1. AMERICAN REVOLUTION

2. SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS MAY 10, 1775 HOPING TO AVOID WAR WITH BRITAIN, DELEGATES SENT THE “OLIVE BRANCH PETITION” DECLARING THEIR LOYALTY TO THE KING OF ENGLAND AND ASKING HIM TO REPEAL THE INTOLERABLE ACTS. IN RESPONSE, THE KING SENT 20,000 MORE BRITISH TROOPS TO CRUSH THE REVOLT. GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS NAMED THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY.

3. THE OPPOSING SIDES PATRIOTS: COLONISTS WHO FAVORED WAR AGAINST BRITAIN. PATRIOTS: COLONISTS WHO FAVORED WAR AGAINST BRITAIN. ADVANTAGES: OWNED THEIR OWN RIFFLES AND WERE GOOD SHOTS. ADVANTAGES: OWNED THEIR OWN RIFFLES AND WERE GOOD SHOTS. DISADVANTAGES: FORCES WERE POORLY TRAINED, UNORGANIZED, HAD FEW CANNONS, LITTLE GUNPOWDER, AND NO NAVY. DISADVANTAGES: FORCES WERE POORLY TRAINED, UNORGANIZED, HAD FEW CANNONS, LITTLE GUNPOWDER, AND NO NAVY. LOYALISTS- COLONISTS WHO REMAINED LOYAL TO BRITAIN. LOYALISTS- COLONISTS WHO REMAINED LOYAL TO BRITAIN. BRITISH: VERY POWERFUL BRITISH: VERY POWERFUL ADVANTAGES: HAD HIGHLY TRAINED, EXPERIENCED TROOPS AND THE BEST NAVY IN THE WORLD. ADVANTAGES: HAD HIGHLY TRAINED, EXPERIENCED TROOPS AND THE BEST NAVY IN THE WORLD. DISADVANTAGES: ARMIES WERE 3,000 MILES FROM HOME (NEWS AND SUPPLIES TOOK MONTHS TO TRAVEL) DISADVANTAGES: ARMIES WERE 3,000 MILES FROM HOME (NEWS AND SUPPLIES TOOK MONTHS TO TRAVEL)

4. BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL FIRST MAJOR BATTLE OF THE REVOLUTION. FOUGHT OUTSIDE BOSTON, MA. THE BRITISH WON, BUT THE BATTLE PROVED THE PATRIOTS COULD FIGHT BRAVELY. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, WASHINGTON PLACED CANNONS ON BUNKER HILL AND POINTED THEM TOWARDS BOSTON. THE BRITISH RETREATED TO CANADA AND THE PATRIOTS TOOK CONTROL OF BOSTON. KING GEORGE ORDERED A BLOCKADE OF ALL COLONIAL PORTS.

5. “COMMON SENSE” THOMAS PAINE WROTE A FAMOUS PAMPHLET CALLED COMMON SENSE THAT ARGUED THAT THE COLONIES SHOULD SEPARATE FROM ENGLAND. THOMAS PAINE WROTE A FAMOUS PAMPHLET CALLED COMMON SENSE THAT ARGUED THAT THE COLONIES SHOULD SEPARATE FROM ENGLAND. THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS MET AGAIN IN 1776 AND DECIDED TO SEPARATE FROM ENGLAND.

6. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WRITTEN BY THOMAS JEFFERSON CONSISTS OF THE PREAMBLE (INTRODUCTION) AND THREE MAIN SECTIONS SECTION 1: STRESSES THE IDEA OF UNALIENABLE OR “NATURAL RIGHTS” THAT BELONG TO PEOPLE FROM BIRTH; INCLUDES THE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. SECTION 2: LIST OF GRIEVANCES AGAINST THE ENGLISH KING AND PARLIAMENT SECTION 3: DECLARES INDEPENDENCE – THE 13 COLONIES ARE NOW THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

7. KEY BATTLES 1775 - LEXINGTON & CONCORD: 1 ST CLASH OF THE WAR 1775 - BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL: 1 ST MAJOR BATTLE OF THE WAR 1776 - THE BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND, NY: BRITISH TOOK CONTROL OF NY CITY AND FORCED WASHINGTON TO RETREAT TO NEW JERSEY.

8. 1776 - The Battle of Trenton and Princeton, NJ: WASHINGTON ESCAPED ACROSS THE DELAWARE RIVER SURPRISING THE BRITISH WITH TWO SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS. THESE UNEXPECTED VICTORIES ARE SOMETIMES CALLED THE “TWIN MIRACLES.”

9. Victory at the Battle of Saratoga (1777) THE TURNING POINT IN THE WAR. THE FRENCH WERE IMPRESSED BY THE AMERICAN VICTORY AND DECIDED TO JOIN THE PATRIOTS IN BATTLING THE BRITISH. LATER, OTHER NATIONS SUCH AS THE NETHERLANDS AND SPAIN WOULD JOIN IN THE WAR AGAINST BRITAIN.

11. THE WINTER AT VALLEY FORGE (1777-1778) LOW POINT IN THE WAR FOR WASHINGTON AND HIS TROOPS. 3,000 MEN DIED OF STARVATION AND DISEASE

12. 1781- BATTLE OF YORKTOWN, VA LORD CORNWALLIS WAS SURROUNDED IN VA BY WASHINGTON AND THE FRENCH NAVY. ENGLAND WAS FORCED TO SURRENDER TO GEORGE WASHINGTON ENDING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

13. RESULTS OF THE REVOLUTION THE BIRTH OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE TREATY OF PARIS, 1783, WAS SIGNED GRANTING ALL ENGLISH LANDS EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE USA. ENGLAND LOST ALL COLONIES IN NORTH AMERICA. CANADA WAS RETURNED TO FRANCE. NOW, THE YOUNG NATION WOULD HAVE TO PROVE IT COULD SURVIVE.