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The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The famous 'shot heard 'round the world', politically disastrous for the British, it persuaded many Americans to take up arms and support the cause of independence. British troops marching to seize colonial weapons and arrest leaders, resulting in a series of skirmishes that escalated into armed conflict. The British suffered around 270 casualties (killed or wounded), while the colonists suffered about 90 casualties. -
Battle of Saratoga
The first major battle of the American Revolutionary War, though it was fought on Breed's Hill, not Bunker Hill, and resulted in a British victory, though at a heavy cost. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the American Revolution. Victory at Bunker Hill came at a terrible price for the British, with nearly half of the 2,200 Redcoats who entered the battle killed or wounded. The patriots sustained over 400 casualties. -
Battle of Trenton
After crossing the Delaware River in a treacherous storm, General George Washington's army defeated a garrison of Hessian mercenaries at Trenton. The victory set the stage for another success at Princeton a week later and boosted the morale of the American troops. -
Battle of Saratoga
Were a decisive American victory that served as a turning point in the American Revolutionary War, boosting morale and leading to crucial French support. Heavy casualties, a series of British mishaps and delays, and the Continental Army's ability to exploit those weaknesses and cut off supply routes, ultimately leading to General Burgoyne's surrender. -
Battle of Yorktown
Saw a combined Franco-American force, led by General George Washington, defeat the British Army under Lord Charles Cornwallis, forcing their surrender on October 19, 1781, in Yorktown, Virginia. The Americans and French marched to Yorktown on September 28 and began digging a trench 800 yards from the British defense line. Washington's strategy was to dig trenches through which he could move his heavy guns close enough to Yorktown to pound Cornwallis into surrender.