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Find a list of key terms on britannica

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The British Government put a tax on molasses that was imported from non-British colonies. This was done to stop the Colonists from engaging in trade that did not benefit the British. The British government needed to have more control over trade in the colonies so that they could still make money.

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The British Government created court orders that authorized customs officers to search ships and buildings to stop smuggling of goods. The colonists could no longer get goods from countries other than Britain. This made the colonists angry.

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The French & Indian War took place between 1754- 1763 (9 years).  British troops helped the colonists win the war, using a lot of the British treasury to pay for it.  The British believed that the colonists should help pay for the war since it was fought to protect them.
BRAINPOP.  BRITANNICA

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Kids learn about the history of the French and Indian War of the American Colonies between 1754 and 1763 including major battles, events, ending, and results.

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An order issued by the British Government after the French & Indian War, stopping the colonists from settling west of the Appalachian mountains.
The British Government were in debt from the French & Indian War, and did not want further conflict from the colonists moving west.
The colonists were angry at this and continued to move west to own more land.

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This was the first tax on the American colonies. It increased the enforcement of the smuggling laws from the Molasses Act and made trading more expensive for the colonists.

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A tax placed directly on American Colonists by the British government.  It strained relations with the colonies to the point of rebellion against the British.
The colonists felt this was unfair and protested using the saying "No taxation without representation."
Britannica

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Learn about the The Stamp Act of 1765. A tax the Britain placed on the American colonies eventually leading the Revolutionary War.

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The British Government imposed taxes on glass, paper, paint, and tea.  This was done to pay for the French and Indian War.

BRITANNICA

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Learn about the Townshend Acts from the American Revolution including how they got their name, what the laws did, why the colonists protested them, results, and interesting facts.

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March 5, 1770.  BRITANNICA
A large street fight broke out between the colonists and the British soldiers.  Soldiers were sent to keep order after an argument broke out, but more colonists showed ip and started throwing rocks/ snowballs at the soldiers.  Shots were fired and 7 colonists died.

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Learn about the Boston Massacre where five colonies were killed by the British. Major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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1773: Tea Act /                    Boston Tea Party. 

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1773: Tea Act /                    Boston Tea Party. 

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Dec 16th, 1773: Boston Tea Party.
BRAINPOP.  BRITANNICA
The British lifted taxes on everything BUT tea, leaving the colonists angry.
A group of colonists known as the Sons of Liberty, protested the Tea Act by dressing as Native Americans, sneaking onboard of a ship, and dumping all the crates of tea into the harbor.

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Kids learn about the Boston Tea Party major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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March 24, 1774.  BRITANNICA
These acts were meant to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party.  They were key developments in the outbreak of the American Revolution.
(ex: the Quartering Act sent British troops to the colonies, forcing colonists to give them places to stay & pay for their meals)

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Learn about the Intolerable Acts of the American Revolution including how they got their name, the Boston Port Act, Quartering Act, results, and interesting facts.

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September 5, 1774.  BRITANNICA
Representatives from each colony met to discuss how they wanted to respond to the Intolerable Acts.
1/3 of the colonists wanted to remain loyal to the King, the other 2/3 wanted to be free.
The colonies sent a letter to king George III to complain about the way they were being treated.  They threatened to boycott British goods if the Intolerable Acts did not stop, and they said they would meet again in 1775 to discuss next steps if their demands were not met.

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American Revolution: The Continental Congress

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Kids learn about The Continental Congress meetings; major events in the American Revolutionary War.

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April 18, 1775.
After word got to the colonists that the British were nearby and ready to attack, Revere and William Dawes were asked to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams.  They rode 15 miles on horseback from Boston to Lexington at midnight shouting along the way "The regulars (British) are coming!"

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Kids learn about Paul Revere's famous ride of warning the patriots about the British; major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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April 19, 1775.  VIDEO. BRITANNICA
British troops traveled to Lexington, Massachusetts to capture some Patriots and destroy American weapons.  The colonists found out about their plan and had minutemen ready to fight.  When the British arrived, a gunshot went off, causing the British to attack.  It would later be called "The shot heard around the world"

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Learn about the Battle of Lexington and Concord major event in the American Revolutionary War. The first battles of the war.

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May 10, 1775.   BRITANNICA
The Second Continental Congress started to meet.  By this time, the war has already begun.  Congress knew they had to have better leadership.

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American Revolution: The Continental Congress

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Kids learn about The Continental Congress meetings; major events in the American Revolutionary War.

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June 17, 1775.  BRITANNICA
Despite the name, the battle actually took place on Breed's Hill.  The British were planning to take over both hills to help them strategically.  The colonists heard about their plan, so they sent troops to the hill to fight.  The American troops ran out of ammunition and retreated.  The British now had control of the hills.

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History >> American Revolution

The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, just a few months after the start of the American Revolutionary War.

Battle of Bunker Hill by Pyle

Boston was being besieged by thousands of American militia. The British were trying to keep control of the city and control its valuable seaport. The British decided to take two hills, Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill, in order to gain a tactical advantage. The American forces heard about it and went to defend the hills.

Where did the battle take place?

This seems like the easiest question ever, doesn't it? Well, not really. There were two hills that the British wanted to take in order to be able to bombard the Americans from a distance. These were Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill. The Battle of Bunker Hill actually took place mostly on Breed's Hill. It's only called the Battle of Bunker Hill because the army thought they were on Bunker Hill. Sort of a funny mistake and it makes for a good trick question.

Bunker Hill Monument by Ducksters
You can visit Bunker Hill and climb to the top of
the monument for a view of the city of Boston

The Leaders

The British were led up the hill by General William Howe. The Americans were led by Colonel William Prescott. Maybe this should have been called the Battle of the Williams! Major John Pitcairn was also one of the British leaders. He was in command of the troops that started the fighting at Lexington that began the Revolutionary War. From the American side, Israel Putnam was the General in charge. Also, leading patriot Dr. Joseph Warren was part of the battle. He was killed during the fighting.

What happened at the battle?

The American forces learned that the British were planning on taking over the hills around Boston in order to gain a tactical advantage. As a result of this information, the Americans secretly moved their troops onto Bunker and Breed's Hill, two unoccupied hills just outside of Boston in Charlestown, Massachusetts. They built up fortifications during the night and prepared for battle.

The next day, when the British realized what had happened, the British attacked. Their commander William Howe led three charges up Breed's Hill. The Americans fought back the first two charges, but started to run out of ammunition and had to retreat at the third charge. The British gained the hill, but their costs were great. Around 226 British were killed and 800 wounded while the Americans did not suffer nearly as many casualties.

Battle Map - Click to see larger picture

Result of the Battle

Although the British won the battle and gained control of the hills, they paid a heavy price. They lost hundreds of soldiers including several officers. This gave the Americans the courage and confidence that they could stand up to the British in battle. Many more colonists joined the army after this battle and the revolution continued to grow in strength.

Bunker Hill Cannon Ball by Ducksters
A cannon ball dug up from Bunker Hill

Interesting Facts about The Battle of Bunker Hill

Because the Americans were low on ammunition, they were told "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes."

The American troops worked hard during the night building up the defenses. Much of the wall they built, called a redoubt, was nearly 6 feet high.

Future President of the United States, John Quincy Adams, watched the battle from a nearby hill with his mother Abigail Adams. He was seven years old at the time.

The British suffered the most casualties of any single fight during the American Revolutionary War.

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History >> American Revolution

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Kids learn about the Battle of Bunker Hill major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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June 19, 1775.
General George Washington became the Commander of the Continental Army. He was chosen based on his experience and his belief in his ability to unite the colonies.

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Enter the Access ID and Passcode provided by your school to access Britannica School.

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July 4, 1776 BRAINPOP BRITANNICA. BRITANNICA2

The Declaration of Independence was signed.  The 13 colonies announced themselves as a new country, no longer under the rule of Great Britain. A copy of the declaration was sent to all 13 colonies, as well as Great Britain.

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Kids learn about the Declaration of Independence major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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The British did not recognize the Declaration of Independence and continued to send troops to the colonies.  An agreement among the 13 states was written.  This was the original Constitution of the United States.  It outlined a loose government that gave all the power to the states.  Federalists wanted to ratify this agreement and form a federal government, but Anti-Federalists were people who opposed, and wanted to keep power in the states.

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Learn how the United States was governed before the Constitution was written!

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December 25, 1776.
George Washington and the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River to surprise the British. It was a cold and snowy Christmas day. The British were not expecting the attack. The Americans finally got the victory the needed.

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Learn about the Crossing the Delaware major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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Sept 19 - Oct 17, 1777.
American's win at the Battle of Saratoga, New York. The British and the Hessians (German troops hired by the British for help) were forced to surrender on October 17th, 1777.

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History >> American Revolution

The Battles of Saratoga were a series of battles that culminated in the Battle of Saratoga and the surrender of British General John Burgoyne. This decisive victory by the Americans was a turning point of the Revolutionary War.

The Leaders

The main leader for the British was General John Burgoyne. He had the nickname "Gentleman Johnny".

The Americans were led by Major General Horatio Gates as well as Generals Benedict Arnold and Benjamin Lincoln. Other key commanders included Colonel Daniel Morgan and General Enoch Poor.

General Horatio Gates
by Gilbert Stuart

General General John Burgoyne
by Joshua Reynolds

Leading up to the Battles

British General Burgoyne had come up with a plan to defeat the American colonies. He would split the colonies in two along the Hudson River. With the colonies divided, he was sure they could not stand.

Burgoyne was to lead his army south from Lake Champlain to Albany, New York. At the same time General Howe was to advance north along the Hudson River. They would meet at Albany.

Burgoyne and his army successfully advanced south. They first recaptured Fort Ticonderoga from the Americans then proceeded to march south. General Howe, however, had other plans. Instead of heading north to Albany, he headed east to take Philadelphia. Burgoyne was on his own.

Bennington

As the British continued south, the Americans harassed them along the way. They cut down trees to block the roads and took shots at the soldiers from the forests. Burgoyne's progress was slow and the British began to run out of food. Burgoyne sent some of his soldiers to Bennington, Vermont to find food and horses. However, Bennington was guarded by American General John Stark. They surrounded the British troops and captured around 500 soldiers. It was a decisive victory for the Americans and weakened the British forces.

Map of the Battles of Saratoga
Click picture to see larger version

The Battle of Freeman's Farm

The first battle of Saratoga took place on September 19, 1777 on the farmland of British loyalist John Freeman. Daniel Morgan led 500 sharpshooters to the field where they saw the British advancing. They were able to take out a number of officers before the British began to attack. At the end of the battle the British gained control of the field, but they had suffered 600 casualties, twice as many as the Americans.

The Battle of Bemis Heights

After the Battle of Freeman's Farm the Americans set up their defenses at Bemis Heights. More militia men arrived and the American forces continued to grow. On October 7, 1777 the British attacked. Their attack failed miserably and they were defeated by the Americans. British casualties mounted to nearly 600 men and General Burgoyne was forced to retreat.

The Americans under General Gates pursued the British army. Within days, they had them surrounded. The British surrendered on October 17, 1777.

Surrender of General Burgoyne
Source: U.S. Federal Government

Results

The Battles of Saratoga and the surrender of the British army under General Burgoyne was one of the major turning points of the Revolutionary War. The Americans morale was boosted and the country now felt it could win the war. Just as important to the war, the French decided to support the Americans with military aid.

Interesting Facts About the Battles of Saratoga

Benedict Arnold did not get along with General Gates. At one point they had a heated argument and Gates relieved Arnold of his command.

George Washington declared a day of Thanksgiving on December 18, 1777 to celebrate the victory over the British at Saratoga.

Despite being relieved of his command, Benedict Arnold entered the battle at Saratoga. He was injured when his horse was shot and fell on his leg.

The American ranks swelled from 9,000 soldiers at the first battle to over 15,000 by the time the British surrendered. The British army, on the other hand, shrunk from 7,200 at the first battle to around 6,600 at the second battle.

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History >> American Revolution

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Learn about the Battles of Saratoga at Freeman's Farm and Bemis Heights. Major event in the American Revolutionary War.

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BRITANNICA
American troops suffer hardships through the winter weather while camped at Valley Forge, NY.

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Learn about Valley Forge. The place where George Washington and the Continental Army spent the winter during the Revolutionary War.

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February 16, 1778.
France signed the Treaty of Alliance, agreeing to fight with the Americans. France gave supplies and soldiers to the Americans.

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Enter the Access ID and Passcode provided by your school to access Britannica School.

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Feb 2nd, 1781
The first constitution of the United Stated. The document officially established the government of the union of the 13 states.

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American Revolution: Articles of Confederation

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Learn about the Articles of Confederation during the Revolutionary War including authors, summary of the thirteen articles, ratification, results, and interesting facts.

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October 19, 1781.  BRITANNICA
The Battle of Yorktown was the last battle of the Revolutionary War.  The British were outnumbered by the French and American troops.  The British surrendered to the Americans.  On October 19, 1781, a paper was signed, declaring that the war was officially over.

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Kids learn about the Battle of Yorktown major event ending the American Revolutionary War.

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September 3, 1783.
Americans and British sign the Treaty of Paris, ending the war.
The goal was to secure peace between Britain and the Colonies. Britain would no longer have any control over the government or land. Britain had to recognize the 13 colonies as free and independent, and the colonists could continue to move west and expand the country.

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Kids learn about The Treaty of Paris; the final end to the American Revolutionary War.