heavy losseson the British and capturing the town.

The victories in December 1776 and January 1777greatly boosted Patriot morale and convinced more Americansto support the Patriot cause. “Volunteer companies are collect-ing in every county,” a British traveler observed after the battles.“In a few months the rascals will be stronger than ever.”

Victory at SaratogaDespite the increasing Patriot numbers, the months that followed were diffi-cult ones for the Continental Army. In July 1777, British General Howemoved his 15,000-member army from New York to attack the capital atPhiladelphia. Washington’s 10,500 defenders were defeated at BrandywineCreek, on the outskirts of the city, in early September. Later that month, theBritish occupied Philadelphia, as the Congress once again fled. In early October,Washington counterattacked to drive the British from the city, but lost again atthe Battle of Germantown.

A British Attack From the North While Howe was advancing to capturePhiladelphia, another British army was on the move in northern New York. Ledby General John Burgoyne, its objective was to cut New England off from therest of the colonies. In June, Burgoyne had moved out of Canada with a mixedforce of about 8,000 British and German troops, Loyalists, Canadians, andNative Americans. The force quickly recaptured Fort Ticonderoga and thenmoved south through the dense New York forest toward Albany.

Chapter 4 • Section 4 131

Sounds of an Era

Listen to descriptions ofRevolutionary War battles, andother accounts from the journeytoward independence.

These silver pistols belonged toBritish Major John Pitcairn, whowas killed in the Revolutionary War.

TEST PREPARATIONHave students read the quotation from ThomasPaine on these pages and then complete thesentence below. “Summer soldiers” and “sunshine patriots” are thosewho—

A are eternally optimistic about the outcome.B agree to fight only during the summer

months.C are prepared to fight only when circum-

stances are favorable.D join the battle eagerly at any time.

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132 • Chapter 4 Section 4

Reading Comprehension

1. The British attacked two hills occu-pied by the Americans near BostonHarbor. While the British were victo-rious, the cost was high. There wereroughly 1,100 British casualties. ThePatriot losses were lower by morethan half (there were some 400American casualties).

2. Great Britain.3. Foreign soldiers who fight for pay.4. Washington staged an innovative

winter attack and successfully captured nearly the entire Hessianforce, while the Americans sufferedonly five casualties.

5. It marked the turning point of thewar, convincing the French govern-ment to aid the American cause.

Critical Thinking and Writing

6. These Patriot victories boosted moraleand convinced more Americans tosupport the American cause.

7. Answers will vary, but might include:innovative fighting tactics, such as felling trees in order to slowBurgoyne’s advance in upstate NewYork; General Washington’s prestigeand strength of character; and fight-ing on home ground with which thePatriots were already familiar andfrom where support could often bedrawn from the local populace.

4Section Assessment

For: An activity on spies during the

American Revolution

Visit: PHSchool.com

Web Code: mrd-2044

PHSchool.com

As the Americans retreated in Burgoyne’s path, theydestroyed bridges and felled trees across the road to slowhis advance. Burgoyne’s slow progress caused his armyto run low on supplies. Meanwhile, the colonial forcecontinued to grow, as the Continental Army and Patriotmilitias assembled to confront the invaders.

In mid-September, the Americans, led by GeneralHoratio Gates, attacked Burgoyne’s forces. This seriesof American victories, which took place aroundSaratoga, New York, is called the Battle of Saratoga.Finally, on October 17, 1777, surrounded by a forcenow much larger than his own, Burgoyne surrenderedhis army. It was the biggest American victory yet, and itmarked the turning point of the war, bringing a major

foreign power to aid in the American cause.

Help From Abroad A few months after the Continental Congress declaredindependence, it sent Benjamin Franklin on a mission to Paris. Although Francehad secretly been aiding the Americans in their struggle against its longtimeenemy, Franklin pushed for an open alliance. The British defeat at Saratoga con-vinced the French that the Americans had a real chance of winning the war. OnFebruary 6, 1778, France and the United States signed a treaty of alliance.

The alliance with France helped the Americans tremendously. It meant notonly more supplies but loans of money, French troops, and a navy. In addition,Britain now had to defend itself in Europe. A year later, Spain joined the war asFrance’s ally, followed by the Netherlands in 1780. From Louisiana, Spanishgovernor Bernardo de Gálvez, who also had secretly been aiding the Patriots,attacked British outposts in Florida and along the Mississippi River.

Even before France and Spain entered the war, a number of Europeans vol-unteered to help the American cause against the British. Among them were theMarquis de Lafayette from France and Johann de Kalb from Germany. Bothbecame generals in the Americans’ Continental Army. Polish military engineerThaddeus Kosciusko helped American forces build effective defenses. GermanBaron Friedrich von Steuben was largely responsible for training the ContinentalArmy and transforming it into an effective fighting force.

READINGCOMPREHENSION

1. What happened during the Battle ofBunker Hill, and what were thecasualties from both sides?

2. On whose side were the Loyalists?

3. What are mercenaries?

4. What happened during the Battle ofTrenton?

5. Why was the American victory in theBattle of Saratoga important?

CRITICAL THINKINGAND WRITING

6. Drawing Conclusions How didPatriot victories at Trenton andPrinceton contribute to the victoryat Saratoga?

7. Writing an Opinion What do youthink were the Americans’ greateststrengths in the early years of thewar? Support your opinion with factsand details.

4 Assessment

132 Chapter 4 • The Road to Independence

After the Americans declared inde-pendence, Benjamin Franklin(above, center) used his wit andcharm to obtain monetary supportfrom France. Later, he negotiatedthe treaty by which France joinedthe United States as an ally.

RESOURCE DIRECTORYTeaching ResourcesUnits 1/2 booklet

• Section 4 Quiz, p. 44Guide to the Essentials

• Section 4 Summary, p. 23

Typing the Web Code when promptedwill bring students directly to detailedinstructions for this activity.

PHSchool.com

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