American Revolution

He was a member of the Sons of Liberty American resistance.  He famously rode to Lexington, MA to warn the Minutemen of the British attack on April 18, 1775.

Members of the New England colonial militia (a.k.a. soldiers).  They were among the first to fight in the American Revolution. They were ready at a moment's notice.

• Four Acts passed by the British Parliament to punish the colony of Massachusetts Bay for the Boston Tea Party.  They were:
• Boston Port Bill -- closing Boston Harbor
• Massachusetts Government Act -- British military leaders replaced elected officials
• Administration Justice Act -- British soldiers accused of a crime could be sent back to Britain for trial
• Quartering Act -- British soldiers could demand to live in colonists' homes

An organization to protect the rights of colonists and fight taxation by the British government.  Their motto was "No taxation without representation".

• To be free from British rule
• Unfair taxes
• They wanted the right to govern themselves (make their own laws)

An incident on March 15, 1770 when British soldiers shot and killed several colonists who were protesting the Townshend Acts. This deadly riot between British and Colonists was a catalyst for the war.

A person who is passionate about a particular cause and creates unrest.

Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry because they all start a “fire” burning in relation to the Revolutionary War.

An act that stated that Great Britain would house its soldiers in American barracks & homes.  One of the "Intolerable Acts".

Britain created a tax for the American colonies on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea, to send money from the colonies to Britain to pay for the British administration of the colonies.

A tax on printed materials that included legal documents, magazines, playing cards, newspapers, and many other types of paper used throughout the colonies, and it had to be paid in British currency, not in colonial paper money.

Colonists believed that they should not have to pay taxes to Britain if they were not going to be represented in government.

Protest against the Tea Act. Sons of Liberty (Boston residents) threw a shipment of tea into the Boston Harbor.

He helped pay for the American Revolution (financier of the American Revolution). He also attended second Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation. He also served as a senator.

The Olive Branch Petition, written in 1775, was the final effort of the Second Continental Congress to persuade King George III of England to respond to the concerns of the American Colonists and to settle their differences amicably (in a friendly way).

Early Revolutionary War battle. British defeated the Americans, but both sides lost many soldiers.  Showed the British that the American soldiers were able to fight well.

They were fought on the same day. They were the first two battles that started the Revolutionary War, April 19, 1775. The British came to take all of the colonists' weapons but were met with a strong colonial force, who had been warned of the British forces by Paul Revere. The British were surprised by the American soldiers and retreated to Boston.

Sam Adams was founder and leader of The Sons of Liberty. Adams served in the Continental Congress, and helped draft the Articles of Confederation, the document that was the predecessor to the U.S. Constitution.

A provisional government (group of organizations) set up in the colonies to oppose British policies and support the American Revolution.

He was an orator (speaker) with the famous quote ”Give me liberty or give me death.”  He was a delegate to the First Continental Congress.  He served on the committee at the VA convention and drafted the first constitution for the state of VA.

He supported the uprising against Britain and wrote Common Sense.  He was born in Britian but brought to American by Benjamin Franklin.

Written by Thomas Paine to show that Colonies deserved their independence and tried to prove that every problem in the Colonies could be traced back to British rule.

French aristocrat who fought in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He commanded Continental Army troops in the decisive siege of Yorktown in 1781, the Revolutionary War's final major battle that secured American independence. He became one of the most powerful men in France.

• About 30,000 German troops hired by the British to help fight the colonists.
• Germany was not unified at that time and had smaller states that all governed themselves. The leaders of these states hired out soldiers to other countries to make money for things they needed. 50% of Hessian soldiers did not return home. Some died in battle but others decided to stay in the U.S. because they thought they could have a better life.

Signed on September 3, 1783, it officially ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized the Thirteen Colonies to be free, sovereign and independent States.

• They supplied arms, ammunition, and helped win the war. The French navy fought off the British in VA, protecting Washington’s soldiers.
• The French had so much debt after the war that it sparked the French Revolution.

Enslaved people were offered freedom. Free African Americans also fought for the revolution. Most army units were integrated.

Polish born American businessman and financier of American government (that means he managed lots of money for the American government). Also founder of the first synagogue in the colonies.

Taxes from Britain to Colonies on paper, tea, glass and paint.

Britain closed Boston Harbor in an effort to get the colonists to pay for tea that was lost during the Boston Tea Party.

• Served as a government for the newly formed colonies as the Revolutionary War was erupting. Colonists were selected from all 13 colonies.
• First Colonial Congress: Colonists met to discuss their response to the intolerable acts.
• Second Colonial Congress: Colonists reconvened after the war was over.

Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. Member of the constitutional convention in Philly. Elected first president.

• 1) It opened trade.
• 2) End of mercantilism
• 3) Some slaves won their freedom by fighting
• 4) It opened western territories to invasion and settlement

A document written by colonists that declared all 13 colonies independence for Britain.

Has the phrase “All men are created equal.”

It was adopted unanimously (all representatives voted for it).

A Prussian military man hired by George Washington to whip the Continental Army into shape. Taught them how to be professional soldiers.

• Strengths:
• 1) Bigger army
• 2) More trained than the colonial soldiers.
• 3) Native Americans sided with them.

• Weaknesses:
• 1) Didn’t know the geography of the area.
• 2) Disagreement among Brits about the necessity of fighting colonists.
• 3) Had to persuade Americans to give up their independence.
• 4) Brits did not want to spend too much money on the war.

• Strengths:
• 1) Alliance with the French helped them win the war.
• 2) Knew the geography very well.
• 3) Didn’t have to go far to get supplies

• Weaknesses:
• 1) New military
• 2) Untrained soldiers
• 3) Short on supplies and money

• Founding father
• drafted the Declaration of Independence
• invented the lightning rod, Franklin stove and bifocals.

General Howe was a British army officer, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in the colonies. He was responsible for capturing New York and Philadelphia

General Cornwallis was the British army general who surrendered at Yorktown.

• British victory
• The Battle of Long Island was also known as the Battle of Brooklyn.
• The British defeated the Americans and won access to the Port of N.Y. which was very important.
• They controlled it through the remainder of the war.

• American victory
• In the Battle of Trenton, crossing the Delaware River in a storm and harsh winter weather, General George Washington’s army defeated a group of Hessian mercenaries. It was an American victory. 2/3 of Hessian soldiers were captured. This boosted the morale of the colonial soldiers

• British victory
• In the Battle of Germantown, Washington attacked the Hessians but ended up losing 700 men and having 400 captured. This was a part of the campaign (military strategy) for Philadelphia.

• American victory
• The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the war.
• It was one of the most decisive battles in the war
• It sealed the alliance between American and France

• American victory
• The Battle of Yorktown was very important in Americans winning independence.
• It was the last major battle and Americans received significant help from the French.
• The Battle of Yorktown led to the Treaty of Paris and the end of the war.

• Valley Forge was the 4th largest city in all of the Colonies.
• Valley Forge was also the winter encampment (camp where they stayed) for the Continental Army.