The
Revolutionary
War
Language of the Discipline
• retreat
To retreat means to stop fighting and
move away from the enemy.
Language of the Discipline
• siege
A siege is the surrounding of a place
by an army in order to capture it.
Language of the Discipline
• campaign
A campaign is a series of battles
to achieve a specific purpose.
Language of the Discipline
• mercenary
A mercenary is a soldier
from one country who is
paid to fight for another
country.
Language of the Discipline
• turning point
A turning point is a time when
important changes occur.
Revolutionary War
Timeline
April 1775
Patriot militias
battle the British at
Lexington and
Concord.
March 1776
British troops retreat
from Boston after a
nearly year-long siege
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June 1775
The British force an
American retreat near
Bunker Hill.
Allies and Enemies
• How did the American Indians help the
Patriots?
In New England,
members of the
Stockbridge Mohican
group served in militias
both before and during
the war; in 1776 the
Oneida joined the
Patriots too.
Revolutionary War
Timeline
August 1776
American troops
retreat from New
York City.
October 1777
Americans capture
more than 5,000
British troops at
Saratoga.
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December 1776
Washington captures
Hessian mercenaries
at Trenton.
February 1779
George Rogers Clark
recaptures the fort at
Vincennes.
Challenges in the Middle Colonies
• Why was the Battle of Saratoga a turning
point in the war?
• After Saratoga, the British ended their campaign
in the Middle Colonies, and France decided to
help the Patriots.
War in the West and at Sea
• What sequence of events
led to Clark’s finally taking
control of the fort at
Vincennes in February
1779?
1. Clark took control of the fort at Vincennes
without a fight.
2. The British fought back and captured the fort.
3. Clark surprised the British and won back
Vincennes.
Revolutionary War
Timeline
May 1780
More than 5,000
Patriots surrender to
the British at Charles
Town.
September 1783
The Treaty of Paris
officially ends the
American Revolution.
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October 1781
American and French
forces defeat the British
at Yorktown.
The Southern Campaign
• How did American commanders fight the
war in the Southern Colonies?
Francis Marion used small
forces to attack British troops
and then quickly withdraw.
Nathanael Greene forced the
British to chase his armies
and turned to fight only when
he saw a good opportunity.
Yorktown and Victory
• Why did Cornwallis
surrender at
Yorktown?
He was trapped. Washington’s army had
surrounded him, and French ships blocked an
escape by sea.
Revolutionary War Battle Summary
• Important turning points helped the
Patriots defeat Great Britain during the
Revolutionary War. What were some of
the turning points?
1. At Saratoga, Patriots captured a large
British force and convinced France to
join the fight.
2. At Valley Forge, Washington and his
troops made it through a difficult winter.
3. At Yorktown, Washington and French
allies captured a large British force, which
led to the American victory in the war.