THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR
The American Revolutionary War was perhaps the most important war in the history of America, as this war was what allowed America to be free from British control. The war can be traced back to around 1765, when the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act was enacted to raise more money for the Parliament. It required the purchase of stamps to buy paper. The Americans, or at this point, the Colonists, were furious at this act. Rioting from the Colonists eventually led England to repeal the Stamp Act, but other ways of taxation followed. The Colonists formed political groups in response.
The people in Boston were especially angry at the taxes. They threatened British officials in Boston. The British responded by putting troops in Boston, and on March 5th, 1770, the Boston Massacre took place. British troops fired into a crowd of protesters, killing 5 of them. Around 3 years later, on December 16, 1773, the Boston Tea Party took place. Protesters disguised as Native Americans boarded ships in the Boston Harbor. They then proceeded to throw chests of tea overboard, 342 in all. The British did not take kindly to this, and passed the "Intolerable Acts," which limited the freedom in the lives of the Colonists and added punishments.
The people in Boston were especially angry at the taxes. They threatened British officials in Boston. The British responded by putting troops in Boston, and on March 5th, 1770, the Boston Massacre took place. British troops fired into a crowd of protesters, killing 5 of them. Around 3 years later, on December 16, 1773, the Boston Tea Party took place. Protesters disguised as Native Americans boarded ships in the Boston Harbor. They then proceeded to throw chests of tea overboard, 342 in all. The British did not take kindly to this, and passed the "Intolerable Acts," which limited the freedom in the lives of the Colonists and added punishments.
THE EARLY PARTS OF THE WAR
The war really started with ""the shot heard round the world," at the Battles of Lexington and Concord on the night of April 18, 1775. The British were trying to seize an arsenal but were met with resistance by the Colonists. 8 Colonists were killed. Paul Revere and others alerted the people, and soon colonial minutemen were on the way to intercept the British. The Colonists and the British met at Lexington and fighting began. Soon after the battle started, the British were retreating. Over 200 British lay dead. Soon after the battle, the war was in full swing.
On May 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, declaring themselves the government and George Washington the commander of the army. Later in the year, on June 17, 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill took place. Although the battle is named after Bunker Hill, most of the fighting took place on the nearby Breed's Hill. The British were marching to fight the Americans, who were under the command of William Prescott. The Colonists did not have much ammo, and according to accounts, Prescott told his men the famous line, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes," meaning to not shoot until the British were close. The British advanced forward and the Colonists fired, forcing the British to fall back. The British came forward again and the same thing happened. The third time, however, the Colonists had very little ammo, and the British came forward and fought the Colonists in hand to hand combat. The Colonists, who were outnumbered around 2 to 1, were forced to retreat. The Colonists lost the battle, but they realized that they could overcome the British army. The British realized that the war would not be as easily won as they had thought.
The Colonists fought other battles in the year, their first victory coming on May 10, 1775, with the capture of Fort Ticonderoga. The British had very few troops stationed in the fort, and the Colonists, under the command of Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, only brought a few troops as well. The Colonists launched a surprise attack against the British at dawn. The British were still sleeping and were captured by the Colonists. The victory at Fort Ticonderoga gave the Colonists a morale boost as well as artillery.
On July 4th, 1776, Congress signs the Declaration of Independence and adopts it. The Declaration formally separates America and England. As a result of the Declaration and its signing, the United States of America is "born." Meanwhile, the British were sending more than 30,000 troops to New York. In August of 1776, the British, under the control of William Howe, routed George Washington's army on Long Island. Washington was forced to retreat past the Delaware River. However, Washington launched a surprise attack against the British on Christmas night at Trenton, New Jersey. Washington also won at Princeton, and the Americans' hope of winning the war were brought back.
The Colonists fought other battles in the year, their first victory coming on May 10, 1775, with the capture of Fort Ticonderoga. The British had very few troops stationed in the fort, and the Colonists, under the command of Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, only brought a few troops as well. The Colonists launched a surprise attack against the British at dawn. The British were still sleeping and were captured by the Colonists. The victory at Fort Ticonderoga gave the Colonists a morale boost as well as artillery.
On July 4th, 1776, Congress signs the Declaration of Independence and adopts it. The Declaration formally separates America and England. As a result of the Declaration and its signing, the United States of America is "born." Meanwhile, the British were sending more than 30,000 troops to New York. In August of 1776, the British, under the control of William Howe, routed George Washington's army on Long Island. Washington was forced to retreat past the Delaware River. However, Washington launched a surprise attack against the British on Christmas night at Trenton, New Jersey. Washington also won at Princeton, and the Americans' hope of winning the war were brought back.
The British had plans of winning the war, and winning it soon. Generals John Burgoyne and William Howe tried to force New England to surrender, as New England was the heart of the rebellion. Burgoyne marched south from Canada, while Howe came south from New York. Burgoyne's forces defeated the Americans at Fort Ticonderoga, which was a costly defeat for them. Howe's army defeated the Americans at Brandywine Creek in Pennsylvania on September 11th, and they entered Philadelphia on September 25th. With Howe moving to Philadelphia, Burgoyne's army was exposed. American general Horatio Gates capitalized on this and defeated the British at the First Battle of Saratoga on September 19th. The British lost again on October 7th at the Second Battle of Saratoga. Burgoyne surrendered his forces to the Americans on October 17th. The Battle of Saratoga was very important to the American Revolution, as it made France join the war on the American side. France had been secretly helping the Americans since 1776.
THE END OF THE WAR
Henry Clinton replaced Howe as the supreme commander of the British army. On June 28, 1778, Clinton tried to withdraw his forces from Philadelphia to New York. Washington attacked Clinton on his way to New York. The battle took place near Monmouth in New Jersey. The battle ended in a stalemate, since the Americans held their ground but the British were able to get to New York. A French fleet attacked the British at Newport, Rhode Island, but failed, and the war went into a stalemate phase in the north, with not much fighting going on.
In the south, things weren't looking as good. Between 1779 and 1781, the Americans suffered many setbacks. Benedict Arnold, a general of the Americans, infamously joined the British. In the south, the British took control of Georgia and captured Charleston, South Carolina. British forces under command of Charles Cornwallis swept through the south, defeating Horatio Gates' forces at Camden. Nathanael Greene replaced Gates as the commander for the south. Greene and general Daniel Morgan defeated a British force under the command of Banastre Tarleton in South Carolina.
Greene's forces managed to force Cornwallis to Yorktown, Virginia. Washington brought his forces to Yorktown, which consisted of around 14,000 men. A French army with 36 warships offshore helped the Americans. The warships were placed so that the British could not retreat or get reinforcements. Cornwallis was trapped and his force was not as strong as the American one. Cornwallis was forced to surrender his army on October 19, 1781. This is regarded by some as the end of the war, but not by all. Those who disagree say that the war really ended when the British took their troops out of Charleston and Savannah in late 1782. The war really came to a close on September 3rd, 1783, when the Treaty of Paris was signed by the British. The treaty formally acknowledged the independence of the United States from Britain. The British also signed peace treaties with France and Spain. Spain had entered the war in 1779. The war lasted for around 8 years. After all the fighting, America got what it had wanted from the beginning: independence from Britain.
In the south, things weren't looking as good. Between 1779 and 1781, the Americans suffered many setbacks. Benedict Arnold, a general of the Americans, infamously joined the British. In the south, the British took control of Georgia and captured Charleston, South Carolina. British forces under command of Charles Cornwallis swept through the south, defeating Horatio Gates' forces at Camden. Nathanael Greene replaced Gates as the commander for the south. Greene and general Daniel Morgan defeated a British force under the command of Banastre Tarleton in South Carolina.
Greene's forces managed to force Cornwallis to Yorktown, Virginia. Washington brought his forces to Yorktown, which consisted of around 14,000 men. A French army with 36 warships offshore helped the Americans. The warships were placed so that the British could not retreat or get reinforcements. Cornwallis was trapped and his force was not as strong as the American one. Cornwallis was forced to surrender his army on October 19, 1781. This is regarded by some as the end of the war, but not by all. Those who disagree say that the war really ended when the British took their troops out of Charleston and Savannah in late 1782. The war really came to a close on September 3rd, 1783, when the Treaty of Paris was signed by the British. The treaty formally acknowledged the independence of the United States from Britain. The British also signed peace treaties with France and Spain. Spain had entered the war in 1779. The war lasted for around 8 years. After all the fighting, America got what it had wanted from the beginning: independence from Britain.