The American Revolution

The American Revolution — page 1 — contents Introduction 4 crisis in the colonies 6 trouble in Boston 8 Patriots take sides 10 the First shots 12 Battle of Bunker Hill 14 the siege of Boston 16 An American Leader 18 Washington’s Army 20 Loyalists 22 the War in canada 24 Declaration of Independence 26 Battles for new York 28 Battle of saratoga 30 Winter at Valley Forge 32 changing Fortunes 34 Last Battles 36 Battle for Yorktown 38 the British surrender 40 Washington's triumph 42 timeline 44 glossary 46 Further Information 47 Index 48

The American Revolution — page 2 — Primary Sources in U S History IntroDuctIon Primary sources are the best way to get close to people from the past They include the things people wrote in diaries letters or books the paintings drawings maps or cartoons they created and even the buildings they constructed the clothes they wore or the possessions they owned Such sources often reveal a lot about how people saw themselves and how they thought about their world This book collects a range of primary sources from the American Revolution from its causes to the outbreak of fighting in 1775 the course of the war and the triumph of a new country forged on the battlefield the United States of America The American Revolution began as a series of protests by colonial Americans against their British rulers but developed into a fight for nationhood after the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776 The professional British army faced an ill-trained army commanded by George Washington An American army thrust north into Canada failed and the British gained victories around New York but Washington’s army recovered At Saratoga in October 1777 it inflicted an almost unimaginable defeat on a major British army The focus of the action shifted south where the remaining British army was eventually pinned back at Yorktown Virginia The British surrendered in October 1781 4

The American Revolution — page 3 — tHe AmerIcAn reVoLutIon HoW to use tHIs BooK Some boxes contain more detailed information about a particular aspect of a subject The subjects are arranged in roughly chronological order They focus on key events or people There is a full timeline of the period at the back of the book Each spread contains at least one primary source Look out for Source Explored boxes that explain images from the revolutionary period and who made them and why There are also As They Saw It boxes that contain quotes from people of the period Some spreads feature a longer extract from a contemporary eyewitness Look for the colored introduction that explains who the writer is and the origin of his or her account These accounts are often accompanied by a related visual primary source 5

The American Revolution — page 4 — Primary Sources in U S History crIsIs In tHe coLonIes From 1753 to 1763 Britain fought France and its Native allies for control of what is now Canada Politicians in Britain decided that the colonial Americans should pay toward the costs of this French and Indian War In spring 1764 the Sugar Act placed a tax on sugar imports from the Caribbean This was met with outrage by Americans The Stamp Act of 1765 taxed all official documents and printed materials It seemed unfair to Americans that they had no representatives in the British parliament to object to such taxes George III became king of Great Britain and Ireland in 1760 He was determined to impose taxes on the colonies 6

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