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Towards Independence
Revolutionary War 1775-1781
Major Engagements
1
Northern Campaigns


Bunker Hill –
( or Breed’s Hill) Boston- 1775
British win, but
Americans fought well
until they ran out of
ammunition.
2
Breed’s Hill and Bunker Hill
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
Retreat from New
York- Washington is
forced to leave Long
Island and Manhattan
and retreat into
Pennsylvania. By
winter of 1775,
Continental Army is
down to 2,000
soldiers.
Molly Pitcher at
Monmouth, NY.
4
Battles of Trenton and Princeton

December 25, 1775
Washington crosses
the Delaware River
into New Jersey and
captures Trenton and
Princeton.
Represents a much
needed victory for the
American cause.
5
After Trenton and Princeton, British
General Howe captures Philadelphia.
 Under the commands of British
Generals Howe and Burgoyne –
British strategy is to separate New
England and force a surrender of the
American forces.

6
Battle of Saratoga 1777

Burgoyne is
surrounded at
Saratoga, NY by Gen.
Horatio Gates.
7
Saratoga- October, 1777
British General
Burgoyne surrenders
to American General
Gates.
Major American
victory.
8
Results of Saratoga
Considered a major turning point in the
war.
 Reasons:
 1. Major American victory.
 2. With Ben Franklin as the US Diplomat,
France agrees to form an alliance called:
 The Treaty of Alliance of 1778

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1778- 1780


(Continental troops
suffer a harsh winter
encampment –Valley
Forge)
(Troops are trained by
General von Steuben)
10
Southern Campaigns 1778- 1780


British change
strategy:
Under British General
Lord Cornwallis, the
plan is to defeat the
south and force a
surrender of American
troops.
11
Siege of Charleston

British capture
Savannah, Ga. and
Charleston, SC.,
including the
surrender of over
5,000 American troops
at Charleston.
12

Fort Vincennes and
Camden- British
victories
13

Kings Mountain and
Cowpens-American
victories- British are
forced from interior of
Carolinas to the coast
14
Guilford Courthouse, NC

British General
Cornwallis suffers
heavy causalities and
is forced to move
north into Virginia so
he can receive
reinforcements,
supplies, or removal
from the coastal area.

Cornwallis fires cannon into British
and American troops !
15
Yorktown

Yorktown- 1781 Lord
Cornwallis with 9,000
troops – encamps at
Yorktown, Va.

A small fortified garrison
is also established
across the York River at
Gloucester Town.
16
Washington -Rochambeau Route

French General
Rochambeau and
General Washington
move their armies
south from New York
to Yorktown.
17
Battle of the Capes

In 1781, the French
navy under French
Admiral DeGrasse
arrives and takes a
position at the mouth of
the Chesapeake.
18
Battle of the Capes

French turn back
British Navy at the
Battle of the Capes.

Cornwallis realizes he
may be trapped.
19
Yorktown - 1781

Washington (assisted by
Rochambeau and
Lafayette) with 17,000
American and French
troops lay siege to
Yorktown. Cornwallis is
trapped at Yorktown.
Cornwallis tries to
escape across the York
River to Gloucester
Town, but fails.
20
Surrender at Yorktown


October 19, 1781British General
Cornwallis
surrenders.
The war is won!
21
Battle of the Hook- Gloucester

The British sent out a foraging party from their fortified post
at Gloucester Towne (Gloucester Point). French and
American forces sent to Gloucester are led by Gen. deChoisy
and the Duke of Lauzun to protect Gloucester and to attack
the British. They were also supported by the Gloucester and
Virginia militia, led by John Page, Warner Lewis, and John
Mercer. The notorious British Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton was
commanding at the British post in Gloucester and upon
learning of the attack, rode out with his British dragoons to
cover the retreat. This battle is known as the Battle of the
Hook.
The result was an American victory as the British were
forced back to Gloucester Town and thus cutting off supplies
as well an escape route for Cornwallis.
22
Treaty of Paris 1783



Ends Revolutionary
WarAmerica obtains its
independence.
America obtains
former colonial lands
east of Mississippi.
British troops are to
leave America. (Map
1783)
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“ World Turned Upside Down”

If buttercups buzz'd after the
bee
If boats were on land,
churches on sea
If ponies rode men and if
grass ate the cows
And cats should be chased
into holes by the mouse

If the mamas sold their babies
To the Gypsies for half a
crown
If summer were spring
And the other way 'round
Then all the world would be
upside down!

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War at Sea

Congress created a Continental Navy and
commissioned over 400 private merchant
American vessels as naval vessels
throughout the war.

In addition, over 50 Continental Navy
ships were commissioned.

The British had over 400 Naval ships.
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
The most notable
American Naval
Commander was John
Paul Jones.

In 1779, Jones on the
ship Bonhomme
Richard defeated the
British ships Serapis
and Scarborough.
26

During the battle,
Jones shouted “ I have
not yet begun to fight

John Paul Jones
27

American ships attacked the British at sea, in the
West Indies, and even invaded England in a
daring raid at Whitehaven, England.

By 1779, France and Spain had joined as
American allies, and greatly reduced Britain's
naval superiority of the seas.

Britain lost over 2000 ships and had over 16,000
sailors captured.
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The End
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