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Home , Battle of Bunker Hill

Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill actually occurred on Breed’s Hill. It is mistakenly remembered as the Battle of Bunker Hill. The began to occupy Breed’s Hill on June 16, 1775 to protect the shipyard in nearby . During the night, the Continental soldiers built earthworks and readied themselves for battle. The British attacked and tried to take the hill from the Continental Army the next day, June 17. The American commander, Colonel , knew his men were very low on ammunition. In an effort to help save ammunition, he made the famous command, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” 18th century weapons were very inaccurate from long distances, so Prescott wanted his men to shoot from short distances so that their limited ammunition would be used to do the most damage to the advancing British troops. The British were able to take the hill under the command of General William Howe. However, they lost many soldiers. More than 200 British soldiers were killed and 800 were wounded, while the Americans had far fewer deaths and injuries. As soon as the Continental Army ran out of ammunition, they retreated. The Continental Army lost this battle. However, they showed the British that they were willing and able to fight for their independence.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit The Second

The Second Continental Congress began in May of 1775. Delegates, or representatives, from each of the met in Philadelphia to discuss their next steps in the . Notable members of the Second Continental Congress included , Ben Franklin, , along with many other important colonial leaders. The Second Continental Congress took action to help the Americans in their fight for independence. They knew that something had to be done to handle the military needs of the colonies. First, they established the Continental Army as the fighting force that would represent the thirteen colonies. Second, they elected as the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. Third, the Second Continental Congress authorized the printing of money. Money was necessary to pay soldiers and to purchase supplies and food for the soldiers. Even after all of this military planning, most delegates were still open to a reconciliation with England. They wanted to remain British citizens. Only a few radical thinkers, like , wanted complete separation from England. In July 1775, Congress approved and sent the to King George III. This petition stated that the colonists wanted to remain loyal to England and work out their problems peacefully. King George III refused to look at the petition and instead declared the colonies to be in a state of rebellion. Colonists were angered further when the king hired (German) soldiers to bring the colonies back under control. This caused the colonists to feel that they were no longer being treated as English citizens. The Second Continental Congress knew that they must take further, deeper action. By the summer of 1776, the members of the Second Continental Congress were wanted by England for treason. They were at the point of no return and took drastic action…they approved the Declaration of Independence, a statement of formal separation from England.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit Declaration of Independence The Second Continental Congress decided to take drastic action and ratified (approved) the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This document is one of the most cherished in American history. Thomas Jefferson spent about two weeks writing this document that expressed the thoughts and feelings of the American colonists. Colonists had grown tired of being treated as less worthy than British citizens. Jefferson carefully stated the outrage of the colonists at the actions and aggression they were receiving from England. Jefferson put great effort into this document, which would explain to the world why the colonies were breaking ties with England. A total of 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence. These men were some of the wealthiest and most powerful colonists. They had a lot to lose if the American Revolution was lost. They were taking a huge risk by signing this document.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit Picture this: It’s night, 1776. General Washington and part of his army began their journey across the Delaware River. It was a dangerous night to attempt a river crossing. The river was full of ice and a violent snowstorm was in progress. While facing these conditions, the men must be very quiet. They do not want to be discovered. Why was the Battle of Trenton fought? George Washington knew German Hessians were occupying Trenton, New Jersey. Hessians were soldiers hired by the British to fight in the colonies. Washington saw an opportunity to attack the Hessians from three directions. He planned the attack to increase the confidence of his soldiers. They had just suffered a devastating defeat in . Many of the soldiers’ enlistment contracts were set to expire soon and Washington knew he had to do something to raise morale. Washington and his men successfully crossed the river and marched through freezing sleet and rain to the outskirts of Trenton, New Jersey. The Continental Army surprised a sleeping force of Hessians on the morning of December 26, 1776. The battle lasted only about 45 minutes. Around 900 German Hessians were taken prisoner. The Continental Army’s victory at Trenton allowed them to gain needed weapons and ammunition. The victory also considerably raised the morale of the soldiers.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit Battle of Saratoga The Battle of Saratoga was the turning point of the American Revolution. When the Continental Army won this battle, the French were finally convinced that the Americans had a chance at winning the Revolution. In 1777, around 10,000 British soldiers, led by General Burgoyne, began to march toward New York. General Burgoyne planned to invade the city of Albany, New York and cut off the New England region from the rest of the colonies. He hoped to achieve this by taking control of the Hudson River Valley. General Burgoyne hoped that the capture of New York would be so devastating to the Continental Army that they would surrender. On the way to Albany, the British were slowed down continually by small groups of colonial militiamen who ripped apart bridges and chopped down trees to lay across the roads that the British soldiers would soon travel. Although frustrated, General Burgoyne continued to march his men toward Albany. When General Burgoyne reached Saratoga in September 1777, he found a colonial force of approximately 8,000, commanded by General . The battle began on October 7 and lasted ten days. The Americans defeated the British. General Burgoyne surrendered himself and all of his soldiers to the Continental Army. The French were impressed by the colonists’ win. They were convinced by that it would be best for France to support the colonists. France joined the American Revolution on the side of the Patriots.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit The Continental Army’s Winter Quarters

As the winter of 1777-1778 approached, General George Washington knew he needed a place to settle his army for the winter. He chose an area called Valley Forge, in southeastern Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. General Washington chose Valley Forge as the Continental Army’s winter quarters for two reasons. First, Valley Forge was close to the city of Philadelphia. This was important because the British were camped for the winter in Philadelphia and he felt it was necessary to monitor their movements. He also wanted to protect the citizens of Pennsylvania if the British chose to attack. Second, General Washington chose Valley Forge because the area was easily defendable. Nearby Mount Joy and Mount Misery offered high spots on which to build forts. The Schuylkill River to the north of Valley Forge offered an extra barrier to attack. Conditions at Valley Forge were extremely difficult for soldiers. Soldiers were forced to live in crowded, cold, and wet quarters. Disease was rampant at Valley Forge. Soldiers suffered from pneumonia, dysentery, typhoid, and other diseases. Of the approximately 12,000 soldiers that began the winter at Valley Forge, an estimated 2,000 died. Morale among the soldiers was at an all-time low. Although conditions and morale at Valley Forge were deplorable, General Washington’s leadership saved the day. He managed to secure more food, new equipment, and fresh soldiers, which raised morale tremendously. General Washington allowed Baron von Steuben, a former member of the Prussian Army, to train the Continental soldiers. He drilled the soldiers from dawn to dusk. The ragtag, undisciplined army that began the winter at Valley Forge was transformed into a skilled, disciplined fighting force. The Continental Army emerged from Valley Forge ready to battle the British.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit Battle of Yorktown The Battle of Yorktown was the final major battle of the American Revolution. The Continental Army and the French worked together to create the perfect conditions for finally defeating the British. General assumed command of the Continental Army in the southern colonies. When General Greene took command, he was able to increase the Continental Army’s success in the south. These new victories caused the British General Charles Cornwallis to retreat and move to the East Coast. While General Cornwallis was marching his army north, toward Yorktown, General Washington was marching the Continental Army from the north, toward Yorktown. Also, at the same time, the began to move toward the coast, near Yorktown. By September 28, 1781, General Washington had completely surrounded the at Yorktown. The British Army was not only surrounded at Yorktown, they were also greatly outnumbered by American and French troops, numbering approximately 18,000. The Continental Army fired on the British Army for eleven days. General Cornwallis had enough and sent out the white flag, a sign of surrender. At first, he made many demands to General Washington before his surrender. Unfortunately for him, Washington would not agree to any of his demands. Shortly after, the Continental Army began to prepare for another round of attacks. So, Cornwallis agreed to Washington’s terms of surrender and the battle ended. General Cornwallis surrendered approximately 8,000 troops at Yorktown on October 17, 1781. He surrendered these troops but he did not show up to the surrender meeting. General Cornwallis said he was sick and sent General Charles O’Hara to surrender his sword.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit The After General Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, two years passed before there was a final agreement of peace between the Americans and the British. There were some minor skirmishes during this time. However, for the most part, there was very little fighting. Both sides were negotiating a peace treaty. The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, officially ending the American Revolution.

The terms of the Treaty of Paris:

1. England accepted and recognized the United States as an independent nation.

2. England agreed to remove all troops from the United States.

3. New borders were created for the United States, which included land from the Great Lakes to Florida and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River.

4. The United States agreed to allow all British troops to leave the country.

5. The United States agreed to pay all debts owed to England.

6. The United States agreed not to prosecute loyalists who chose to remain in the United States. They also agreed that all loyalists who left during the Revolution would be allowed to return without penalty.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit Patriots vs. Loyalists Join the Debate! Patriots and loyalists both had valid arguments on each side of the struggle for independence. There were also people who were neutral, or not for either side. They just wanted to stay out of the argument.

Patriot: a person who believed the American colonies should be free and independent states

Loyalist: a person who believed the American colonies should remain loyal to England and King George III Instructions: In patriot blanks, fill in an argument that a patriot may have provided. In the loyalist blanks, fill in an argument that a loyalist may have provided. The first line is completed for you.

A patriot would A loyalist would say… say…

If we are free from England controls and England’s rule, we can protects our trade with trade with any country Trade with other countries. Under we wish AND we will not other countries England’s leadership, the be forced to buy English colonies have been products. successful.

England has continued to tax the colonies without giving us a voice in Taxes Parliament.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit A patriot would A loyalist would say… say…

Most of us have family members who still live in England. We all speak the Culture same language and have the same traditions. We must remain loyal with our friends in England.

Our leader should be King George III. He is Government fair, wise, and brave.

King George III has stationed armies in the colonies, even during Military times of peace. The British Army only came to the colonies to control us.

England and the American colonies are so Representation far apart, it’s just not practical to have a colonial representative in Parliament.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit Women in the Revolution

When discussing the American Revolution, the actions and contributions of men are usually highlighted. However, women also contributed to the war effort and their stories should be remembered also. Of course, women were not allowed to serve in the Continental Army as soldiers. However, a few women found ways to serve. Deborah Sampson fought in the Revolution disguised as soldier “Roger Shurtlieff.” She participated in important and dangerous missions and was honorably discharged from the army. Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley, also known as “Molly Pitcher,” carried water to Continental Army troops on the battlefield. She also took over her husband’s position loading a cannon after he was wounded. She received a pension for her service to the Continental Army. Many women followed the Continental Army from place to place and are referred to as “camp followers.” The women who followed the army were trying to stay near their husbands or fathers, or they were seeking food, work, or shelter. Army officers did not like that hundreds of women followed the army. However, they did not stop this practice for two reasons. First, if they banned the women, many of their soldiers would have deserted the army. Second, women provided valuable services, like cooking, washing clothing, and being nurses for sick and wounded soldiers. Many of the contributions of women to the Revolutionary War effort have been forgotten. We must honor the service and sacrifices of the women who helped our country win its independence from England.

Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit Articles of Confederation Our Nation’s First Government Plan During the American Revolution, it was clear that the thirteen colonies needed a central government. So, in March 1781, the Articles of Confederation were approved, or ratified. The leaders who wrote the Articles of Confederation purposely created this document to contain a weak Congress and central government. Americans were understandably fearful of having a strong government. It would be like having another king. So, the Articles of Confederation formed a weak, merely supervisory Congress. The Articles of Confederation allowed Congress to make treaties, declare war, maintain an army and navy, and conduct business with foreign countries. Congress was allowed to create and pass laws. However, they could not force the states to obey the laws. Also, Congress could not collect taxes. Obviously, it was not possible to conduct government business without collecting tax money. The inability of Congress to collect tax money caused great hardship for the Continental Army because they had no way to pay, clothe, or feed soldiers. Congress had to rely on what the states decided to contribute to the Continental Army. There were some benefits to the Articles of Confederation: 1. The Articles of Confederation were the very first attempt at creating a solid, United States government. Even though it was soon replaced, the ratification of the Articles of Confederation showed that the colonists were moving toward a central government. 2. This document allowed Congress to conduct the Revolutionary War. 3. Congress was given the power to control interactions with Native Americans in the west. Also, Congress was allowed to govern western territories until they became states. Eventually, the U.S. Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation. Although flawed, the Articles of Confederation served as a springboard to our current system of government. Made with Love by: Jenifer Bazzit