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American Revolution
First Continental
Congress
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Battles of Lexington
and Concord
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September 1774: They meet in Philadelphia.
How to respond to crisis in Boston?
1. Continue boycotting.
2. Prepared militia (volunteer troops) in case violence starts.
3. Wrote a letter to Great Britain called the Declaration of
Rights.
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Second Continental
Congress
Common Sense
Declaring
Independence
Minutemen: colonial volunteers who could be ready at a
minutes’ notice.
In April 1775: General Thomas Gage decides to seize minutemen
weapons at Concord.
Sons of Liberty learned of the plan
Paul Revere and William Dawes rode through the country side
warning of the British march on Concord.
70 minutemen gathered at Lexington and faced a much larger
British force. The colonists were defeated.
British marched on to Concord.
Weapons were already removed. Minutemen fire!
Shot Heard Round the World: the start of the Revolutionary War
Redcoats - name the Patriots gave to the British soldiers because
of the color of their uniform jackets.
o British: 250+ casualties
o Americans: Less than 100 casualties.
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Met in May 1775: assembled at Philadelphia:
1. Sent the Olive Branch Petition to King George.
2. Created an army called the Continental Army with George
Washington as the general.
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Author was Thomas Paine.
Argued for breaking away from Britain and used plain language.
United ALL of the colonies together against the British
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June 10, 1776: Congress appointed a committee to draft a
statement of independence.
o Members:
 Thomas Jefferson- Main writer.
 Roger Sherman
 Benjamin Franklin
 Robert Livingston
 John Adams
Declaration of Independence:
o Unalienable rights. : life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
o Listed rights violated by King George III.
o Asserted the right to break away.
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American Revolution
Choosing Sides
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Patriots: colonists who chose to fight for independence.
Loyalists: colonists who sided with Great Britain.
Comparing Strengths
and Weaknesses
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British Advantage:
o More money and resources.
o Organized and well trained army.
o Most powerful Navy in the world.
American Disadvantage:
o Fewer resources.
o Poorly trained local militias.
o No Navy at beginning of war.
American Advantage:
o Fight on home turf.
o Many Americans supported the Revolution.
o Fought for cause they believed in.
British Disadvantage:
o Had to ship supplies long distances.
o Harassed by local citizens.
o Hired mercenaries.
 Mercenaries: hired foreign soldiers.
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Early Battles
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Other Sources of Help
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Battle of Trenton
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Fort Ticonderoga- Colonists captured weapons.
Bunker Hill, Breed’s Hill (Boston):
Colonial forces fortified Breed’s Hill to prevent British takeover
from Boston.
Outcome: Colonists show they can fight
o British: 1000 casualties
o Americans: 400 casualties
Native Americans:
o Fought on both sides.
o Many were neutral.
Women:
o Ran businesses and farms, raised money and supplies, sewing
groups, spies, messengers, nurses, and cooked and did laundry
in camps.
African Americans:
o Fought on both sides.
o Promised freedom by Britain.
December 25, 1776, General George Washington crosses the
Delaware River to Trenton, NJ for a surprise attack.
Effects:
o Morale boost
o 900 Hessians were captured, 5 American casualties
o New recruits join Patriot army
American Revolution
Battle of Saratoga
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Foreign Aid
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October 17, 1777: Burgoyne (British) surrenders to Gates
(American)
Turning point of the war:
o Big Patriot victory
o Morale boost
o Increased foreign support/aid
France and Spain began helping the Americans because they
believed the Americans could actually beat the British.
France would send troops, ships, supplies, and money.
Winter at Valley Forge
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December 1777: American troops settled for winter.
o Food and clothing shortages.
o 1/5th of soldiers died.
o Showed American suffering
Troops trained and became better soldiers- Friedrich von Steuben.
War in the South
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British move the war to the south
Britain cannot win the war:
o Patriots avoid full scale battles
o Patriots engage in guerrilla warfare
 Hit and run battle tactics
 Francis Marion “a.k.a. “The Swamp Fox”
Victory at Yorktown
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Lord Charles Cornwallis was the British General.
General Washington traps British army.
British surrender after a few weeks at Yorktown, Virginia.
Patriots defeated the largest British force on the continent- 8,000
Redcoats are taken as prisoners.
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Ended the Revolutionary War!
Details:
o Britain had to recognize the independence of the United
States.
o Also set the American borders- everything east of the
Mississippi River except Florida and Canada.
Treaty of Paris 1783