The Battle Of Trenton

On December 26th, Washington's Army crossed the Delaware and surprised the British at Trenton. The main attack was made by 2,400 troops under Washington on the Hessian Garrison. Washington's troop’s achieved total surprise and defeated the British forces. The American victory was the first of the war, and helped to restore American morale. General Washington was not willing to remain on the defensive and go into winter quarters, after being forced to withdraw all the way across New Jersey. Washington knew that after the extended string of defeats he would need to take action to bring about a victory in order to maintain American moral and to convince Americans, as well as the world that the Continentals had a chance against the British.

On December 22nd Washington convened a Council of War to discuss his options. That evening Washington held a second Council of War, at which point a plan was decided upon. The council voted to launch a surprise attack on the British troops in Trenton on the day after Christmas. The plan was both straight-forward and complex. The plan called for Washington to cross the Delaware, ten miles North of Trenton on Christmas night. The plan further called for two additional forces crossing the Delaware to support Washington's troops; one to block the British line of retreat and the second to create a diversion. American forces were meant to arrive in Trenton before dawn in what was hoped to be a surprise attack.
American forces began their crossing at the McConkey Crossing on Christmas night. The crossing was difficult, but the American managed prevailed. Then American forces began a 10 mile march through the snow to Trenton. General Washington went up and down the line encouraging the soldiers. Before they reached Trenton Washington divided his forces. At 8 am in the morning, with his men on two sides of the town, Washington gave the order to attack.
The town of Trenton was defended by a force of 1,500 Hessian (German mercenary soldiers), commanded by Colonel Rall, a veteran officer. Rall failed to send out patrols that morning. As a result, the American surprise was complete. The Hessians tried to put up a defense, but they were effectively surrounded. The Americans successfully brought up their artillery. The Hessian commander, Roll was killed, and the Hessians were forced to surrender. 150 Hessians were killed or wounded. Nine hundred Hessians were made prisoners. However, 500 Hessians did escape, because the American blocking force was unable to cross the Delaware.
Washington and the American forces won a tremendous victory. The Americans totally vanquished the British force, capturing both soldiers and vital supplies. Most importantly, they ended the string of British victories and restored American morale.

The Battle Of Bunker Hill

To force the British from Boston, on the night of 16 June 1775 the American militia besieging the town sent 1,200 men to seize Bunker Hill, on the peninsula of Charlestown. The detachment instead decided to build a small redoubt on Breed's Hill, which was closer to Boston but easily flanked. At day break, the British warships that were anchored in the Boston harbor opened an ineffective fire. To strengthen his left flank, Colonel William Prescott, commanding in the redoubt, built a rail fence stuffed with hay and manned the line with 2,000 men under Major General Israel Putnam. Meanwhile, under the command of Major General Sir William Howe, some 2,000 British infantry, with a few field guns, landed below the redoubt.

Early in the afternoon, Howe, along with Brigadier General Robert Pigot, led a simultaneous attack on the redoubt and the rail fence, which was bloodily repulsed by the provincials, chiefly New Hampshire men under Colonel John Stark. After another failed attempt to take these breastworks, Howe's third assault feinted against the fence and for the first time attacked the redoubt with bayonets. Prescott's troops, out of ammunition, were forced to retreat. The defenders of the fence covered the American retreat. After an engagement lasting less than two hours, the British were masters of the peninsula, but this victory came with heavy casualties. The British lost 1,054 men, while the Americans lost, in killed, wounded, and captured, but 441. Although the engagement took place on Breed's Hill, it has come to be known as the Battle of Bunker Hill. At first regarded by the Americans as a defeat, Bunker Hill, because of the way the militia resisted regulars, came to be regarded as a moral victory.

The Battle Of Lexington And Concord

The battle of Lexington and concord was the bloody conflict that marked the beginning of open hostile in the America revolutionary was.

On April 18, 1775, Thomas gage, the leading British general planned to seize weapons and ammunition at concord, Massachusetts, and to kill John Hancock as well as other leaders of the American Revolution. Paul revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott rode to Lexington, Massachusetts and then to Concord in order to spread a warning. The British caught up to the riders and managed to arrest Dawes and Revered, but Prescott escaped. Prescott reached Lexington and warned the leaders to hide, and they did.

The next day, April 19, revolutionary forces quickly gathered a militia, known as the minutemen, at Lexington. Though the Americans were overwhelmed by British when they used conventional tactics, they found greater success with guerrilla tactics.

The British troops were met first by 77 minuteman at Lexington Green. After a stand-off, a shot was fired, which was the catalyst for the battle. Exactly who or which side fired the first shot is lost to history, but it came to be known as The Shot Heard ´Round The World. In the ensuing battle, the British drove off the revolutionaries. They then advanced to North Bridge in concord and were met by 300 to 400 colonists, who drove the British back to Boston and forced the British to retreat without seizing the arms cache. The American Revolutionary War had begun. The events were the stage for the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem: the Midnight Ride  of Paul Revere.

The Second Contental Congress

Smoke from the battle of Lexington and concord (April. 19, 1775) had scarcely cleared when the second continental congress met on the appointed day in Philadelphia. Armed conflict strengthened the radical element, but only gradually did the delegates swing toward independence. A continental army was created to oppose the British, and through the agency of John Adams, George Washington was appointed (June 15, 1775) commander in chief. The reconciliation plan offered (1775) by lord north`s government was tabled. A diplomatic representative, Silas dean, was sent (mar, 1776) to France. American ports were opened in defiance of the Navigation Acts. Finally, the momentous step was taken, and congress on July 4, 1776 adopted the Declaration of Independence.

The congress, a young and unsteady organization had little money and limited means for obtaining more. Nevertheless, it struggle to press the conduct of the war while moving, under force of military circumstances from place to place: it met a Philadelphia (1775-1776) Baltimore (1776-1777), and Philadelphia again (1777) . There was friction between congress and military leaders, and the soldier contemptuous (something justly) of the politicians, constantly agitated for their pay and their rights. The Congress, jealous of its power, frequently hindered Washington on his strategy.

Declaration Of Independence

Declaration of Independence has a preamble that explains the reason of self-government against British rules, reservation to conduct trade, foreign alliances and necessary rights to raise war. When the present government is unable to grant basic rights and involvement of their people in the administration, it is essential to change the autocratic system. Here we find non-violence petition placed for basic human rights of the people living in colonies. It is the philosophical theory in politics that people can cut across the so-called government with certain truths mainly three civil rights, such as rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. The declaration of independence urges people living in the colonies to throw out the tyrannical government in the hands of injustice king, George III. The summary was composed for more than 14 months and gave out a unique concept “all men are created equal” by God making neither masters nor slaves. 

Patriots vs. Colonists

Despite mounting grievances, it is important to note that many Patriots

considered themselves subjects of the King until the brink of war, and

were often proud of being British. Britain had won the French and Indian War

just a decade previously, and colonist were still experiencing national price as a result

of the important victory. in addition, Britain was widely perceived as one of the more

progressive governments in the world. Interestingly, the emphasis on individual liberty that colonists so cherished as Britons added fuel to Patriot rhetoric - how could a government that proclaimed individual rights and due process for their mainland citizens ignore the will of their colonists?

Patriot Arguments:
- Individual liberty threatened by greater government.
- A series of acts and laws passed by the British Government were oppressive and indicative of a decline in colonial rights.
- No representation in British Parliament
- The Quartering of British troops.
- British control of trade.

Loyalist Argument:
- Common Heritage and Culture with England.
- Benefit from the Trans-Atlantic trade.
- Many were first generation or had close relatives in England.
- Strong sense of duty to British Crown.
- Farms and Farm products could be greatly reduced in value.
- Separate government could degenerate into anarchy.
- Actions taken by revolutionary committees were "illegal", and a symptom internal tyranny.

Taxation Without Representation

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The colonist protest about stampt act, quartering act and all the taxes that parliament imposed.

also this led to boycotts of British goods,  that  demonstrated the colonists' consumer power.
The south colonies belief that if they accept the law that the parliament put to increase more the taxes and parliaments belief that was streplin away of property and their political  rights. also many colonie thought that the stamp act was an attack to destroy their American Liberties. After more and more british pay taxes , but they could not vote.