American Revolution

1
American Revolution

• A Timeline

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The Big Picture
Thomas Paines Common Sense January, 1776
Battle of Yorktown Fall 1781

Battle of Saratoga September, 1777
Battle of Lexington Concord April, 1775
1st Continental Congress September, 1774
2nd Continental Congress May, 1775
Treaty of Paris April 1783
Declaration of Independence July, 1776
Valley Forge Winter 1778
General Info
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1st Continental CongressSeptember, 1774

• 55 Delegates from all colonies except Georgia met
  in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Goal was not independence, but to represent
  colonial interest and challenge British control
• Some presentSamuel Adams, John Adams, Patrick
  Henry, George Washington
• Henry said The distinction between Virginians,
  Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders
  are no moreI am no longer a Virginian, but an
  American

4
Battle of Lexington ConcordThe shot heard
round the world

• British were prepared for a fight
• Several thousand British troops already in the
  colonies with more on the way
• Learning of militia stores, British troops in
  Boston were sent
• to Concord to seize and destroy all the
  artillery and ammunition you can find
• British troops met colonial militia in Lexington
  and Concord in the first battles of the American
  Revolution

5
2nd Continental Congress

• Colonial governance begins
• Establishment of - money, post offices,
  committees to communicate with the natives, and
  the CONTINENTAL ARMY
• George Washington name Commander in Chief
• Sent Olive Branch Petition last chance for
  Britain to avoid all-out war and protect colonial
  rights
• Some PresentJohn Adams, Samuel Adams, Patrick
  Henry, George Washington, Ben Franklin, John
  Hancock, Thomas Jefferson

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Thomas Paines Common Sense

• Paine called for complete independence from
  Britain
• He argued that it was common sense to stop
  following King George III
• (He also wrote The Crisis these are the
  times that try mens souls

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Battle of SaratogaTurning Point

• In an attempt to cut New England off from the
  other colonies, three British companies were
  expected to fight together
• Only General Burgoyne made it and found himself
  surrounded
• Burgoyne surrendered
• Victory boosted American spirits and caused
  European nations to think they could actually win

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Declaration of IndependenceJuly 4, 1776
Yippee

• Congress debated independence and the readiness
  of forming a separate nation
• Thomas Jefferson is chosen to write the document
• 56 delegates sign the document announcing the
  birth of the United States

9
Valley ForgeBummer

• British troops spent the winter of 1778 in
  comfort
• Washington and his troops set up camp at Valley
  Forge for a winter of terrible conditions
  lacking decent food, clothes and shelter (Can you
  imagine spending winter in Philadelphia
  barefoot?)
• Many Continentals deserted due to the conditions

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Battle of YorktownThe Last One

• Washington and another general secretly take
  their troops to Virginia where Cornwallis troops
  are camped
• French support arrives by boat to block the
  British in
• Washington and his troops make life miserable for
  the trapped British troops
• Cornwallis surrenders on October 19, 1781

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Treaty of ParisApril 1783

• Britain recognized the United States
  independence
• The United States are granted land from the
  Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River
• Colonists agree to give land back to the Loyalists

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General Info

• 1778 France announces support of Americans
• 1779 Spain declares war on the British