Section 6.4:
The Revolutionary War
British Take Over New York City
• George Washington moved several thousand
American soldiers to New York
• Washington was sure the British would try to
take control of the New York Harbor
• British general William Howe and his brother,
Admiral Richard Howe, arrived on Staten Island
in the New York Harbor in late July 1776
• General Washington had been correct, and he
was prepared to defend the city
• Meanwhile, King George III offered one last
chance for peace
• General Howe prepared his
large army for battle
• They attacked with full force
• The Americans were driven
off Long Island
• Nathan Hale was a young
former teacher who had
proved himself at Boston
and now in this siege at
New York
– Siege – an army preventing
people in a fort or city from
leaving
– This is done to attempt to capture the fort or city
• Nathan Hale offered to go behind the enemy lines on
Long Island to gain information for General
Washington
• Unfortunately, Hale was
caught and ordered by
General Howe to be
hanged
• According to legend, as
he was about to die, he
said, “I only regret that I
have but one life to lose
Hanging of Nathan Hale – Sept. 22, 1776
for my country.”
• Washington realized that he could not win the battle
– He led a retreat across the Hudson River
• Washington led a surprise attack on Trenton, New
Jersey, on December 25, 1776
• He guided his troops through a blinding storm across
the ice-clogged Delaware River
• He defeated a group of
soldiers called Hessians
– Hessian – a soldier paid
by the British to fight the
Americans
• Washington and his men
went on toward Princeton,
New Jersey
• One week later, they defeated
three enemy regiments at Princeton
Equipment of a Hessian
Colonial Strengths and Weaknesses
•
•
•
•
Strengths
Had a strong leader in
George Washington
Were used to frontier life
and using firearms
Had military experience
from the French and
Indian War
Were fighting for their
independence on their
own soil
Weaknesses
• Had little money and
depended on other
countries for supplies
• Had a weak navy
• One third of Americans
were British loyalists
British Strengths and Weaknesses
•
•
•
•
Strengths
Weaknesses
Had well-trained soldiers, • Were not used to frontier
expert leaders, and the
style of American
finest equipment
warfare
Could pay other
• Had to fight far from
countries to fight for them
home
Had a powerful navy
• Were fighting with
France, Spain, and the
Had help from British
Netherlands at the same
loyalists
time
6.4 PowerPoint Questions
(True/False: if the statement is false, replace the
underlined word to make the sentence true)
1.) General Washington was sure the British
would try to take Richmond.
2.) William Howe was a British general.
3.) Washington ordered Nathan Hale to be
hanged.
4.) Washington led a retreat from New York
across the Princeton River.
5.) The British paid Hessians to fight the
Americans.
C.T.) Why do you think the British paid the
Hessians to fight rather than use their own
soldiers?