-
Battles of Lexington & Concord
Tension between the American colonists and the British over-seers had been building for years, and it finally led up to this first battle. British troops arrived in Concord to confiscate colonists’ weapons, but were intercepted by Paul Revere and his militia. Revere had sounded an alarm and led a surprise attack against the British. This battle continued into a conflict in Lexington until the British retreated from the colonial fire. -
Battle of Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga (located on Lake Champlain in New York) had been a very sought after point since the French and Indian War. Benedict Arnold, Ethan Allen, the Green Mountain Boys of Virginia teamed up to attack the British while they slept at the fort. The battle was short and America won. Despite how brief the conflict seemed, it was a huge confidence boost to the American morale and they captured a very valuable place in the process -
Battles of Bunker Hill & Breed's Hill
Most of the fighting was done at Breed’s Hill in Massachusetts, where Americans had gathered to build a fort to keep an eye on the British. British General William Howe led the Red Coats and Colonel William Prescott led the Americans. Howe marched his men to Breed’s Hill and after three attempts of retreating and reloading, the British over took the Americans and won. Even though the American’s lost, the British suffered more losses so they were severely weakened after this battle. -
Battles of Saratoga
This turning point in the Revolution took place as 2 separate battles in New York. First battle (Sepember 19) was won by the British, who were led by John Burgoune. In the second battle (October 7) the American troops, led by Benedict Arnold,defeated the British, who retreated and then surrendered on October 17. The Americans had proven their strength and convinced France to join them as an ally, which was a huge step for the Americans as they were formally recognized by another country. -
Battle of Cowpens
After a series of wins for the British in the South, this battle proved to be a tide-changing event for the Red Coats as they suffered heavy losses. British leader Banastre Tarleton clashed with Brigadier General Daniel Morgan's colonial army in a deadly battle. The American's reigned victorious, leaving more than 800 British soldiers dead. This was the first biggest victory for the Americans in the South and it led them on a fast track to victory in Yorktown. -
Battle of Yorktown
The final battle of the American Revolution was fought in Yorktown, VA. General Lord Charles Cornwallis and his troop of 9,000 men went up against George Washington's group of 17,000 French and Colonial men in the conflict to finally end the revolution. Cornwallis attempted to flee the country, but was intercepted by Washington, who completely surrounded him. For three weeks they fought, until Cornwallis finally surrendered on October 17th and Americans won their fight for independence.
