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Key battles and the leadership of George Washington during the war.
Imagine being a soldier with no shoes in the freezing snow, fighting for a country that doesn't even exist yet. How did a group of farmers defeat the most powerful army in the world?
In the year , the British had a plan to split the colonies in two by capturing the Hudson River valley. However, the American forces defeated them at the Battle of Saratoga in New York. This victory was the most important 'turning point' of the war. Why? Because it proved to the rest of the world that the Americans could actually win! After this battle, France decided to join the war as an ally to the Americans, sending money, soldiers, and a powerful navy to help fight the British.
Quick Check
Why was the Battle of Saratoga considered the 'turning point' of the American Revolution?
Answer
It convinced France to join the war and help the Americans with money and troops.
While the victory at Saratoga was exciting, the winter of was a time of great suffering. General George Washington moved his army of men to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The soldiers faced terrible hardships: they lacked warm clothes, many had no shoes, and food was very scarce. Disease spread quickly through the damp huts. Despite the cold and hunger, Washington stayed with his men, and a leader named Baron von Steuben arrived to help train the soldiers, turning them into a professional, disciplined fighting force.
Consider how Washington kept his army together: 1. He refused to stay in a comfortable house until his men had built their own huts. 2. He brought in experts like von Steuben to teach the soldiers how to use bayonets and march in formation. 3. By the time spring arrived, the army was smaller but much stronger and better trained.
Quick Check
What were two major hardships soldiers faced at Valley Forge?
Answer
Lack of food, lack of warm clothing/shoes, and the spread of disease.
By , the war moved to the South. British General Cornwallis moved his army to Yorktown, Virginia, a small town on a peninsula. This was a huge mistake! George Washington saw an opportunity to trap him. The American and French armies marched south to surround the British on land, while the French Navy blocked the harbor so the British could not escape by sea. Trapped on all sides, Cornwallis was forced to surrender his army of men. This was the last major battle of the war, leading directly to American independence.
The victory at Yorktown was like a giant puzzle coming together: 1. Land Force: Washington and the French army blocked the only way out by land. 2. Sea Force: The French fleet defeated the British navy, blocking the water escape. 3. Result: trapped British army + escape routes = Surrender.
Imagine the British had troops and the combined American/French forces had . 1. The ratio of American/French soldiers to British soldiers was , which is more than to . 2. Because the British were surrounded on a peninsula, their chance of escape was . 3. This numerical and geographic advantage made the surrender inevitable.
Which battle is known as the 'turning point' of the American Revolution?
What was the main reason the British surrendered at Yorktown?
The soldiers at Valley Forge spent their time resting in comfortable barracks.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to explain to a friend why the French navy was the 'missing piece' of the puzzle at the Battle of Yorktown.
Practice Activity
Draw a simple map of a peninsula and show how an army could be trapped there by land and sea forces.