New York and the American
Revolution
Learning
Goals
Not all colonists had the same
view about the revolution
The leaders of the American
Revolution came from all 13
colonies and had different
lifestyles
New York State's location led to
New York playing a key role in
the American Revolution
New York's waterways played a
key role in Britain's plans to
capture New York SO many key
battles were fought in New
York State
The Battle of Saratoga was the
turning point of the revolution
The American Revolution had a
lasting impact on New York
Vocabulary
French and
Indian War
parliament
Independence
American
Revolution
tariff
freedom
representitive
tax
repeal
liberty
neutral
Loyalists
Stamp Act
Declaration of
Independence
Continental
Congress
Patriots
Sons of
Liberty
protest
Continental
Army
traitor
militia
Boston
Tea Party
minutemen
boycott
Parliament

Britain's law making
assembly
tax

Money a
government collects
from its people
tariff

Tax on goods
shipped into a
country
representative

Someone chosen to
represent the people
in an assembly,
congress,
parliament, or other
lawmaking group
Stamp Act

A tax that British Parliament
put on the people of the
colonies – any official
papers and newspapers
sold in the 13 colonies had
to have special stamps on
them, to get the paper
stamped colonists had to
pay a tax
protest

To argue or make a
statement against
something
boycott

Refusing to buy
goods as a form of
protest.
repeal

To take back a law
or tax
Boston Tea Party

When a British ship arrived in Boston a
group of Patriots (Sons of Liberty)
dressed as Native Americans boarded
the ship, broke open the chest of tea
and dumped the tea into the Boston
Harbor. This was a protest to the tea
tax
Boston Tea Party
French and Indian War

A war the British fought against France
and some Native Americans. Some
colonists fought along side of the British
Whose land?
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After French and Indian War many colonists
wanted to move onto land that once
belonged to France
Native Americans didn’t want this
Britain didn’t want to go to war with the
Native Americans
Britain passed a law saying colonists couldn’t
move onto lands in the west
Colonists were angry over this law
“No taxation without
representation”
French and Indian War was expensive
 British Parliament passed the Stamp Act
which said colonists had to pay a tax on
all official papers and newspapers.

“No taxation without
representation”
Colonists were used to making their
own laws.
Colonists were angry over the tax. Tax
had been passed in Britain by
Parliament. The colonists didn’t have a
representative in Parliament, so they
didn’t think it was fair for Parliament to
tax them
Boycotts

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The colonists protested against the
Stamp Tax.
They refused to buy paper goods that
required the tax (boycott)
They had marches and even burned
stamps
Eventually the Stamp Tax was repealed
No taxation without
representation
New taxes - tariffs

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Even though Britain took back the
Stamp tax they imposed new taxes
These taxes were on goods sent to the
colonies by England (tariffs)
Taxes were on clothing, paper, cloth,
glass and tea
Many colonists started refusing to buy
these British goods (boycott)
Boston Tea Party

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In 1773 a ship carrying tea from
England was in Boston Harbor
A group of patriots called the Sons of
Liberty rowed out to the ship at night,
dressed as Native Americans
They opened chest of tea and dumped
it into the Boston Harbor in protest of
the tea tax
Boston Tea Party
Liberty

Freedom
freedom

State of being free
independence

Politically free – self
governing
American Revolution

War in which the
colonies fought for
freedom Great
Britain
Revolution

Abrupt overthrow of
a government
Patriots

Colonists who
supported freedom
from Britain in the
American Revolution
Sons of Liberty

A secret group of
colonists started by
Samuel Adams to
protest unfair laws
and taxes made by
Britain to the
colonies. Sons of
Liberty were
Patriots.
Loyalists

Colonists who
supported the King
and Great Britain
during the American
Revolution
neutral

Not taking sides in
an argument or war
militia

A volunteer army
made up of local
men who trained
and did drills on a
regular basis.
minutemen


Name given to
farmers and
villagers who were
ready to fight at a
moments notice,
often they would
join the militias to
help fight.
(ready to fight in
minutes)
Continental Congress

An official meeting
of leaders from the
13 colonies. This
group made very
important decisions
Declaration on Independence

A document
explaining why the
colonists wanted
freedom from British
rule, written by
Thomas Jefferson.
Continental Army

Army formed by the
Continental
Congress, made up
of soldiers from all
colonies, led by
George Washington.
traitor

A person who works
against their country
“The British are coming!”


Britain sent more soldiers to the
colonies
Colonists did not want to give in, many
joined volunteer armies called militias,
these soldiers were known as
minutemen
http://www.earlyamerica.com/paul_revere.htm
“Shot heard ‘round the world”

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Colonists had weapons stored in a building in
Concord, Massachusetts
700 British soldiers marched out of Boston toward
Concord
Paul Revere’s job was to ride to warn the minutemen
that the British were coming!
The first battles of the war took place in Lexington
and Concord
http://www.earlyamerica.com/shot_heard.ht
m
Fort Ticonderoga – New York
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Next battle took place in our state of New
York
Patriots decided to attack a British fort on
Lake Champlain.
Soldiers (called Green Mountain Boys) and
rowed across the Lake and surprised the
British. Fort was captured without fighting
Many weapons were captured that would
help in later battles
Fort Ticonderoga
Continental Congress


Leaders from 13 colonies got together
to make some important decisions for
the colonies (Continental Congress)
Congress decided to form the
Continental Army – official army of the
colonies- George Washington chosen to
lead this army.
Continental Congress
*Most important decision the congress
made was that the 13 colonies should
be a free or independent country no
long under British rule.
 Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write
statement or document that explained
why the colonies wanted freedom
Declaration of Independence

the war

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Britain did not accept the declaration
and they fought to keep the colonies
under their control
British army wanted to capture New
York City and New York
New York’s importance

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British Army wanted New York under their
control
New York had New York City and New York
Harbor
New York had many important waterways:
Hudson River, St. Lawrence River, Mohawk
River, Great Lakes and Lake Champlain
New York was also centrally located among
the other colonies so capturing New York
could “cut off” the colonies from each other
Battles in New York

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Washington’s Army lost major battles in Long
Island and Harlem Heights (both part of
today’s New York City) This gave British
troops control over New York City
Washington pulled his army out of NYC and
many loyalists from all over the colonies
moved to New York City where they felt safe.
British Army also defeated Washington in
White Plains causing the army out of NY
Turing Point of the war
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British had a plan to take over New York
entirely. Three different armies would march
along New York waterways to meet at
Albany, taking over each area as they
marched
One army would head south from Canada
along the St. Lawrence River
Another would march east along the Mohawk
River and a third march North along the
Hudson from NYC
Battle of Saratoga
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– NY
American army decided to try and stop the
British near Saratoga
Americans used a new technique in fighting –
instead of fighting out in the open, or from
the fort, they hid in the woods.
This surprise style of fighting worked
Eventually – after two separate battles the
British surrendered to the Americas
Why a turning point?
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Winning in Saratoga stopped the British from
taking over New York which was key to
America winning. (because of its waterways
and location to the other colonies)
Winning also showed France that we were
able to hold our own with the British and
France decide to help us.
France still considered Britain an enemy – so
they sent us money, ships, and soldiers.
West Point – New York
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Benedict Arnold – general in charge of West
Point
Made a deal with the British – for money he
would let the British take over the fort
West Point was saved and Arnold was caught
– known as a traitor
Today when someone is know to be traitor
they may be called a “Benedict Arnold”
Battle of Yorktown - Virginia
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Last major battle of the war
French ships and soldiers helped
Washington’s army surround the British at
Yorktown
British were force to surrender
Almost 2 years later the British and the
American leaders signed a peace agreement
that stated the United States of America was
a free and independent country