1. 4 TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES The American Revolution

2. What Events Led to the American Revolution? The French and Indian War (1754-1763) The Sugar Act (1764) The Stamp Act (1765) The Boston Massacre (1770) The Boston Tea Party (1773) Vocabulary:  Congress – a meeting or convention.  Tyranny – very cruel and unfair use of power.

3. The Battle of Lexington and Concord The American Revolution April 19, 1775 in Massachusetts. British troops were sent to Lexington and Concord in search of hidden weapons, but the Massachusetts Militia known as the Minutemen were armed and ready! It’s War!

4. Where are the weapons? The Battle of Lexington and Concord The British troops never found any hidden weapons. The colonists had already moved them. Shots were fired and the British marched back to Boston. Along the way the British troops were attacked by the Minutemen hiding on the road. This marked the beginning of the American Revolution. Lexington and Concord (1775)

5. The Continental Army The Continental Army was led by General George Washington. The army consisted of mostly untrained volunteers. They had very few supplies or uniforms. Some soldiers didn’t even have shoes!

6. The Battle of Saratoga The American troops defeated the British in New York. This victory convinced the French to support the colonists. The French saw anyone against Great Britain as a friend. This was the turning point of the Revolution.

7. The Battle of Yorktown In 1781 the Continental Army defeated the British troops at Yorktown, Virginia. Great Britain’s Lord Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington. America had won its INDEPENDENCE!

8. Geography Matters Armies always use the geography of an area to help them in battle. For example, armies like to have control of the high ground so they can see everything going on around them. At the Battle of Lexington and Concord, American soldiers hid in the woods and behind stone fences so they could surprise their British enemy.

9. Geography: Battle of Saratoga The British faced many geographic challenges in the Battle of Saratoga. British generals could not get messages to each other. There were few roads – just thick forest. Heavy rain turned the ground into thick mud. The Americans used the geography to their advantage by hiding in the woods and staking positions on high bluffs.

10. The Battle of Saratoga

11. Geography: Battle of Yorktown The British were camped at Yorktown, Virginia, located on the Chesapeake Bay. The British chose the location because it was easy for ships to bring supplies. American and French troops surrounded Yorktown. The French Navy moved into Chesapeake Bay blocking all British ships from bringing in supplies. After 2 weeks the British soldiers surrendered – the war was over.

12. Battle of Yorktown

13. King George III George Washington British king during the American Revolution. Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. He later became the first president of the United States. Important People - Review

14. John Adams Benjamin Franklin Massachusetts lawyer who was on the Declaration Committee. He later became the 2 nd president of the U.S. A colonial leader who was also an inventor and a scientist. He helped create the Declaration of Independence. Important People - Review

15. Thomas Jefferson Benedict Arnold The main author of the Declaration of Independence. He later became the 3 rd president of the U.S. Former Continental Army officer who sold information to the British Army. He left the Continental Army, and joined the British Army He is one of the most famous “traitors” in history. Important People - Review

16. Patrick Henry - Virginia political leader known for his famous speeches. - Just before the American Revolution began he said, “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!”