From Defeat to Victory

Battle of Trenton In 1776, the British moved into their winter quarters in Trenton, Princeton, and other New Jersey towns. They planned to stay there until spring. On Christmas Day, Washington planned a surprise attack; he and his troops took more than 900 prisoners. When the British tried to retake Trenton, Washington took Princeton. These victories made Washington hopeful about the future.

Philadephia By the spring of 1777, Washington had received weapons from France and had rebuilt his army. The British wanted to take the Patriots’ capital of Philadelphia. Washington tried to stop them, but the British attacked them from behind. The British captured Philadelphia on September 26. The Continental Congress fled to York, Pennsylvania.

Victory at Saratoga John Burgoyne was a British general who decided to cut off New England and New York from the other colonies by capturing the Hudson River Valley. The colonists beat the British at Saratoga twice. The second time they were led by Benedict Arnold. This victory was a turning point. The Treaty of Alliance was signed by France to show support of the Americans during the Revolutionary War.

Marquis de Lafayette Marquis de Lafayette was a French nobleman who offered to fight for the Americans at his own expense. John Hancock made him a general, and he and George Washington became like father and son.

Valley Forge Valley Forge was located near Philadelphia. Washington relocated his troops here after the British took Philadelphia. The winter the Patriot troops spent there was harsh. They were cold, hungry, and sick. Many died. Friedrich von Steuben was a German who helped to train the troops at Valley Forge into a powerful army.

The Americans Gain George Rogers Clark was a Patriot who drove the British from the Ohio River Valley. He tricked the British into believing he had a big army by having his troops scream. John Paul Jones was an American captain who raided England’s coast. He is famous for the quote, “I have not yet begun to fight!” Colonists lifted their spirits by quoting heroes and singing songs, like “Yankee Doodle.”