SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE OF
THE AMERICAN
REVOLUTION
ABIGAIL
ADAMS
• Married to John
Adams
• Considered one of the
first American
feminists
• Letters between
herself and her
husband describes life
during the American
Revolution
JOHN ADAMS
• Married to Abigail
Adams
• Delegate to the 1st &
2nd Continental
Congress’
• On the committee to
write the Declaration
of Independence
SAMUEL
ADAMS
• Cousin to John
Adams
• Member of the Sons
of Liberty
• Delegate to the 1st
Continental Congress
• Outspoken critic of
British rule & sought
independence for the
colonies
JAMES
ARMISTEAD
• African-American
slave who spied for
the Americans
• Worked as a doubleagent which helped
turn the tide against
the British
• Was granted his
freedom in 1787
CRISPUS
ATTUCKS
• Former AfricanAmerican slave
• One of the first to die
at the Boston
Massacre on March
5th, 1770
• Credited as a leader of
the protest against
British rule that day
WENTWORTH
CHESWELL
• African-American
soldier in the
American Revolution
• Fought at the Battle
of Saratoga
• Along with Paul
Revere is known to
have helped warn
others of the British
army’s advance
MARQUIS DE
LAFAYETTE
• French officer who
was given the rank of
Major General in the
Continental Army
• Helped secure support
from France against
the British along with
weapons/troops
• First foreigner to be
granted honorary
citizenship
BENJAMIN
FRANKLIN
• Advocated unity among
the colonies
• Delegate to both
Continental Congress’
• Helped write the
Declaration of
Independence
• Ambassador to France
and helped negotiate the
Treaty of Paris (1783)
BERNARDO
DE GALVEZ
• Spanish governor of the
Louisiana Territory
• Sided with the
Americans and helped
buy weapons/supplies
for the Continental
Army
• Galveston, TX is named
in his honor
KING GEORGE
III
• Becomes King of
England in 1760
• Sides with British
Parliament to tax the
colonies to pay for the
French & Indian War
• Colonists list their
grievances towards him
in the Declaration of
Independence
PATRICK
HENRY
• Once a member of the
Virginia House of
Burgesses and governor
of Virginia
• Famously said “Give me
liberty or give me
death!”
• Delegate to the 1st
Continental Congress
THOMAS
JEFFERSON
• Once a member of the
Virginia House of
Burgesses
• Was a delegate to the 1st
& 2nd Continental
Congress’
• Wrote the Declaration
of Independence
JOHN PAUL
JONES
• American naval hero
• Known as the “Father
of the US Navy
• Fought and won an
important naval battle
against the British
warship Serapis
THOMAS
PAINE
• Authored the pamphlet
“Common Sense” that
encouraged the colonies
to become independent
• Also authored “The
American Crisis” that
encouraged soldiers to
continue fighting the
American Revolution
HAYM
SALOMAN
• Jewish financier of Polish
decent
• Helped finance the
American Revolution
• Member of the Sons of
Liberty (New York)
• A spy who also
convinced Hessian
(mercenary) soldiers to
desert the British military
GEORGE
WASHINGTON
• Delegate to the House of
Burgesses of Virginia
• Delegate to the 1st
Continental Congress
• Chosen as the
Commander in Chief of
the Continental Army
during the American
Revolution