US History I

1
US History I

• Road to Independence
• (1753-1783)
• Fighting for Independence

2
Siege of Boston April 1775-March 1776

• After Lexington and Concord British troops are
  trapped in Boston by Patriot troops
• Continental Army is formed
• Ft. Ticonderoga is captured from the British
• Cannons taken across the mountains of Vermont by
  Gen. Henry Knox (as in Ft. Knox)

3
Siege (cont.)

• Battle of Bunker Hill (actually Breeds Hill)
• June 17, 1175
• Tremendous casualties for British
• Patriot casualties relatively light
• British succeed at pushing Patriots off the hill
  but remain trapped in Boston
• Knoxs cannons arrive in January 1776
• British evacuate Boston in March 1776

4
Strengths

• Americans
• Home Turf
• Adaptive Tactics

• British
• Well equipped army
• Control of seas
• Mercenaries
• Indian Allies

5
Weaknesses

• Americans
• Not well supplied
• Govt disorganized with little authority

• British
• War unpopular _at_ home
• Troops in hostile territory
• Commanders resist adapting
• Long supply lines

6
Fighting in the North

• British retreat from Boston and set their sights
  on New York.
• New York is taken. Washington retreats into New
  Jersey
• NJ becomes a battleground as Washington retreats
  across NJ to PA
• Things look bleak for Washington by December 1776

7
Battles of Trenton and Princeton

• Christmas 1776
• 1400 Hessians settled in for the winter at
  Trenton Barracks (still there next to the
  statehouse)
• Washington captures Trenton in a surprise raid.
• Princeton is raided a few days later.

8
Saratoga

• The following fall, 10/1777, British troops were
  defeated at Saratoga.
• Burgoyne is surrounded by Gates after a couple of
  days of fighting and surrenders to the Americans.
• Very important battle because it convinced France
  that we might have chance to win. They openly
  become our ally