The Revolutionary War Lexington and Concord British learned

The Revolutionary War

Lexington and Concord • British learned that colonists were storing weapons and ammunition at Concord • Started marching towards Lexington and Concord • Met with colonists at Lexington. . shots were fired • Continued to Concord…fighting happened again, where British were forced to retreat, resulting in a Colonial victory • “Shots heard round the world”

Battle of Breed’s/Bunker Hill • Battle between outnumbered colonists and British soldiers • British victory in taking the hills, but only after sustaining heavy casualties (almost half of the British soldiers dead or wounded) • Despite the loss for the Americans, it showed that they were actually able to contend with and stand a chance against the British in this war

Battle of Trenton • British did not expect to fight during the winter • Washington needed a victory, or else most of his army would leave once their enlistments ended at the end of the year • On Christmas night Washington took troops across the Delaware and surprised the British troops, taking much needed supplies • American Victory • Word of the victory helped to gain many new recruits to the Continental Army

Saratoga • British General Burgoyne found himself surrounded by Continental troops • General Burgoyne surrenders • British plan to separate the middle and southern colonies had failed • Considered the turning point of the war, because this victory convinced the French to join the war on the side of the Americans • After the French joined the side of the Americans, they recognized American independence and provided them with troops, money, supplies, training, etc.

Yorktown • Continental Army surrounds Cornwallis in Yorktown, Virginia, on a peninsula (land surrounded by water on all but one side) • Continental and French armies began to bombard the city with captured cannons • The French navy was able to keep the British navy from providing their troops with reinforcements • British supplies began to run low • Cornwallis surrendered • American Victory • Last major battle of the war

Treaty of Paris • Signed September 3, 1783 • Both sides sent delegates to Paris to make a treaty • Recognized the U. S. as an independent nation • British withdrew all their troops from American territory