Turning points of the
Revolutionary war
Chapter 4 section 3
The war of Independence (17761781)
• America:
 Troops Untrained
 Disorganized
 Continental congress struggled to pay for war
• Britain:
 Strong government
 Leader in manufacturing
 Soldiers well-trained
British make mistakes
• 1775, the British did not take the patriots serious
• Battle of Bunker Hill
 Commander William Howe led his soldiers head on
with the patriot army
 Marched uphill right to the patriots
 British troops were getting slaughtered
 Led 3 charges, until eventually the patriots ran out of
ammo and the British take the hill
 Technically the British win (suffered twice the
casualties)
QuickTime™ and a
Sorenson Video 3 decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Mistakes continued…
• British fought the war as a traditional
European war
The Patriot’s strength
• Washington’s leadership
• Women’s work (ran farms, shops, etc..)
• Persistence
War shifts to the Middle
States
• British capture NYC, cut off shipping
• Washington wins a surprise attack in Trenton
•
•
•
N.J. on Christmas night raises troop morale
1777, Washington inflicts heavy casualties
on Charles Cornwallis’ troops at the battle of
Princeton
Washington loses Philadelphia in the Fall
Battle of Saratoga- Patriots win, shows that
they might be able to win the war after all
(France allies itself b/c of this victory with the
Patriots)
Battle of Trenton
QuickTime™ and a
Sorenson Video 3 decompressor
are needed to see this picture.