Revolutionary War

Early Defeats -British capture all major colonial cities New York Philadelphia Boston Charleston -Washington’s army in retreat and many desert

Patriot Victories -a few victories helped keep morale up -Dec. 1776 at Trenton Jan. 1777 at Princeton

Turning Point -large British force defeated at Saratoga Oct. 1777 -kept British near the coastline -helped colonists get French help in the war effort -turning point of the war

Valley Forge -camp site of Washington’s army during winter of 1777-78. -British forces occupied nearby cities -many soldiers died of cold and starvation -Congress struggled to gain supplies for the army -lack of central gov’t

Civilian Life -inflation -shortage of goods -women took over the work of men -some women helped the military effort

Foreign Help -foreign military leaders offered professional training for the army -Friedrich von Steuben Prussian officer who trained patriot soldiers -Marquis de Lafayette led volunteer army from France

Southern Campaign -British strategy changed to splitting the colonies -Charleston captured by Cornwallis -Kings Mtn Patriot -Cowpens

War’s End -Guilford Courthouse costly British victory -retreat to Yorktown -surrounded by French and Americans -Cornwallis surrenders Oct, 1781

Treaty of Paris -Treaty of Paris 1783 -recognized U.S. independence -set boundaries to the Mississippi -some provisions of the treaty will lead to trouble later

Symbol to the World -liberty -freedom -equality -opportunity -belief in a greater cause -set a precedent for the American future