American Revolution Lesson

The American Revolution

The Revolutionary War (1775-83), also known as the American Revolution, arose from growing tensions between residents of Great Britain’s 13 North American colonies and the colonial government, which represented the British crown

Causes of the American Revolution

• French and Indian War (Native American)

• Boston Tea Party (The Tea Act)

• Boston Massacre (Intolerable Acts)

• The Declaration of Independence (Government)

Declaring Independence

When the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, delegates–including new additions Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson–voted to form a Continental Army, with Washington as its commander in chief.

Multiple Choice

George Washington required the inoculation of which disease to the Continental Army to prevent deaths.

• The Plague

• The Spanish Flu

• Small Pox

• Diphtheria

Continental Generals

• Nathanael Greene (Washington's Subordinate)

• Benedict Arnold (Considered Traitor)

• Horatio Gates (Saratoga)

• Marquis de Layfatte (French General)

Washington's First L

 On June 17, in the Revolution’s first major battle, colonial forces inflicted heavy casualties on the British regiment of General William Howe at Breed’s Hill in Boston. The engagement, known as the Battle of Bunker Hill, ended in British victory, but lent encouragement to the revolutionary cause. 

Battle of Bunker Hill

• British Government sends fleet of 34,000 troops (New York).

• Significant Damage done towards British despite loss

• Patriotic Dedication could overturn British Superiority

Multiple Choice

The Battle of Bunker Hill was also referred to as what?

• Greed's Hill

• Breed's Hill

• Howe Hill

• Bunker Hill

Casualties on Christmas

Across the Delaware River, Washington fought back with a surprise attack in New Jersey, on Christmas night and won another victory at Princeton to revive the rebels’ flagging hopes before making winter quarters at Morristown.

Turning Point Saratoga

British strategy in 1777 involved two main prongs of attack aimed at separating New England (where the rebellion enjoyed the most popular support) from the other colonies.

Multiple Choice

What City and River did George Washington plan a surprise attack on Christmas Night?

• New York and Hudson River

• North Carolina and Mississippi River

• New Jersey and Delaware River

• Virginia and Delaware River

Washington gets the Rebound

 The British defeated the Americans at Brandywine Creek, Pennsylvania, on September 11 and entered Philadelphia on September 25. Washington rebounded to strike Germantown in early October before withdrawing to winter quarters near Valley Forge.

France Comes Back

 The American victory in Saratoga would prove to be a turning point of the American Revolution, as it prompted France to enter the war openly on the American side, though it would not formally declare war on Great Britain until later on

Multiple Choice

What War before the American Revolution was the war where France lost most of it's possessions to the British?

• Seven Years War

• Battle of Quebec

• Battle of Fort Duquesne

• Battle of Bunker Hill

Multiple Choice

This early American War General switched sides from the United States and joined the British Army and was considered a traitor?

• Nathanael Greene

• Horatio Gates

• Benedict Arnold

• Marquis de Lafayette

Stalemate in the War

• Washington's troops benefited from winter military training (Steuben)

• Washington attacked the British when trying to Withdraw

• A joint attack between Americans and French settled in stalemate with British

Battle of Yorktown

This is the battle where British General Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered his army to George Washington's army and French allies in 1781.

Revolutionary War Comes Close to an End

Supported by a French army commanded by General Jean Baptiste de Rochambeau, Washington moved against Yorktown with a total of around 14,000 soldiers, while a fleet of 36 French warships offshore prevented British reinforcement or evacuation. Trapped and overpowered, Cornwallis was forced to surrender his entire army on October 19.

Treaty of Paris

British and American negotiators in Paris signed preliminary peace terms in Paris late that November, and on September 3, 1783, Great Britain formally recognized the independence of the United States in the Treaty of Paris. 

Multiple Choice

Which American victory during the American Revolution prompted France to join the War against Great Britain?

• Battle of Yorktown

• Battle of Saratoga

• Battle of Bunkerhill

• Battle of Brandywine

13 Colonies

Remember these are the American Colonies that will be fighting against the British. They are British colonies that have grown further apart from their Mother Country. Due to england's Salutary Neglect(allowing the colonies to do as they please for so long) the Colonist do not want to abide by new British Laws like taxes.

French and Indian War

• French & Indians vs. British and Colonist

• British defeat the French in this War(also called the 7 Years War) and gain huge amounts of French Territory.

• Proclamation of 1763 forbade the colonist from moving onto the new acquired land in order to try and salvage a relationship with Native Americans (British needed to be able to trade for furs with Native Americans)

French and Indian War Effects

• Left the British with a HUGE war debt so they had to start taxing their colonies.

• British felt it was only natural that the colonies should pay more taxes since they fought a war protecting them.

• Colonist felt they had no representation in the government enforcing these new laws on them so they began to rebel.

Stamp Act

Tax on paper goods.

Sugar Act

Tax added to any sugar that came from somewhere other than Britain.

Quartering Act

• Colonist were required to provide shelter and food for British Soldiers.

• This was a way for the British government to save money.

• Colonist became very upset over having to house and care for British soldiers.

American Advantage

Knew their territory much better than the British, Practice guerrilla warfare, & had something worth fighting for(freedom).

British Advantage

• Better Military

• More Supplies

• More Soldiers

• Better Navy

Thomas Paine's Common Sense

Pamphlet that stated that it was "common sense" for Americans to reject British rule since they had no representation in British Parliament. Thomas Paine had a clear dislike for British Monarchy and felt government's power came from the people not a king.

Olive Branch Petition

Continental Congress wrote a letter to KIng George III professing the 13 colonies would stay loyal to him as long as he withdrew British Soldiers and stopped the taxes and harsh policies he had enacted on them. The King ignored the letter!

Declaration of Independence

• Thomas Jefferson is the main author

• He included a part about abolishing slavery and the king being like a slave owner... later removed because southern states would not sign it.

• Listed the reasons why the colonist were rejecting British rule: Ex government abusing their people so the people have a right to abolish that government and start a new one.

• Listed grievances(complaints) about the king

• Colonies officially declare themselves independent from Great Britain and a New Nation.

Mercantilism- the idea that the 13 Colonies existed to provide the mother country with goods and raw materials

Salutary Neglect

Multiple Choice

The French and Indian War was a conflict between what two groups?

• French and Indians

• French and Great Britain

• Great Britain and Spain

• French and Spain

Multiple Select

What was the purpose of the Proclamation of 1763?

• To encourage western settlement.

• To repay war debt.

• To avoid conflict with the Indians

Multiple Choice

The Stamp Act is a tax on

• Clothing

• Plants

• Paper

• Crops

Multiple Choice

"We hold these truth to be self-evident that all men are created equal". Which part of the declaration does the quote belong to

• Preamble

• Grievances

• Declaration

Multiple Select

"List of Complaints" outlining the reasons for independence belong to which part of the Declaration of Independence?

• Preamble

• Grievances

• Declaration

Multiple Choice

When was the Declaration of Independence formally adopted?

• July 2, 1776

• July 4, 1775

• July 4, 1776

• August 2, 1776

Multiple Choice

Which battle was the first major loss for the Patriots in the American Revolution?

• Lexington and Concord

• Bunker HIll

• Long Island

• Ticonderoga

Patriot Successes

• Washington surprises the British & Hessians on the day after Christmas, 1776 in Trenton, New Jersey- they are able to capture almost 1,000 Hessian soldiers.

• Washington then tricked the British in order to escape at night.

• This was a morale boost for the Patriots

European help

The French, Spanish, and Dutch create an alliance with the Patriots in 1778 to send troops and weapons to help in the fight ( remember all of these countries were enemies to Great Britain at some point because of mercantilism)

Many volunteers from European countries came to help the Patriots as they supported the cause for independence, including Lafayette, von Steuben, and Kosciusko.

Multiple Choice

Why did France, the Netherlands, and Spain agree to help the Patriots and create an alliance with the Patriots?

• The Patriots were able to prove they could win a major battle at Saratoga so it is worth joining the fight

• The French, Spanish, and Dutch were competing against the British

• both of these

Valley Forge

• Most armies at the time stopped fighting during the heavy winter months. In the winter of 1777-1778, the British had captured Philadelphia, and the Washington and his men are forced to camp at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

• It was one of the worst winters ever on record.

• the Patriots had few supplies and little food during the winter, and were often sick and many died.

• Many Americans including Martha Washington sent supplies and food to the men

• Von Steuben trained the men and helped to improve conditions in the camp for the men

• By spring, the Patriots are ready to resume the fight

Multiple Choice

How did Patriot supporters help the army at Valley Forge?

• they didn't help at Valley Forge- they helped in Philadelphia

• they sent Native Americans to help them fight

• they sent supplies and food to the army at Valley Forge

• They decided to fire Washington as commander of the Army

Multiple Choice

Which of the following were countries that helped the Patriots against the British?

• France

• Spain

• the Netherlands

• all of these

Multiple Choice

What is a revolution?

• Changing leaders in an election season.

• Fighting a war

• Overthrowing one government to replace it with another.