Unit 2: The American Revolution

Lesson 3: American Revolutionary War

http://www.history.com/topics/americanrevolution/videos#american-revolution

Lexington and Concord

Town of Concord had an army of minutemen The King considered this a rebellious act King sent British troops

Paul Revere warned the troops in Lexington and Concord The first battle of the Revolutionary War begins!

The Americans appeal to the French

The French, old enemies of Britain, began to secretly send supplies to the Americans Benjamin Franklin is sent to France in 1776 to try and persuade the French to enter the war. He stayed in France until 1785 The Americans wanted France to send troops as well, but France wanted an impressive American victory before declaring war on Britain

 General George
Washington

The Second Continental Congress made him commander of the Continental Army The early war effort goes poorly for the Americans as they lose several key battles

Crossing the Delaware River

Most armies of the time didnt fight during the winter because of the poor weather conditions, and scarcity of food On December 25th 1776, Washington, needing a victory to convince many of his soldiers to re-enlist, crosses the Delaware River into NJ and captures almost 1,000 British troops and their supplies in Trenton, New Jersey

http://www.history.co m/topics/americanrevolution/videos#ge orge-washingtonmakes-surpriseattack-on-trenton

Washington Crosses the Delaware

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

1777: The British capture Philadelphia in September , Washington takes his troops into winter camp at Valley Forge Poorly equipped and supplied, the cold, food shortages, and diseases, kill nearly 2,500 men

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

As a part of the American-French alliance Marquis de Lafayette joined Washington at Valley Forge and helped train the army. He also helped convince the French to send more aid to the Americans.

Battle of Saratoga

In October 1777, the Americans defeated the British at Saratoga, NY. This American victory was a turning point in the war because it boosted American moral and brought France into the war against Britain

Yorktown, Virginia

In April 1781, British forces led by General Cornwallis invade Virginia Cornwallis moved his troops to Yorktown in order to gain supplies and keep a line of communication open by sea

Yorktown

Washington took the opportunity to march from NY to Yorktown with a combined American and French army The French navy sailed up from the Caribbean to block supplies from reaching Cornwallis army and to cut off his ability to escape by sea

http://www.history.com/topics/a mericanrevolution/videos#1781-victoryat-yorktown-helps-end-theamerican-revolution

YorktownWhat role did the French play in

defeating the British?

In September 1781 American and French forces surround Yorktown and begin to attack Cornwallis army After almost 3 weeks of constant bombardment, the 8,000 man British army surrenders The surrender at Yorktown signaled the end of the war for the British

The Treaty of Paris, 1783

Signed in September 1783, the Treaty: -Recognized the United States as a new nation, setting its western border at the Mississippi River -Gave Florida back to Spain, and gave the French several colonies in Africa and the Caribbean

Museum Exhibit
Directions:You are a historian for the Smithsonian Museum. The museum is developing a new exhibit on the Revolutionary War period. You have been assigned to pick two events and one person from the period and create an informational sign to explain the exhibit. Each group member must do a different set of topics. This means that together you should complete, or nearly complete, the exhibit.

Each of your exhibits should include the following:

-title for the event or individual - the date (for events use the date it occurred; for people use birth and death dates) - a paragraph explanation (Hint: use complete sentences) - For the person: explain how this person influenced the Revolutionary War - For the event: explain the causes and effects of the event - an illustration of the event or person