American Revolution Battles Notes

Battle of Saratoga (October, 1777)

American victory over British troops in October, 1777 considered the turning point in the war as France and Spain recognized the US as independent and aided the Americans

George Washington

Commander of the Continental Army

Treaty of Paris 1763

Ended French and Indian War, France lost Canada, land east of the Mississippi, to Britain; New Orleans and west of Mississippi to Spain

John Paul Jones

Father of the American Navy; sea commander who attacked British ships off the British coast and captured the war ship Serapis. Famously said "I have not yet begun to Fight!"

Lexington and Concord (April 1775)

First battles of the Revolutionary War; shot heard 'round the world

Marquis de Lafayette

French nobleman and soldier who served under George Washington in the American Revolution (1757-1834)

Hessians

German mercenaries hired to help the British during the Revolutionary War

Site of Valley Forge

Pennsylvania

Valley Forge

Place in Pennsylvania where Washington's army spent the winter of 1777-1778; many of the poorly supplied soldiers died from starvation and disease. No battle was fought there.

Thomas Jefferson

Primary author of the Declaration of Independence

Baron von Steuben

Prussian soldier who helped train American forces at Valley Forge in the American Revolutionary War.

Bunker Hill (June 1775)

Site of a battle early in the Revolutionary War. This battle was fought mainly on Breed's Hill overlooking Boston Harbor. It was a British victory, but raised the morale of the Americans and let the British know that the war would not be easy.

Site of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill

Massachusetts

Site of the Battle of Trenton

New Jersey

Site of the Battle of Saratoga

New York

Common Sense

Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that claimed the colonies had a right to be an independent nation

Thomas Paine

American Revolutionary leader and pamphleteer who wrote Common Sense and The Crisis.

Articles of Confederation

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788; blueprint for the U.S. Government.

Battle of Yorktown (October 1781)

Last major battle of the Revolutionary War. Cornwallis and his troops were trapped on a peninsula at Yorktown, Va., buy French and American troops and a French Naval Blockade. Cornwallis surrendered.

Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776)

The document declared American independence from Great Britain

Treaty of Paris 1783

This officially ended the Revolutionary War, recognized the independence of the American colonies, and granted the colonies the territory from the southern border of Canada to the northern border of Florida, and from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi River

The Crisis (American Crisis)

Thomas Paine's pamphlet written to encourage American to keep fighting for independence; read to Washington's troops to encourage and inspire them.

Site of the Battle of Yorktown

Virginia

Battle of Trenton (December 1776)

Washington led troops across the Delaware, surprising British and Hessian troops guarding Trenton, New Jersey; capturing 1000 men and supplies.