-
Secret Weapons
Still bitter from their defeat by the British, in the French and Indian War, the French had secretly sent weapons to the patriots since early 1776. -
The War Moves
British rereeting from Boston, moved the war to the middle states. -
The Howe's.
Two brothers, Gerneral WIlliam Howe and Admirel Richard Howe joined forces on Staten Island and sailed into the New York Habor with the largest British expeditionary force ever assembled. Americans called the soildeirs Hessians because many of them were from the German Region of Hesse. -
The Battle of New York.
The defeat of American Coloniea against the British at the Battle of New York. They were out numbered and were un-trained with poor equipment. -
Pushing Back the Continental Army
British pushed Washington's army across the Delaware River into Pennsylvannia. -
Washington's Bold Move
Washington resovled to risk everything on one bold stroke set for christmas day. In the face of a fierce storm, he led 2400 men in small rowboats across the ice chocked Deleware River. -
Trenton, New Jersey
By 8 a.m., the men had martched nine mils through sleet and snow to Trenton, New Jersey; held by hessians. Hessians had drank too much rum the night before and were still sleeping it off.In a surprise attack, the Americans killed 30 of the Hessians and took 918 of them captive along with six Hessians cannons. -
The Continental Army
Vast majority of Washington's men had either deserted or had been killed or captured. Fewer than 800 men remained under Washington's command, and the terms of their enlistment were due to end. -
General Howe
General Howe began his campaign to seize the American capital at Philidelphia,sailing from NY to the head capital in late August. Washingtons troops were unsucessful at their attempt to block the red coats at nearby Brandywine Creek. British troops were able to capture Philidelphia. -
Saratoga
Massed American troops finally surrounded Burgoyne at Saratoga, where he surrenered his battered army to General Gates on October 17th, 1777. The surrender dramatically changes Britains war strategy. From the on, British kept their troops along the coast; close to the big guns and supply bases of British fleets. -
Valley Forge Base
Albigense Waldo workied as a sugreon at valley forge outside Philadelphia, which seved as the sight of the continental army's camp. British troops that were occupying Philadelphia found quarters inside warm homes, the under clothed as well as under fed patriots huddled in makeshift huts in the freezing snow; covering the Pennsylvania woods. -
Valley Forge Turn Around
In the midst of the frozen Winter at Valley Forge, the American troops began to transform with the help of military leaders, the Continental army began to become an effective fighting force. -
Independence
The French had agreed to support the Americans in the war and the French recognized American Independence and signed an alliance, or treaty of cooperation, with the Americans and where France agreed not to make peace with Britain unless the British also recognized American Indoendence. -
Post-Saratoga
After their devastating defeat at Saratoga, the British changed their military strategy. They began to shift their operations to the south. There the British hoped to rally royalist support, reclaim their former colonies in the region, and then slowly faught their way back up North. -
Georgia
A royal governor once again commanded Georgia. -
Marquis De Lafayette
Military leader Marquis De Lafayette, a brave and idealistic twenty-year old French aristocrat, offered his assistance. The young Lafayette joined Washington's staff and bore the misery of Valley Forge; lobbled for French reinforcements in France and led to command in Viriginia in the last years of the war. -
Savannah, Georgia
The British took Savannah, Georgia. -
African-American Participation
For most of 1780, Cornwallis succeded in conquering North and South Carolina. As the red coats advanced, they were joined by thousands of African-Americans who had escaped from patriot slave owners to join the British and win their freedom. -
Newports, Rhode Island
A French Army of 6,000 had landed in Newport, Rhode Island, afer the British left the city to focus on the South. -
British Victory
In their greatest victory of the war, the British captured Charles Town, South Carolina and marched 5,500 American Soldiers off as prisoners of war. -
Down South
General Henry Clinton who had replaced Howe in New York along with the abitious General Charles Cornwallis sailed down South with 8,500 men. -
Surrender at Cowpens
Morgan and his men led the British on a grueling chase through the rough countryside. When the forces met at Cowpens, South Carolina, the British expected the outnumbered Americans to flee, but the Continental Army faught back and forced the red coats to surrender. -
Letter To Lafayette
Greene had weakened the British, but he worried about the fight for the South. He wrote a letter to Lafayette and asked for assistance. -
Robert Morris and Haym Salomon
Congress appointed a rich Philadelphian merchant named Robert Morris as superintendent of fincance. This associate was Haym Salomon. They begged and borrowed on their personal credit to raise money to provide salaries for the continetal army. -
Battle of Cowpens
Daniel Morgan's colonial forces defeated a cracked British regime under colonel Tarleton at the Battle of Cowpens. More than 300 British soldiers were killed or wounded and 600 were taken prisoner by the Americans. -
Money for the Troops
They raised funds from many sources including Philidelphia's Quaker and Jewish population. Due to the efforts of Morris and Salomon, the tropps were finally paid in gold coins. -
White Flag
With his troops out numbered by more than two to one as well as exausted from constant shelling, Cornwallis finally raised the white flag of surrender. -
Official British Surrender
Colonel William Fontaine of the Virginia Militia stood with the American and French armies lining a road near Yorktown, Virginia to witness the official British surrender. -
British Surrender
A triumphant Washington, the French Generals, and their troops assembled to accept the British's surrender. -
Peace talks in Paris
Peace talks then began in Paris. Representatives of The United States England, France, and Spain joined the negotiations in which each nation had its own interests in mind. -
The Treaty of Paris
The delegates signed the Treaty of Paris which confirmed the United States independence and set boundaries of the new naton.