Key Battles and Campaigns of the Revolutionary War

1
Key Battles and Campaigns of the Revolutionary War

• New York -- Summer of 1776
• Who
• British Leaders General William Admiral
  Richard Howe
• Colonial Leaders Washington
• Result
• British take NY. Colonists retreat
• Why does it matter?
• Largest forces ever assembled in the war. Major
  city lost. Colonists act unconventionally to
  survive.

2
New Jersey

• 1776
• Who
• British Leaders General William Admiral
  Richard Howe
• Colonial Leaders Washington
• Result
• British take NY. Colonists retreat
• Why does it matter?
• Largest forces ever assembled in the war. Major
  city lost. Colonists act unconventionally to
  survive.

3
New Jersey

• December 1776
• Who
• British Leaders Hessians
• Colonial Leaders Washington
• Result
• Colonists surprise Hessians at Trenton and later
  a more conventional force at Princeton
• Why does it matter?
• Colonists fight unconventionally again
  guerrilla tactics. Moral victory for the
  colonists. Many men re-enlist. 1st major
  colonial victories.

4
Philadelphia

• 1777
• Who
• British Leaders General William Howe
• Colonial Leaders Washington
• Result
• British take Philadelphia. Colonists
  retreat/fail to stop
• Why does it matter?
• Capital city lost. Howe gets comfortable in city
  and with loyalists.

5
Saratoga

• October 1777
• Who
• British Leaders Burgoyne
• Colonial Leaders Horatio Gates, Ethan Allen
• Result
• Colonists surround and defeat large force.
• Why does it matter?
• Colonists fight unconventionally again some
  guerrilla tactics. Also win some conventional
  battles. British show lack of communication or
  alignment. British change strategy going forward
  to stay near the coast. French take notice.

6
Savannah and Charles Town

• 1780
• Who
• British Leaders Clinton and Cornwallis
• Colonial Leaders Washington/Greene
• Result
• British win and advance. Colonists retreat
• Why does it matter?
• British strategy seems to be working. They get
  overconfident?

7
Carolinas

• 1781
• Who
• British Leaders Cornwallis
• Colonial Leaders Nathaniel Greene
• Result
• Colonists weaken and defeat the British in major
  battles
• Why does it matter?
• Colonists fight back and win. Push British North

8
Yorktown

• October 1781
• Who
• British Leaders Cornwallis
• Colonial Leaders Greene, Washington, Lafayette
• Result
• Colonists surround and defeat British major
  force. British surrender
• Why does it matter?
• Last battle of the war. French play a large
  role. British are broken!