Americans Seize Forts Ft. Ticonderoga falls to the Green Mountain Boys Fort Crown Point follows

How About Another Meeting The Second Continental Congress Meets

Peace Offering The Olive Branch Petition is sent to King George He rejects it!

A Nation Divided 1/3 are loyal to the King 1/3 want war 1/3 are neutral

Congress Takes Action Plan for war Organize an army and navy Beg for money

Pick a Leader George Washington to the rescue!

Pick a Postmaster Who else but Ben Franklin! What bill is he pictured on?

Let’s Make a Deal General Gage (he’s British) offers forgiveness to naughty colonials In return for a pledge of loyalty to old King George

Boston Explodes The Battle of Bunker Hill “Don’t fire ‘till you see the whites of their eyes”

Fighting Spreads The Americans capture Montreal, but not Quebec Gen. Montgomery killed; Col. Benedict Arnold wounded

Misplaced Loyalty “Loyalists” defeated at Moore’s Creek, N.C.

The Declaration of Independence On July 4, 1776, we officially separate from Great Britain “Separate and Fight. The war has already begun!”

The Revolutionary War Colonial Strengths: George Washington, frontier fighters, home field advantage Colonial Weaknesses: No money, weak navy, 1/3 of colonists are loyalists, we need help from other countries to win the war

The Bad Guys British strengths: well-trained soldiers, good equipment, powerful navy, money, help from loyalists Weaknesses: Old school fighting style, also fighting other countries, far from home

The Empire Strikes Back The American army is routed at the Battle of New York George Washington retreats

An Unsung Hero Nathan Hale said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

The Christmas Crossing Gen. Washington leads his troops in a surprise attack on Trenton the day after Christmas

A Big Risk Pays Off George Washington was loosing the confidence of the troops After winning the battle the troops are encouraged troops to sign up for more fighting at Princeton and Brandywine.

Suffering The Continental Army spends a long, cold winter at Valley Forge, PA.

The Turning Point The British are soundly defeated at Saratoga, NY The tide turns in favor of the Americans

Back and Forth Monmouth, NJ- a tie goes Washington’s way Savannah, Ga.- the British prevail Charleston, SC- the biggest British win of the war Camden, SC- the Americans are mauled King’s Mountain, NC- Americans come back Vincennes- The British and Mohawk allies lose Cowpens, SC.- the end of British successes in the South

War at Sea Captain John Paul Jones: Naval hero “I have not yet begun to fight!”

Traitor Benedict Arnold betrays America Plots to turn West Point over to Great Britain

The Final Battle The British are surrounded at Yorktown General Cornwallis gets cornered 8,000 British troops surrender

Why did the British end the War? The war had become unpopular in Britain War drags on and is not going well World War with France, Spain and Dutch

The Treaty of Paris September 3, 1783 The new nation’s boundaries are established Freedom and independence at last!