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Secret Weapons
The French had been sending weapons in a secretly way to the Patriots so that they could win the British on any future battles. The were unhappy with their lost on the Indian War and did not want to see the British on the top of the lead, so they sent secret weapons to reinforce the patriot's supplies. -
Middle States
The British had recently left Boston, moving the theater of war directly to the Middle States. It was part of their plan to stop the American rebellion, so they decided to isolate New England and seize New York City. -
American's defeat in New York
The brothers General William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe joined the forces from Staten Island and sailed off to New York harbor. They had extraordinary troops which had most Hessians that could fight, so they were in a very strong position. -
Putting an end to New York's battle
Once the New York battle was on, Washington was out-numbered with weak troops and a small amount of equipments. The British had more troops and they were also stronger. American troops lost this battle followed by other heavy losses. The British had won sucessfully. -
The Chaotic Withdrawal's description
There was a Continental Army volunteer which described the chaotic withdrawal with specific details. He talked about how horrible the war scene was. How much Americans suffered without supplies. He described a very sad moment, so that people could notice and change their conditions. -
The Continental Army movement's across Delaware River
Due to the poor conditions of Washington's Army, when they were obligated to cross the Delaware River to reach Pennyslvania only a few survived. Some that did not die because of the struggle were either captured or killed. At the end fewer than 8,000 men were in Washington's command. The army became even weaker from this point on. -
Battle of Trenton
Washington only had a last one shot, so he decided to take on Christmas night. He faced a storm with 2,400 other men in small rowboats across the ice-choked Delaware River. By the next morning they had reached their main goal - Trenton. Since the Hessians taking care of the place were drunk because of the holiday, the American troops killed 30 of the Hessians and stole 918 captives and 6 of their cannons. They had won the Battle of Trenton. -
The need of winning
George Washington's troops enlistment were due around this time. In this case the men had to motivation or support to keep going on hard events and tough battles. George Washington was desperately trying to find a reason for his men to keep on going. -
American encouragement
Right after the victory on Trenton the Americans had another important victory coming their way. They had undefeated 1,200 British stationed at Princeton. Excited and encouraged by these two consecutives victories, Washington put them to march into winter camp near Morristown in Northern New Jersey. -
Valley Forge
Valley Forge was the Continental Army's residency during winter. It was a camp outside of Philadelphia where they had settled down with a low amount of supplies.They had to struggle every day of their lives to stay alive and have victories. Most of the Americans which were part of the Continental Army had died or gotten a certain type of disease. -
Fighting for Philadelphia
General Howe's troops sailed from New York to the head of Chesapeake Bay trying to keep up a campaign to seize the American Capital at Philadelphia. While Washington's troops tried to block the British at Brandywine Creek, the Continental Congress had fled to the city. Therefore the British had captured Philadelphia and General Howe had settled in to become part of the loyalist's hospitality. -
Claiming Victory at Saratoga
Burgoyne had a plan of leading his army down a route of Lakes from Canada to Albany so that he would meet Howe's troops on the New York arrival and join forces to isolate New England from the other colonies. Burgoyne sailed off with a lot of men but with a few supplies. Once General Horatio Gates was considered to be the commander of the Continental Army he had created smart strategies, him and his troops surrounded Burgoyne and his troops at Saratoga. The British had lost the Saratoga war. -
The Turning Point
The French were hoping that from now on the Americans could defeat the British on every battle since they did really god with the battle of Saratoga, so they agreed to support Revolution. They signed a treaty of cooperation with the Americans which said that France would not make peace with Britain if they did not recognize and support the American Independence, The Battle of Saratoga had become a turning point since now the Americans had the support of the French. -
Learning new techniques from Friedrich Von Steuben
While living on Valley Forge the America troops started to have an amazing experience being taught by Fried von Steuben. He was Prussian captain and had offered his service to General Washington. As time went by he made he colonists soldiers learn how to stand at attention, how to execute field maneuvers, how to fire reloading quickly and how to wield bayonets. The Continental Army was becoming an effective and strong army. -
Looking for Loyalists
The British were still trying to change their strategies of war since their loss on Saratoga. In a certain point they decided to shift their operations to the South. In there, they would find a lot of loyalists to support them fighting by their side, they would reclaim their former colonies in the area and then they would slowly make their way back North. -
British Expedition
At this time the British had an expedition which had easily taken over Savannah, Georgia. They were reconstructing their way back to accomplish good methods to get ready for more battles. -
Lafayette takes the American and French side
Right after Fried von Steuben had arrived, another military leader named Marquis de Lafayette had also arrived an offered his assistance to General Washington. He was a French aristocrat, which had taken the Continental Army out of their misery with supplies and materials needed. After providing such important help for the Americans and French he had been responsible for a group that took off from Valley Forge to go to Virginia. -
Commanding Georgia
A British royal governor had ben commanding Georgia at this point, since they had been the ones to take over it and the ones to be keeping every situation around under control. -
Sailing South
General Henry Clinton had sailed South along with General Cornwallis and 8,500 other men. They were going to try to make their troops stronger by taking over towns and discovering new places. -
Conquering new tastics
The British were able to capture Charles Town, South Carolina. Since they had a power to put in use, they marched 5,500 of the American soldiers as the prisoners of war. Clinton used that opportunity to leave for New York and declare Cornwallis as the British forces commander. Clinton wanted Cornwallis to conquer the South and North Carolina. -
Sucess/Failure
Cornwallis had turned out to be a great commander but he did not think as the post battle difficulties.He smashed the American forces at Camden, South Carolina and within three months the British were able to install forts across the sate,but as soon as Cornwallis and his troops advanced into North Carolina the patriots attacked them and cut off their communication lines.This attack forced the British to retreat to South Carolina.At first the British had acted smartly but then they had problems. -
British loss
The British and American forces had met each other at Cowpens, South Carolina. The British were expecting to win but they were clearly out numbered and the Americans stood up all of the time, fighting the British back and making them surrender. The Americans had won this battle at Cowpens. -
Revenge with a high cost
Cornwallis was really mad by the fact that he had to surrender to the Americans at Cowpens, so he attacked Greene back at Guilford Court House, North Carolina. Cornwallis had won this battle, but he had lost a lot of his men and a lot of his supplies. Although he could declare himself the winner he was also the loser, he did not think before attacking and lost more than gained. -
Concerns of help
Greene had made the British weaker by making Cornwalli's troops lose a lot of resources but he was preoccupied about the fight for South, so he wrote a letter to Lafayette asking for more help and more practices for his men. The thoughts of losing were starting to become a topic. -
Making a better profit for the American Troop
The American congress had been printing a lot of papers and it was causing inflation, since they were losing a lo of money ad could not bring it back up.They were also in a bad situation with their munitions that some of them even engaged profiteering to try to get a better amount of money from it.All of these problems had been solved by Robert Morris and Haym Solomon.They had borrowed on their personal credit.At this point funds had been working and the Continental Army had a provided salary. -
Paying the debt
Morris and Solomon were putting a huge effort on making a better profit for the Continental Army and it worked out really well, because now the troops were being paid in specie or gold coin. All of their necessities with money or supplies were no longer going to be a problem. -
Raising the white flag
Once Lafayette got Greene's letter he helped the troops one more time and a French and an American army had closed in on Cornwallis. They blocked the Chesapeake Bay entrance so that the British would try to escape through the sea. These processes lasted for about three followed weeks, but Cornwallis was out numbered again. Exhausted of fighting and losing he raised the white flag at Yorktown. -
Sorrounding at Yorktown
General Washington's troops and the French troops gathered together to accept the British surrender. At this point the British had to explain the astonishing turn of events and lay down all troops. -
Peace as the topic of conversations
Representatives of the four nations (United States, France, Great Britain and Spain), joined each other to negotiate each of their interests. That is when they all started to talk about a way to come up with peace. They all had different interests. Britain did not want to give Americans full independence. France supported the American Independence but feared their power and Spain wanted lands near the Mississippi River. A right decision was going to be hard to choose. -
Treaty of Paris
When the British agreed to give America full Independence, the treaty of Paris contract came out. It was a document confirming the American Independence and the setting of new nation's boundaries. The delegates signed this treaty and peace was declared. Now the United States stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi and from Canada to the Florida border. Nations were all going to be new ones.
