Colonialists at War

Objective:We will learn about the events

of the Revolutionary War.

Ustaadhah Mariam Annor

What is a Mercenary? a soldier from another country paid

to fight for another country

A professional soldier who is hired

Ethan Allen was an outspoken Patriot. Hecommanded a group of Vermont Soldiers called the Green Mountain Boys.

Earlier in the war, they captured Fort Ticonderoga. They seized British cannons that the colonists needed.

George Washington needed the cannons. When they surrounded Boston they used them to force the British out.

Henry Knox was given the task of moving the cannons, but the 50 cannons weighed over 5,000 pounds each.

With horses pulling, they built sleds and dragged the cannons over the snow.

People cheered them on as they passed villages and towns with their load.

• Washington put the cannon on a hill and scared the British out of the fort.

• The British had the best navy in the world. Their soldiers were well trained and equipped. They were also able to hire mercenaries to help fight the war. King George was determined to defeat the Americans.

The Americans placed a spy in the British army. His name Nathan Hale. Sadly, he was discovered and hanged.

The lowest point for the Americans came in December 1776. The troops were walking across New Jersey and crossing the Delaware River. They camped in Pennsylvania. There was a shortage of food and clothing. The soldiers were often sick, cold, and hungry.

George Washington decided to make a move. The German mercenaries held Trenton, New Jersey.

These troops were known as Hessians because they came from the region of Hesse in Germany

Washington wanted to take them by surprise. He chose to attack on December 25th at night.

Washington’s soldiers began crossing the Delaware River after dark. The night was cold and stormy.

It was difficult to navigate the water because of ice floats. They attacked Trenton early the next morning.

They captured the town and took nearly 1,000 Hessian prisoners. This victory gave them new hope.

ClassworkWrite a letter home to your family pretending you were

one of those soldiers that night in 1776.