WAR BATTLES American Revolution PowerPoint Lexington Bunker Hill Trenton Lexington Concord Saratoga Valley Forge Yorktown © Erin Kathryn 2014

Battle of Lexington & Concord April 19, 1775 General Thomas Gage, the British governor of Massachusetts, learned that Patriots were storing gunpowder and cannons in Concord, Massachusetts. He sent soldiers to destroy the supplies. The soldiers were going to march at night, so that they could surprise the Patriots. General Gage’s plan was not kept a secret. Patriots soon found out what was happening. Patriots, Paul Revere and William Dawes, rode on horseback to alert the minutemen (militia) that “The Regulars are coming out!” Paul Revere during his Midnight Ride © Erin Kathryn 2014

Battle of Lexington & Concord The British reached Lexington just before sunrise. They were met by a small group of minutemen. The British told them to leave. As they turned to leave, a shot was fired. No one knows which side, the British or the colonists, shot first. Both sides began shooting at one another. The British marched on to Concord. © Erin Kathryn 2014

Battle of Lexington & Concord Minutemen gathered in Concord, as the British searched for the hidden gunpowder and cannons. Fighting broke out. The minutemen forced the British to retreat back to Boston. More than 250 British soldiers were wounded or killed before the British reached Boston. The news about the Battle of Lexington and Concord spread quickly. Militias gathered in Boston. The British in Boston were trapped. © Erin Kathryn 2014

Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed’s Hill) June 16, 1775 Militia leaders chose to build a fort on Bunker Hill. The hill gave them the advantage to fire cannons at the British soldiers in Boston. It also made it difficult for the British soldiers to attack them. The militia chose to build the fort on Breed’s Hill instead. Breed’s Hill was closer to Boston. © Erin Kathryn 2014

Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed’s Hill) The British attacked the fort three times. After being forced to retreat the first two times, the Patriots ran out of gunpowder on the third attack. The British captured the fort, even though more than half of their soldiers were killed or injured. This battle was significant because it proved that the Patriots could fight well. “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!” – William Prescott (Patriot leader) © Erin Kathryn 2014

Battle of Trenton December 25, 1776 George Washington wanted to win a battle, after losing the Battle of Long Island, so that his troops would not lose hope. Washington decided to surprise attack an enemy camp in Trenton, New Jersey. The soldiers at this camp were German mercenaries. A mercenary is a soldier who is paid to fight for another country. Washington’s army crossed the Delaware River and attacked Trenton during the night. His army took almost 1,000 prisoners. The Patriots were victorious. © Erin Kathryn 2014

Battle of Saratoga September 19, 1777 The British began an attack from Canada. Americans stopped the British near Saratoga, New York. Upon meeting, the armies fought two intense battles. The Americans won. The Americans forced General Burgoyne and over 5,000 of his soldiers to surrender. © Erin Kathryn 2014

Battle of Saratoga The Battle of Saratoga was considered a turning point in the war. Benjamin Franklin had been trying to get help with the war from France. After the victory at Saratoga, France was convinced that the Americans could win the war with Britain. France sent money, soldiers, and a navy to help the Americans. Spain, the Netherlands, and Russia later joined the fight against the British. Benjamin Franklin © Erin Kathryn 2014

Valley Forge During the winter of 1777, the Continental Army was forced to stay in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, after the British captured Philadelphia. There were no huts to sleep on, so soldiers had to sleep on the frozen ground. There was little food and many soldiers died of disease. Washington’s great leadership helped keep the soldiers going. He worked hard to get the soldiers the things they needed. By spring, the Continental Army had more food and better uniforms. While at Valley Forge, the soldiers received training from Baron von Steuben, a German soldier. This training helped the soldiers to fight well in their next battle. © Erin Kathryn 2014

Battle of Yorktown October 9, 1781 General Cornwallis led the British army to Yorktown, Virginia. George Washington marched his troops south from New York into Virginia. Americans and the French fired cannons on Yorktown relentlessly. The French Navy blocked Yorktown harbor, so Cornwallis could not be rescued by British ships. Cornwallis was trapped. The British army surrendered at Yorktown. The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the War for Independence. © Erin Kathryn 2014