1. THE KEY BATTLES OF LEXINGTON AND CONCORD, NEW YORK, TRENTON, AND YORKTOWN The Revolutionary War

2. Lexington and Concord In 1775, Colonists began stockpiling weapons and supplies. The Redcoats (British Army) went to Lexington and Concord to seize illegal weapons. The Colonists ambushed the British Army in Concord and slaughtered hundreds of them. The Colonists held Boston under siege.

3. The Battle of New York The British retreated to New York from Boston and assembled 32,000 soldiers. General George Washington had 23,000 and was outnumbered. The Continental Army (Colonists) were defeated with heavy loses. The Continental Army was pushed to Pennsylvania.

4. The Battle of Trenton On Christmas night, 1776, George Washington marched his army through sleet and snow to surprise the Hessians (Germans fighting for the British). The next morning, the Hessians drank too much and weren’t ready for the fight. The Continental Army killed 38 and captured 900 men and took canons.

5. The Battle of Saratoga This was a turning point in the war. In 1777, the Continental Army defeated a British force of 5000 men. This enlisted the support of the French.

6. The British Surrender at Yorktown The war moved south to Yorktown, Virginia. The Americans and French bombarded Yorktown for a month. The British surrendered on October 17, 1781.