The American Revolution

Quick Timeline French & Indian War - 1754 Boston Massacre – 1770 Battle of Lexington - 1775 Declaration of Independence Started: June 1776 Signed: July 4, 1776 French/American Alliance – Feb. 1778 Treaty of Paris - 1783

After Lexington Battle of Bunker Hill – 1775 Americans occupy two hills near Boston British launch multiple assaults Ultimately they have to walk over the dead bodies of their comrades British win, but 1,100 British soldiers died Patriots lost fewer than 400

British Troops Strengths Weaknesses 20-30% of Colonists were Loyalists (sided w/ English) 50,000 fought on British side Strong, well-trained army Native Americans fought on their side British hired 30,000 mercenaries War unpopular in Britain Had to fight in hostile territory Didn’t adapt to the more rugged conditions in U.S.

Americans Strengths Weaknesses Fighting on their own soil Used tactics that had been successful in the F&I War George Washington = strong commander Tactics = outlast the British Didn’t have a stable force Not as many supplies

Battle of Saratoga American attack on British forces near New York Surrounded and beat the British forces Major turning point battle Important sign the Americans were winning Convinced France to join their side

France Allies with America In Feb. of 1778, the French sign treaty of alliance with the United States More supplies, troops, a navy Spain joined a year later

Battle of Yorktown The final battle in the war Washington defeated the British troops and finished off the war

Treaty of Paris 1783