The Revolutionary

War

Language of the Discipline

• retreat

To retreat means to stop fighting and move away from the enemy.

Language of the Discipline

• siege

A siege is the surrounding of a place by an army in order to capture it.

Language of the Discipline

• campaign

A campaign is a series of battles to achieve a specific purpose.

Language of the Discipline

• mercenary

A mercenary is a soldier from one country who is paid to fight for another country.

Language of the Discipline

• turning point

A turning point is a time when important changes occur.

Revolutionary War Timeline

1775 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782 1783 1784

April 1775Patriot militias battle the British at Lexington and Concord.

June 1775The British force an American retreat near Bunker Hill.

March 1776British troops retreat from Boston after a nearly year-long siege

Allies and Enemies• How did the American Indians help the

Patriots?

In New England, members of the Stockbridge Mohican group served in militias both before and during the war; in 1776 the Oneida joined the Patriots too.

Revolutionary War Timeline

1775 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782 1783 1784

August 1776American troops retreat from New York City.

December 1776Washington captures Hessian mercenaries at Trenton.

February 1779George Rogers Clark recaptures the fort at

Vincennes.

October 1777Americans capture more than 5,000 British troops at Saratoga.

Challenges in the Middle Colonies

• Why was the Battle of Saratoga a turning point in the war?

• After Saratoga, the British ended their campaign in the Middle Colonies, and France decided to help the Patriots.

War in the West and at Sea• What sequence of events

led to Clark’s finally taking control of the fort at Vincennes in February 1779?

1. Clark took control of the fort at Vincennes without a fight.2. The British fought back and captured the fort.3. Clark surprised the British and won back Vincennes.

Revolutionary War Timeline

1775 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782 1783 1784

May 1780More than 5,000 Patriots surrender to the British at Charles Town.

September 1783The Treaty of Paris officially ends the American Revolution.

October 1781American and French forces defeat the British at Yorktown.

The Southern Campaign

• How did American commanders fight the war in the Southern Colonies?

Francis Marion used small forces to attack British troops and then quickly withdraw. Nathanael Greene forced the British to chase his armies and turned to fight only when he saw a good opportunity.

Yorktown and Victory

• Why did Cornwallis surrender at Yorktown?

He was trapped. Washington’s army had surrounded him, and French ships blocked an escape by sea.

Revolutionary War Battle Summary• Important turning points helped the

Patriots defeat Great Britain during the Revolutionary War. What were some of the turning points?

1. At Saratoga, Patriots captured a large British force and convinced France to join the fight.

2. At Valley Forge, Washington and his troops made it through a difficult winter.

3. At Yorktown, Washington and French allies captured a large British force, which led to the American victory in the war.