1. 1775-1783

2. Patriots (1/3): colonists who were fighting against the British.  Poor organization and training, few military supplies. Defending their homeland The British: soldiers from Britain sent over to squash the colonial rebellion. Highly trained and experienced.  3,000 miles from home, constantly watching their backs. Loyalists (1/3): colonists who supported Great Britain and didn’t want to fight King George III. Not much… They were usually wealthy merchants or British officials.  Hated by Patriots; tarred and feathered, forced to go to Canada or England. Neutralists (1/3): Refused to fight or support either side.

3. “The shot heard around the world” Minutemen waiting for them in Lexington. Wounded a few, but Redcoats kept going. Arrived at Concord and were attacked severely by colonials. British lost 73 men, another 200 missing or wounded.

4. Met and sent the Olive Branch Petition to King George asking to repeal the Intolerable Acts. King George was outraged and sent 20,000 more troops to the colonies. Ethan Allen takes Fort Ticonderoga “in the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress!” Set up the Continental Army with George Washington as commander.

5. Colonel William Prescott led 1,200 minutemen up Bunker Hill, across the river from Boston, then moved them to Breed’s Hill for a better position. William Howe, the British general led 2,400 Redcoats over to fight. The first and second British attacks were fended off, but the third attack took both hills for the British. British lost about 1,000 men, Americans lost about 400. Washington trained nearly 16000 troops around Boston and forced the British to leave the town by March of 1776.

6. Thomas Paine and Common Sense convinced many Americans of the basic needs of a people and how King George didn’t fit into that for them. The Continental Congress established a committee to draft a declaration…

7. 3 members of the Committee were: John Adams, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. Written in June, voted on on July 2… Adopted on July 4, 1776. Signed by delegates from all 13 colonies (states). Printed and distributed throughout the summer.

8. In groups, you will rewrite the declaration into your own words and create a story board of at least 6 frames graphically explaining the text. The text should break down tough words and create a modern easy-to-read and understand text. The storyboards should feature at least 6 of the most important ideas explained in your portion of the document. We will be reading these together as a class and posting the pictures.

9. Long Island – Aug 1776 Washington runs British out of Boston and into New York. Loses over 1,400 men fighting and retreating from NY into Pennsylvania. Trenton – Dec 25, 1776 Surprise attack on town, captured all of the German mercenaries. Tricked Cornwallis into attacking the abandoned camp while GW attacked behind Brit. Lines. Saratoga – October 1777 Benedict Arnold hero because he drove the Brits back toward Canada. Turning point of the war!

10. Ben Franklin goes to France to pursuade King Louis XVI to aid America. Battle of Saratoga convinced the French to help. Treaty to aid the US signed in 1778. Netherlands and Spain offered aid as well.

11. Valley Forge – Winter 77-78 Damp, drafty and COLD. The soldiers “stuck it out” with little food or clothing, many suffering from disease and frostbite. Cowpens, SC– Jan 1781 Gen. Morgan divided soldiers into two lines and told soldiers to attack twice, then retreat. Brits followed retreating soldiers right into the second line! Yorktown – Sept-Oct 1781 Washington trapped Cornwallis on the Yorktown Peninsula. French Fleet sitting in Chesapeake Bay preventing escape!

12. October 19, 1781 the British surrendered at Yorktown Americans got nearly everything they requested in the peace talks. USA from Atlantic to Mississippi; Great Lakes down to Florida (now Spanish again). April 15, 1783 Treaty of Paris ratified.