GEOGRAPHY CHAPTER 6 • SECTION 4 News of the Fighting Spreads 1775 under siege—encircled by military forces deter- mined to force the British to surrender. Click here to see the interactive map @ ClassZone.com The Continental Army Is Formed In 1775, Boston stood at the tip of a long peninsula that GEOGRAPHY News of Lexington and Concord spread quickly through the colonies. Reports were carried by messengers on connected the town to the mainland. Because the News of the Fighting Spreads horseback before they appeared in the press. town was almost completely surrounded by water, 1775 it could not be attacked easily by land. However, CLASSZONE.COM 050100 miles N.H. if the Americans succeeded in placing cannon on 70°W 0 50 100 kilometers the hills overlooking the bays that surrounded the Connect Geography History town, the British would be forced to surrender. Lexington & Concord, Boston Apr. 19, 1775 NEW YORK The Americans came up with a daring plan. They MASS. MAKE INFERENCES Ask students to list Providence would capture a British fort, far to the north, and some of the hazards messengers might have CONN. drag the fort’s cannon back to Boston. On May New Haven RHODE had to overcome as they traveled throughout ISLAND 10, 1775, Americans attacked Britain’s Fort Ticon- the colonies. (Possible Answers: British soldiers; PENNSYLVANIA New York deroga on Lake Champlain. Ethan Allen led this road and weather hazards such as mud, ATLANTIC 40°N band of backwoods fighters known as the Green NEW OCEAN dust, and fog; Native Americans who were Philadelphia JERSEY Mountain Boys. They captured the fort and its large MARYLAND supply of artillery, or cannon and large guns. unfriendly to the colonists’ cause; fatigue) Site of fighting Baltimore On the same day as the attack on Fort Ticon- 1–2 days DELAWARE ANSWER 3–4 days deroga, the Second Continental Congress began N Fredericksburg 5–6 days meeting in Philadelphia. This would be America’s Draw Conclusions about 100 miles W E 7–8 days government during the war. Delegates included VIRGINIA S 9–12 days Williamsburg John and Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin more than 75°W 12 days Franklin, George Washington, and Patrick Henry. Presentation Options Source: Adapted from Paul Revere’s Ride, D. Fischer They agreed to create a Continental Army. George Connect Geography History Washington, who was from Virginia, was chosen as its commanding general. Use the Power Presentations Draw Conclusions How many miles could news DVD-ROM or the Animated Center @ spread in a two-day period? Battle of Bunker Hill Meanwhile, tensions were ClassZone.com to project the map. building in Boston in June 1775. Across the harbor • Click through the map to follow the from Boston stood the town of Charlestown. Militiamen were positioned on progress of the messengers. Bunker Hill and Breeds Hill, which rose above the town. They built fortifica- tions on Breeds Hill. Alarmed, the British decided to attack. • Narration provides details of the spread of General William Howe crossed the bay with 2,200 British soldiers. Bosto- news and background information. nians watched in horror as the British set fire to Charlestown. Then, march- ing in ranks, the British climbed Breeds Hill toward the American militia. On the hilltop, the militia waited. According to legend, Colonel William Prescott ordered, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!” When the British got close, the militia unleashed a barrage of fire. The British fell back and More About . then charged again. Eventually, they forced the militia off the hill. The redcoats had won the Battle of Bunker Hill, but at tremendous cost. Answer: General Washington After the More than 1,000 were killed or wounded, compared with some 400 militia fi ghting at Lexington and George Washington did not become Concord, British troops casualties. “The loss we have sustained is greater than we can bear,” wrote commander of the Continental Army occupied Boston. The General Gage. The inexperienced colonial militia had held its own against Continental Army took the world’s most powerful army. without reservations. Washington himself Breeds Hill to force the questioned his abilities: “I feel great distress British to leave the town. SEQUENCE EVENTS Describe the events that led to the Battle of Bunker Hill. from a consciousness that my abilities and military experience may not be equal to the 178 Chapter 6 extensive and important trust.” DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION More About . The Battle of Bunker Hill Struggling Readers Gifted & Talented Among the 400 American militia killed was Time Line of Report on the Battle of Joseph Warren—having been promoted to Pre-Revolutionary Events Bunker Hill the rank of general just three days earlier. General Warren, a doctor by training, was Have students create an annotated Have students work in groups to prepare the one who had sent Paul Revere and time line of at least five significant pre- a TV news show on the Battle of Bunker William Dawes off on the night of April 18th Revolutionary events. Students should Hill. Possible assignments could be: on their famous midnight ride. refer to their textbooks and library and • “interviews” with General Howe and online resources. In addition to the Colonel Prescott Unit 3 Resource Book names and dates of each event, students • “interviews” with soldiers from both sides • Primary and Secondary Sources, should write a one-sentence summary pp. 46–47 for each entry on their time lines. • reports on the sequence of the battle • “expert analysis” on the battle’s significance 178 • Chapter 6 The Conflict Spreads CHAPTER 6 • SECTION 4 KEY QUESTION Why were the British forced to leave Boston? In their coffee houses, inns, and taverns, colonists discussed the deepening crisis. Most colonists still hoped for peace. Even some Patriot leaders still considered themselves loyal subjects of the king. They blamed Parliament Teach for the terrible events taking place. The Confl ict Spreads The Olive Branch Petition In July 1775, moderates in Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition and sent it to London. This document asked the king to restore harmony between Britain and the colonies. Some members Talk About It opposed the petition but signed it anyway as a last hope. • What was the purpose and outcome of the The king rejected the petition, however, and announced new measures Olive Branch Petition? (Possible Answer: to punish the colonies. He would use the British navy to block American Moderate colonial leaders asked the king to ships from leaving their ports. He would send thousands of hired German restore harmony; the king refused and vowed soldiers to fight in America. “When once these rebels have felt a smart blow, to harshly punish the colonies.) they will submit,” he declared. The colonial forces were not going to back down, though. They thought (below) This statue, • Why did the British decide to leave Boston? they were equal to the British troops. George Washington knew otherwise. which stands in the (General Washington had cannon aimed at Boston Public Garden, The British soldiers were professionals, while the colonial troops had little commemorates the day them and threatened to bombard the city.) training and were poorly equipped. The Massachusetts militia barely had General Washington • Sequence Events List the events described enough gunpowder to fight one battle. drove the British from the city. in this section in sequence from the summer of Washington Arrives During the summer of 1775, Washington arrived at 1775 to March of 1776. (Olive Branch Petition is the militia camp near Boston. He immediately began to gather supplies and sent and rejected; Washington plans invasion train the army. In the fall, Washington approved a bold plan. Continental of Quebec, but attack fails; militia traps the Army troops would invade Quebec, in eastern Canada. They hoped to defeat British in Boston, positions cannon from Fort British forces there and draw Canadians into the Patriot cause. One of the leaders of this expedition was Benedict Arnold. He was an officer who had Ticonderoga; British decide to withdraw.) played a role in the victory at Fort Ticonderoga. After a grueling march across Maine, Arnold arrived at Quebec in Novem- ber 1775. Under harsh winter conditions, the Americans launched their More About . attack but failed. After several months, they limped home in defeat. The British Retreat from Boston In Massachusetts, the Continental Army “Washington’s Navy” continued its siege of Boston. The British lay trapped in the town, which The British Navy kept British troops in stood like an island protected by the surrounding waters of the bays. They Boston well-supplied. The same could gazed nervously across the bays to the opposite shores, where thousands of not be said for the American troops who American forces waited on the hills. surrounded them on land. To overcome his Neither side was able or willing to break the standoff. However, help army’s supply shortages, Washington called for Washington was on the way. Cannon were being hauled from Fort Ticonderoga. This was a difficult job, since there were no roads across the upon seafarers from local militia regiments snow-covered mountains. It took soldiers, under the leadership of American to form what some historians consider General Henry Knox, two months to drag the 59 heavy weapons to Boston, the first ships of the Continental Navy, or where they arrived in January 1776. “Washington’s Navy.” These ships raided Washington positioned these cannon on Dorchester Heights, over- British vessels for food, weapons, and looking Boston. The Americans, now in a position of power, threat- ammunition—and helped supply American ened to bombard the city. General Howe, who was in charge of troops during the siege of Boston.