Early Battles of the American Revolution

Early Battles of the American Revolution

Lexington and Concord

• April 1775: "the shot heard round the world“ happens in Massachusetts

• British troops marched on Concord to seize weapons and ammunition the Patriots were stockpiling.

• Colonial troops met them first at Lexington where the first shots of the American Revolution were fired.

Multiple Choice

What is the "shot heard 'round the world?"

• A very loud gun shot literally heard on the entire planet.

• The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.

• The beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

• When Paul Revere was killed by British Redcoats.

William Howe-Commander in Chief of British Forces and George Washington-Supreme Commander of Continental Army

Bunker Hill

• Took place near Boston on June 17, 1775.

• Patriots built a fort on top of Breed's Hill and the British felt threatened by it, so British General Howe ordered an attack.  

• Patriots were instructed not to shoot until they saw the "whites of their eyes" as the British charged up the hill.

Bunker Hill Continued

• The Redcoats (British) were only able to take the hill because the Americans ran out of gunpowder.  

• around 1,500 British and American troops were injured or killed.  

• Makes it official that war has really begun.

Multiple Choice

The Battle of Bunker Hill took place before the Continental Congress created an official army of the colonies.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What orders were the colonists given as the defended the hill against the British?

• "Fire until you run out of ammo!"

• "Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes!"

• "Immediately surrender to the British"

• "Charge with your bayonets and push them off the hill!"

Multiple Choice

Despite being in a better defensive position, the colonial militia was defeated at Bunker Hill. What happened that resulted in the loss?

• The British Army had bombs dropped from their fighter planes.

• George Washington was a really poor leader and they weren't organized.

• French troops came to help the British and together they defeated the colonists.

• The colonists ran out of ammunition and had to retreat, allowing the British to take over the location.

Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys

Fort Ticonderoga

• Prime location between New York and Canada that was controlled by the British

• The building itself was falling a part

• British were using it to store weapons

Fort Ticonderoga

• May 10, 1775**

• Ethan Allen led the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont across Lake Champlain

• They captured the fort in a swift, late-night surprise attack

• All of the weapons inside now belonged to the Americans

Multiple Choice

Who was the leader of the Green Mountain Boys?

• Ethan Allen

• George Rogers Clark

• Benjamin Franklin

• Patrick Henry

Multiple Choice

Why did the Green Mountain Boys want to take over Fort Ticonderoga?

• They needed it to control Lake Champlain.

• The British were storing many weapons there.

• King George III told them to capture it from the French.

• They were going to repair the damages for the British.

Washington at Dorchester Heights

Dorchester Heights

• Shortly after Bunker Hill, General Washington arrived in Boston.

• He knew he would need heavier guns to drive the British out and sent Henry Knox to Fort Ticonderoga to transport cannons back to Boston.

• On March 4, 1776, Washington moved his troops to Dorchester Heights, an area that overlooked Boston from the south.  

Dorchester Heights

• Washington placed the cannons and troops on a hill overlooking Howe’s British troops.

•  When Howe awoke the next morning, he knew he had to retreat from Boston into Canada.

•  The patriots regained control of Boston.

Multiple Choice

Who was the leader of the Continental Army?

• Thomas Jefferson

• Henry Knox

• Ethan Allen

• George Washington

Multiple Choice

Why did Washington send Henry Knox to Fort Ticonderoga?

• To back up the Green Mountain Boys in their attempt to capture the location.

• To pick up cannons stored at the Fort and bring them back to Boston.

• So the British would follow him and walk right into a trap.

• He didn't like him and sent away so he could work alone.

Multiple Choice

The British withdrew from Boston in 1776 after...

• clashing with colonial militias at Lexington and Concord.

• losing more than 1,000 men during the battle of Bunker Hill.

• seeing cannons aimed down on them from nearby Dorchester Heights.

• hearing that the colonists had formed the Continental Army.

Multiple Choice

Why was the retreat of Howe and the British Army from Dorchester Heights important for the Continental Army?

• The war was now over and the British Redcoats would leave the colonies all together.

• The Continental Congress approved raises for all the soldiers after the victory.

• The American troops regained control over Boston and proved they would be a difficult opponent.

• It lead to Howe being fired and Thomas Gage being brought back in command.