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"The battle, Sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, Sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery!

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The Revolutionary War (1775-1783) arose from growing tensions between residents of Great Britain's 13 North American colonies and the colonial government. The American colonists, led by General George Washington, won political independence and eventually formed the United States of America.
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American Revolution: Causes and Timeline | HISTORY

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The Revolutionary War waged by the American colonies against Britain influenced political ideas around the globe, as a small fledgling nation won its freedom from the greatest military force of its time.

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When the possibility of a clash with the British became real, New England farmers began to arm themselves and train for battle. These troops were dubbed "minutemen" because they could be ready to fight in a minute. This monument to the minutemen stands in Concord, Massachusetts.

How could the Americans ever hope defeat the mighty British Empire in a military conflict?

Americans faced seemingly impossible obstacles. When the guns fired at Lexington and Concord in 1775, there was not yet even a Continental Army. Those battles were fought by local militias. Few Americans had any military experience, and there was no method of training, supplying, or paying an army.

Moreover, a majority of Americans opposed the war in 1775. Many historians believe only about a third of all Americans supported a war against the British at that time.

Further, the Colonies had a poor track record of working together.

How, then, could a ragtag group of patriots defeat the British?

Early Battles

The Battle of Bunker Hill was not a military victory for the colonial forces, but it served as an important morale booster. The colonists inflicted heavy casualties on the larger, more powerful British forces.

The early stages of war, in 1775, can be best described as British military victories and American moral triumphs. The British routed the minutemen at Lexington, but the relentless colonists unleashed brutal sniper fire on the British returning to Boston from Concord.

In June 1775, the colonists failed to prevail at Bunker Hill, but inflicted heavy casualties on a vastly superior military force. A year later, in 1776, while the British occupied New York, Washington led his army to two surprise victories at Trenton and Princeton that uplifted the morale of the patriots.

Regardless, by 1777 the British occupied Philadelphia, the seat of the Continental Congress, and sent that body into hiding. The British also controlled New York City and pretty much had their way in the waters along the Eastern Seaboard. In fact, there was no Continental Navy to speak of at this time. Meanwhile, the British began mounting a southward attack from Canada into upstate New York. This threatened to cut New England off from the rest of the Colonies.

Saratoga and Valley Forge: The Tide Turns

The Battle of Saratoga, in northern New York, served as a critical turning point. The British attempt to capture the Hudson River Valley ended with their surrender to General Horatio Gates in October. Washington, having lost Philadelphia, led his troops to Valley Forge to spend the winter. None of the world's powers had come to the aid of the patriot cause - yet.

In early 1778, the French agreed to recognize American independence and formed a permanent alliance with the new nation. Military help and sizable stores of much-needed gunpowder soon arrived. The tide was beginning to turn.

The surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown marked the end of the Revolutionary War. This painting by John Trumbull is 12 feet by 18 feet and hangs in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building.

A New Type of War

The British grew increasingly frustrated. The loss at Saratoga was humiliating. Capturing the enemy's capital, Philadelphia, did not bring them much advantage. As long as the American Continental Army and state militias remained in the field, the British had to keep on fighting. And no matter how much damage the British did to American cities or private property, the Americans refused to surrender. This was a new type of war.

Having failed in the north, the British turned their attention to the south. They hoped to inspire Loyalist support among dissatisfied Americans - a hope that was never realized. Fighting continued. The threat of French naval participation kept the British uneasy.

A Stunning Defeat

In October 1781, the war virtually came to an end when General Cornwallis was surrounded and forced to surrender the British position at Yorktown, Virginia. Two years later, the Treaty of Paris made it official: America was independent.

How could the Americans ever hope defeat the mighty British Empire in a military conflict? Perhaps an even better question to ask is, How did the mighty British Empire ever expect to vanquish the Americans?

Major Battles of the American Revolution

Sure we've heard the names of the generals and admirals of the American Revolution, but have you heard of Major John Clarke? Probably not . . . because he was America's first master spy.
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Dearest Friend, The Day; perhaps the decisive Day is come on which the fate of America depends. -Abigail Admas (1775). So begins the future first lady's letter to her husband, John Adams, following the Battle of Bunker Hill.
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At the Battle of Saratoga, Benedict Arnold was shot in his left leg and as a result had a limp for the rest of his life. A monument to Arnold's leg can be found at Saratoga National Historical Park.

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When the possibility of a clash with the British became real, New England farmers began to arm themselves and train for battle. These troops were dubbed "minutemen" because they could be ready to fight in a minute. This monument to the minutemen stands in Concord, Massachusetts.

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1764 - The English Parliament passes a measure to reorganize the American customs system to better enforce British trade laws, which have often been ignored in the past. A court is established in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that will have jurisdiction over all of the American colonies in trade matters.

1764 - In May, at a town meeting in Boston, James Otis raises the issue of taxation without representation and urges a united response to the recent acts imposed by England. In July, Otis publishes "The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved." In August, Boston merchants begin a boycott of British luxury goods.

Under the Stamp Act, all printed materials are taxed, including; newspapers, pamphlets, bills, legal documents, licenses, almanacs, dice and playing cards. The American colonists quickly unite in opposition, led by the most influential segments of colonial society - lawyers, publishers, land owners, ship builders and merchants - who are most affected by the Act, which is scheduled to go into effect on November 1.

1765 - August 26, a mob in Boston attacks the home of Thomas Hutchinson, Chief Justice of Massachusetts, as Hutchinson and his family narrowly escape.

1765 - In October, the Stamp Act Congress convenes in New York City, with representatives from nine of the colonies. The Congress prepares a resolution to be sent to King George III and the English Parliament. The petition requests the repeal of the Stamp Act and the Acts of 1764. The petition asserts that only colonial legislatures can tax colonial residents and that taxation without representation violates the colonists' basic civil rights.

1765 - On November 1, most daily business and legal transactions in the colonies cease as the Stamp Act goes into effect with nearly all of the colonists refusing to use the stamps. In New York City, violence breaks out as a mob burns the royal governor in effigy, harasses British troops, then loots houses.

1765 - In December, British General Thomas Gage, commander of all English military forces in America, asks the New York assembly to make colonists comply with the Quartering Act and house and supply his troops. Also in December, the American boycott of English imports spreads, as over 200 Boston merchants join the movement.

1766 - In January, the New York assembly refuses to completely comply with Gen. Gage's request to enforce the Quartering Act.

1766 - In March, King George III signs a bill repealing the Stamp Act after much debate in the English Parliament, which included an appearance by Ben Franklin arguing for repeal and warning of a possible revolution in the American colonies if the Stamp Act was enforced by the British military.

1766 - In April, news of the repeal of the Stamp Act results in celebrations in the colonies and a relaxation of the boycott of imported English trade goods.

1766 - In August, violence breaks out in New York between British soldiers and armed colonists, including Sons of Liberty members. The violence erupts as a result of the continuing refusal of New York colonists to comply with the Quartering Act. In December, the New York legislature is suspended by the English Crown after once again voting to refuse to comply with the Act.

1768 - In February, Samuel Adams of Massachusetts writes a Circular Letter opposing taxation without representation and calling for the colonists to unite in their actions against the British government. The letter is sent to assemblies throughout the colonies and also instructs them on the methods the Massachusetts general court is using to oppose the Townshend Acts.

1769 - In March, merchants in Philadelphia join the boycott of British trade goods. In May, a set of resolutions written by George Mason is presented by George Washington to the Virginia House of Burgesses. The Virginia Resolves oppose taxation without representation, the British opposition to the circular letters, and British plans to possibly send American agitators to England for trial. Ten days later, the Royal governor of Virginia dissolves the House of Burgesses. However, its members meet the next day in a Williamsburg tavern and agree to a boycott of British trade goods, luxury items and slaves.

1770 - The population of the American colonies reaches 2,210,000 persons.

March 5, 1770 - The Boston Massacre occurs as a mob harasses British soldiers who then fire their muskets pointblank into the crowd, killing three instantly, mortally wounding two others and injuring six. After the incident, the new Royal Governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Hutchinson, at the insistence of Sam Adams, withdraws British troops out of Boston to nearby harbor islands. The captain of the British soldiers, Thomas Preston, is then arrested along with eight of his men and charged with murder.

1773 - May 10, the Tea Act takes effect. It maintains a threepenny per pound import tax on tea arriving in the colonies, which had already been in effect for six years. It also gives the near bankrupt British East India Company a virtual tea monopoly by allowing it to sell directly to colonial agents, bypassing any middlemen, thus underselling American merchants. The East India Company had successfully lobbied Parliament for such a measure. In September, Parliament authorizes the company to ship half a million pounds of tea to a group of chosen tea agents.

December 16, 1773 - About 8000 Bostonians gather to hear Sam Adams tell them Royal Governor Hutchinson has repeated his command not to allow the ships out of the harbor until the tea taxes are paid. That night, the Boston Tea Party occurs as colonial activists disguise themselves as Mohawk Indians then board the ships and dump all 342 containers of tea into the harbor.

1774 - In March, an angry English Parliament passes the first of a series of Coercive Acts (called Intolerable Acts by Americans) in response to the rebellion in Massachusetts. The Boston Port Bill effectively shuts down all commercial shipping in Boston harbor until Massachusetts pays the taxes owed on the tea dumped in the harbor and also reimburses the East India Company for the loss of the tea.

1774 - May 20, The English Parliament enacts the next series of Coercive Acts, which include the Massachusetts Regulating Act and the Government Act virtually ending any self-rule by the colonists there. Instead, the English Crown and the Royal governor assume political power formerly exercised by colonists. Also enacted; the Administration of Justice Act which protects royal officials in Massachusetts from being sued in colonial courts, and the Quebec Act establishing a centralized government in Canada controlled by the Crown and English Parliament. The Quebec Act greatly upsets American colonists by extending the southern boundary of Canada into territories claimed by Massachusetts, Connecticut and Virginia.

1774 - In June, a new version of the 1765 Quartering Act is enacted by the English Parliament requiring all of the American colonies to provide housing for British troops in occupied houses and taverns and in unoccupied buildings. In September, Massachusetts Governor Gage seizes that colony's arsenal of weapons at Charlestown.

1774 - September 5 to October 26, the First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia with 56 delegates, representing every colony, except Georgia. Attendants include Patrick Henry, George Washington, Sam Adams and John Hancock.

On September 17, the Congress declares its opposition to the Coercive Acts, saying they are "not to be obeyed," and also promotes the formation of local militia units. On October 14, a Declaration and Resolves is adopted that opposes the Coercive Acts, the Quebec Act, and other measure taken by the British that undermine self-rule. The rights of the colonists are asserted, including the rights to "life, liberty and property." On October 20, the Congress adopts the Continental Association in which delegates agree to a boycott of English imports, effect an embargo of exports to Britain, and discontinue the slave trade.

1775 - February 1, in Cambridge, Mass., a provincial congress is held during which John Hancock and Joseph Warren begin defensive preparations for a state of war. February 9, the English Parliament declares Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion. March 23, in Virginia, Patrick Henry delivers a speech against British rule, stating, "Give me liberty or give me death!" March 30, the New England Restraining Act is endorsed by King George III, requiring New England colonies to trade exclusively with England and also bans fishing in the North Atlantic.

1775 - In April, Massachusetts Governor Gage is ordered to enforce the Coercive Acts and suppress "open rebellion" among the colonists by all necessary force.

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The History Place - American Revolution: Prelude to Revolution

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1764 - The English Parliament passes a measure to reorganize the American customs system to better enforce British trade laws, which have often been ignored in the past. A court is established in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that will have jurisdiction over all of the American colonies in trade matters.

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The American Revolutionary War took place from 1775-1783, although the revolt against British Colonial rule began years before war was formally declared. The English Enlightenment influenced the thoughts of many of the colonial Founding Fathers as they pursued liberty, fought for their rights, and for freedom from King George III. These ideals are reflected in the United States Constitution, which was written shortly after the Revolutionary War came to an end, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

Select from these resources to teach your students about what sparked the Revolution, and the key events of the war.

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The American Revolutionary War took place from 1775-1783, although the revolt against British Colonial rule began years before war was formally declared. The English Enlightenment influenced the thoughts of many of the colonial Founding Fathers as they pursued liberty, fought for their rights, and for freedom from King George III.

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LIBERTY! - The American Revolution | PBS

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LIBERTY! Online is the official online companion to the PBS series LIBERTY! The American Revolution. It features a wealth of interactive information on the American Revolution, a game challenging your Revolution knowledge, video clips from the series and much more.

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Want to learn about the American Revolution? Check out our American Revolution section.

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The American Revolutionary War

The Revolutionary War was one of the most pivotal events in American History. These links will take you on a tour of the Revolution and its War.

The American Revolutionary War: Keeping Independence
The American Revolutionary War was a long time coming. Follow it from beginning to end in this easy-to-read, detailed article. Includes a list of Causes of the War.

The Continental Army suffered through a crushing winter at Valley Forge but emerged more resilient, if lacking in numbers.

The Jay Treaty closed off several outstanding issues from the treaty that ended the Revolutionary War and, in the process, became an intense dispute between the nation's first two political parties.

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The American Revolutionary War The Revolutionary War was one of the most pivotal events in American History. These links will take you on a tour of the Revolution and its War. The American Revolutionary War: Keeping Independence The American Revolutionary War was a long time coming.

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Boston Massacre Trials

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Although it has been over two centuries since the moonlit March night in 1770 when British soldiers killed five Bostonians on King Street, people still debate responsibility for the Boston Massacre.

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NEWSELA

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Newsela | Leaders Of The American Revolution

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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This is a description of what happened before, after, and during, the Siege of Yorktown.

March Toward the Chesapeake

By 1780, the Revolutionary War was raging in both the North and the South, and French forces had fully committed in the American effort to defeat the British. A major objective of the French-American forces was to liberate New York City, which had been occupied by the British. Initially, George Washington had wanted the combined forces to engage the British in New York City, but French General Comte de Rochambeau convinced him that the chance for success would be greater if the combined forces engaged British forces farther south in the Chesapeake Bay, where Another French General, Comte de Grasse, could direct his massive fleet from its Caribbean post. Here, Washington's land troops and French naval troops could encircle British forces under Charles Cornwallis, who were camped at Yorktown, Virginia. Meanwhile, when the decision was finally made, French and American land forces, which included 5,500 new French soldiers, had met near New York City to begin their movements to Virginia. Their meeting outside of New York confused British intelligence, which assumed they planned to liberate New York City. This prevented British General Henry Clinton and British forces occupying New York City from sending aid to Cornwallis in Virginia.

Setting the Trap

During September of 1781, the combined land forces of Rochambeau and Washington marched south. The plan was strictly confidential, and the generals kept their final destination secret from even the soldiers. American forces marched over 200 miles in a period of about two weeks. The plan worked perfectly. By the end of September, American land forces under Rochambeau and Washington had trapped Cornwallis's army in the west, and Comte de Grasse's naval forces had trapped Cornwallis from the east. A siege had begun. There would be no British reinforcements.

General Washington firing the first shot at Yorktown

Closing in on Cornwallis

On October 6, 1781, Washington's land troops began digging a trench that would be 2,000 yards long, running from Yorktown to the York River. The trenches were dug to allow the movement of larger artillery toward the British fortifications. Three days later, cannons and guns were dragged into place. By the afternoon, French and American guns were spraying bullets into the British defenses from land and water. The gunfire persisted all through the night, destroying British firepower. Many British soldiers began deserting. By October 12, French forces had destroyed a number of British frigates in the harbor. As the days dragged on for the British, trenches were dug closer and closer to the British fortifications. On October 14, American and French forces stormed two fortifications (redoubts) successfully, with Alexander Hamilton leading the way for the Americans. Large guns were moved to the newly won locations, rendering all of the British defenses within range.

Surrender

British surrender at Yorktown; note the French naval blockade

Cornwallis, desperate for reinforcements that would never reach him in time, hatched a plan to try to escape across the York River. Bad weather, however, disabled his transport boats and Cornwallis was finally forced to surrender. On October 17, surrender negotiations began and were finalized two days later. As a result of the surrender, the Americans took more than 7,000 British troops prisoner and the entire Revolutionary War had nearly come to an end. According to legend, as the British soldiers formally surrendered, their drummers and fifers played the tune to the The World Turn'd Upside Down. Yorktown would be the last major battle of the war.

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This is a description of what happened before, after, and during, the Siege of Yorktown. By 1780, the Revolutionary War was raging in both the North and the South, and French forces had fully committed in the American effort to defeat the British.

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NEWSELA

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Newsela | The Road To The American Revolution

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Tea Drinking in 18th Century America

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Tea Drinking in 18-th Century America: Its Etiquette and Equipage : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

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texts All Texts latest This Just In Smithsonian Libraries FEDLINK (US) Genealogy Lincoln Collection Additional Collections

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Paul Revere created his most famous engraving titled the "Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in Kings Street in Boston" just 3 weeks after the Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770. It is regarded by historians as an important document of the pre-revolutionary period. At the same time it is known to contain number of inaccuracies because the author used it as a propaganda piece to advance the cause of Independence. Let's take closer look at the details.

The engraving shows the Boston Massacre event unfolding in front of the State House. The composition of the engraving is clearly divided into two sides as if telling "It's us against them!" On the right side there are the British soldiers dressed in uniform with their rifles with bayonets drawn, firing into the crowd. One of the British regulars is clearly the commander raising the sword and giving the order to fire. All solders and the officer have cold and determined looks on their faces.

On the left side, across the clouds of smoke there is a crowd of colonists. Their faces show horror and panic. The engraving accurately shows the five victims. Three men are laying on the ground with blood gushing from the wounds which are clearly shown. Two of them lay right in front and the third one is somewhat obscured by other men standing in the bottom left corner. The man with two chest wounds is believed to be Crispus Attucks, the fist victim to fall during the shooting as he was standing in the front row. Two addition bodies are being carried by the crowd in the attempt to help them. One of the men in the crowd is looking directly at the solders raising his hand towards them as if trying to make them stop firing.

A very interesting detail of the engraving is a small spotted dog pensively standing in the bottom center, between the shooting solders and the crowd. The dog is being spared from the firing guns. Perhaps P.R. meant it as a symbol of the British Soldiers treating colonists worse than dogs?

On the bottom of the engraving, there is a poem written by P.R. full of the outrage about the killing. One of of the lines reads "Like fierce barbarians grinning o'er their prey
Approve the carnage and enjoy the day."

P.R. also honored the names of the dead and wounded listing them just below the poem:
Mesr's Sam'l Gray, Sam'l Maverick, James Caldwell Crispus Attucks, & Patr. Carr Killed
Six wounded; two of them (Christ'r Monk & John Clark) mortally.

The tall building in the center is the Old State House which still stands in Boston today and is a popular tourist attraction. Of course back then it was the only State House. Another historic building depicted in the engraving is the First Church with the dome and the steeple towering on the left of the State House.

Inaccuracies in the Engraving

We are used to treating historic documents with a degree of trust, however the composition of this the engraving contains serveral inaccuracies that a serious researcher should be aware of.

There are seven soldiers and the captain shown in the picture. In reality there were only 6 British soldiers. Two captains, lieutenant, corporal and two private regulars.

British Grenadiers are depicted as if moving in the line of attack just like in a battlefield. However by all accounts the Boston Massacre was a scene of chaos and the soldiers were separated form each other by the crowd when they started using their weapons against the colonists.

A lonely gun is shown sticking out from a second story window of the Customs House firing into the crowd.

Customs House on the right side of the engraving is labeled 'Butcher's Hall'

The events of the Boston Massacre took place a night but the sky in the picture is rather light. On the other hand a crescent moon is visible above the roof lines, indicating that the author intended to show a night scene but was constrained by the engraving technology or simply chose not to make the picture too dark.

Crispus Attucks shown as the victim with two chest wouds laying on the ground does not seem to have African mulatto features, but some researchers who analysed the engraving found otherwise. You decide.

Captain Preston is shown as giving the order to fire by waving his sword. At his trial in court, this was proven not be had been the case.

Finally, it is a well known fact is that P.R. did not create the drawing himself. He was a skillful engraver but not an artist and therefore used the image created by a young artist Henry Pelham to make his engraving. Furthermore Pelham publicly accused P.R. in Boston Gazette of copying his drawing without permission. In Revere's defence we could note that copying somebody's work at that time was not considered a crime and the feud was probably more about the silversmith not sharing the proceeds from selling the print with Pelham.

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The Project was established to discover the heritage of Paul Revere and to illuminate the relevance of his contribution in our lives today.

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Schoolhouse Rock

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We the people

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Boston Tea Party 2

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Vimeo

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Boston Tea Party 1 Sam Adams Speech

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Digital Books

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Schoolhouse Rock

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Schoolhouse Rock! America - The Shot Heard Round the World

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American Revolution Videos and songs

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Full Series Youtube

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Liberty’s Kids: Two teenage reporters cover the events of the Revolutionary War for Ben Franklin’s newspaper, The Philadelphia Gazette. James, an American colonist, brings the rebels’ point of view to life while Sarah, a young Englishwoman stranded by fate in America, gives us the British viewpoint…