1. American Revolution 1775-1783

2. First Battle – Lexington and Concord, Mass. – April 19, 1775 “Shot Heard Round The World” British army against Militia (Minutemen)  Mecklenburg Resolves – May 31, 1775 declared that British rule in the colonies was ended Second Continental Congress – May- June, 1775 – Philadelphia A. Created a Continental Army B. Chose George Washington to command C.Olive Branch Petition The Coming Revolution

3. Second Continental Congress

4. Battle of Lexington Bunker Hill

5. War in North Carolina 1775- 1776 Opposing Sides 1. Patriots – in favor of independence, many former Regulators 2. Loyalists/Tories – wanted to remain part of England - political elite, recent immigrants 3. Population is One/Third Patriot, One/Third Loyalist, One/Third Neutral at start of war – majority has become Patriot by end of war

6. Halifax Resolves – April 12, 1776 – –document that makes NC the first colony to officially support independence Some Trivia: Two dates on North Carolina’s state flag May 20, 1775=Mecklenburg Resolves April 12, 1776=Halifax Resolves

7. Declaring Independence Common Sense – published January 9, 1776 Thomas Paine B. First written work to state that the colonies should be independent Declaration of Independence A. Approved by Second Continental Congress on July 4 th, 1776 — signed by John Hancock President of the 2 nd Continental Congress B. Not signed until August 2 nd, 1776 C. Contained three main ideas 1. All men possess Unalienable Rights 2. England had violated the colonists’ rights 3. Colonies had the right to break away from England

8. THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 4. People have “certain unalienable rights” (rights that can not be taken away) –a. Life –b. Liberty –c. Pursuit of happiness 5. People establish government to protect those rights. 6. Government derives power from the people. 7. People have a right and a duty to change a government that violates their rights.

9. Declaration of Independence Picture of the Original Document

10. D. Written by Thomas Jefferson – originally contained a clause outlawing slavery – southerners would not approve E. Declaration of Independence did not address the rights of slaves or women – New England states abolished slavery on their own by 1784 Signers from NC – William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn Signers of the Declaration of Independence were committing treason and it was punishable by death

11. Thomas Jefferson Signing of Declaration of Independence

12. Molly Pitcher Attakullakulla

13. Advantages British Professional leaders Best army in world Best navy in world More financial resources Americans Fighting for a cause (Independence) Support of the people Fighting on their own land

14. A. 1775-1776 – British win most battles B. Low point of war for Patriots – early winter of 1776 1. Battle of Trenton – December 25, 1776 2. Hessians – German mercenaries C. Turning point of war in Northern colonies was the Battle of Saratoga – October 17, 1777 1. Defeated British plan to split the colonies in half 2. France and Spain join the Patriots against England War in the North

15. Washington crossing the Delaware Battle of Trenton

16. Battle of Saratoga

17. 1.3 types of troops: Continental Army, militia, partisans or “irregulars” 2. Valley Forge – Winter of 1777-78 – Americans did not have enough food, clothing, or shelter. They had also not been paid for months. 2000 died. Ages ran from 12 to 60 – Friedrich Von Steuben 3. Alliance with France in 1778 Marquis De Lafayette sent supplies, money, troops, navy

18. Valley Forge Marquis De Lafayette Steuben trains the Americans

19. War in the South After Saratoga (turning point of the war), British focus on the southern colonies – most loyalists in South A. British are successful at first, winning most southern battles B. Patriots had to resort to Guerilla warfare – hit and run, (terrorist-style) – Francis Marion (used as model for “The Patriot”) – Partisans C. Nathanael Greene became commander of Continental Army in the South D. British were commanded by Charles Cornwallis – decide to move north through North Carolina to meet main British army in the North.

20. Battle of Guilford Courthouse –March 15, 1781 –Greene goes to NC and waits for Cornwallis at Guilford County Courthouse (now Greensboro) –British win, but are badly weakened—1/4 of British troops dead or badly wounded

21. End of War Cornwallis is surrounded by American and French armies and French navy at Yorktown, Virginia British surrender on October 20, 1781 – last major battle of war Some trivia: The British army band played “The World Turned Upside Down” British decided war was not worth the cost Treaty of Paris is signed in 1783 – America gets independence

22. Francis Marion – The Swamp Fox Kings Mountain

23. Charles Cornwallis Nathanael Greene

24. British surrender at Yorktown