The Quick Version of The Revolutionary War

British vs. Americans

Comparing The Two Sides

• American Weaknesses

– Small, inexperienced army– Left to tend farms– Lack of money and supplies

• American Strengths– Knew landscape– Had something to fight for

(patriotism)– Overseas help from French– George Washington

• British Weaknesses– Far away from supplies

and information– British people didn’t care– Poor leadership and

experience with America

• British Strengths– Large, professional army– Money to hire 30,000

Hessians and buy supplies– Loyalists and African

Americans– Artillery experience

Lexington and Concord

• April 14, 1775

• “Shot heard ‘round the world.”

• First battles of Revolution

• Americans held off the British.

Battle of Trenton

Battle of Trenton

• Christmas night 1776• British and Hessians had been

“celebrating”• George Washington gave men a

pep talk – Thomas Paine’s “The Crisis”

• Cold and damp• Crossed Delaware• Victory!! 868 Prisoners. No

American deaths• Sent message to British

The Crisis

THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value

Battle of Saratoga

• October 17, 1777• General Burgoyne commanded

large force of British soldiers• Surrounded by Americans• 18 days of fighting• Americans won and Burgoyne

surrendered• Victory convinced French to

help• TURNING POINT

Winter at Valley Forge

Hard Winter

• Armies didn’t really fight in the winter• Camped during winter• Cold and harsh conditions (Little Ice Age)• Hungry and sick• No shoes• Washington stayed with troops• Trained with Baron Von Steuben and the

Marquis de Lafayette. Turned them into a “real” army.

Marquis de Lafayette…

Thank you for

helping us France is honored to help

Your leg is frostbitten

The War at Sea

• British and Americans clashed on the sea• John Paul Jones = American Naval Commander• Serapis v. Bonhomme Richard• Crucial American Naval Victory

Fighting in South

• British and American forces clashed in the Southern colonies

• Change in British strategy. What they were doing in the north wasn’t working.

• Fought in the swamps• Francis Marion “The

Swamp Fox”• Guerilla Warfare

Yorktown

• Americans and French “faked out” the British. Made them think they were staying in New York.

• Marched to Virginia instead

• Siege at Yorktown. British tried to get away but a storm stopped them.

• Had to fight.

Yorktown(end-British surrender)

• Lord Cornwalis forced to surrender

• Pretended to be sick

• British surrendered arms and weapons

• Poor sports

• CONSIDERED TO BE THE END OF THE WAR!!!

Treaty of Paris 1783

• Americans get independence

• Americans get British holdings in North America

• We become the United States