| He is considered to be one of the greatest
Americans that ever lived. He was the only person to sign the four key
documents of American History: The Declaration of Independence, the Treaty
of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Peace with Great Britain, and the
Constitution of the United States. By serving as a diplomat in France and
gaining France's help, he contributed greatly to winning the Revolutionary
War. His inventions include electricity, bifocal lenses, and the lightning
rod. His scientific studies promoted an understanding of the Gulf Stream
in the Atlantic Ocean and he encouraged "daylight-saving" time in summer.
He did not patent any of his inventions or use them for profit, preferring
to give them to the world for everyone's comfort and convenience.
General Thomas Gage of the British army was commanded to destroy ammunition and weapons stored by the Patriots. He was also instructed to arrest two of the more vocal rebel leaders - Samuel Adams and John Hancock in a nearby town. Paul Revere and William Dawes made the famous midnight ride to warn the Americans of the British advance on the towns. Seventy armed militia led by Captain John Parker met the British soldiers on the village green. A shot rang out and the British began firing. No one knows to this day who fired the first shot, but it became known as "the shot heard 'round the world" that signaled the start of the American Revolution. Eight Americans were killed and ten were wounded. The Americans scattered and the British continued into town. After the British destroyed the supplies
they could find, they were marching out of town when thy reached the Old
North Bridge. There, a growing group of rebels inflicted caualties on the
British, reulting in a forced march back to Boston. Along the way, they
suffered more deaths and injuries as embattled farmers sniped from behind
stone walls, trees, barns, houses, all the way back.
This was an important British post on the route from Canada to the colonies. Colonel Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen with his Green Mountain Boys led a surprise attack on it in May of 1775. The Americans won without firing a shot. The cannons were later used to break the British blockade of Boston. The Second Continental Congress appointed John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman to write this. Jefferson is usually given the credit for the document. It lists the colonists' complaints against the King and spells out the reasons for independence. This was the largest city in Colonial America, founded by William Penn as a Quaker settlement. The First Continental Congress and Second Continental Congresses were conducted here. Both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States were adapted and signed in here, which is why it is known as the "birthplace of the United States". It also served as the United States capital from 1790-1800, until the new city of Washington, D.C. became the capital. It is nicknamed the "City of Brotherly Love." His engraving of the Boston Massacre (March 5, 1770) was a powerful propaganda tool against the British and enflamed anti-British feelings. As an early supporter of independence, he participated in the Boston Tea Party. He is most famous for his "midnight ride" to Lexington, Massachusetts spreading the word that the British were on the move. He was a prominent silversmith and artist and also made bells - many of which are still in use today in New England. When the British took Philadelphia in September of 1777, General Washington was forced to make winter camp about 20 miles away. It was a miserable winter for the 10,000 soldiers of the Continental Army. Many soldiers lacked shoes and warm clothing. Food was scarce. Diseases such as smallpox and typhoid fever swept through the camp. 2500 men died that winter from the cold, disease and malnutrition. During this winter, French General Lafayette joined the Continental Army, without pay, and impressed the troops and Washington by living under the same conditions as the soldiers. Another important addition to the Continental Army was Baron Friedrich von Steuben. He knew how to train an army. Even under the hardships of the camp, he drilled the soldiers repeatedly during the winter so that by springtime the Continental Army had become a strong and disciplined fighting force. The last major battle of the American Revolution was fought here. Washington learned that the French fleet
was sailing to Virginia to prevent the British army, under the command
of General Cornwallis, from leaving. He and the French rushed their troops
to Yorktown to trap the British and prevent them from escaping over land.
The French fleet defeated the British fleet at the mouth of the Chesapeake
Bay so the reinforcements that Cornwallis needed were unable to reach him.
Cornwallis was surrounded, the American and French troops gradually closed
in on him, and he surrendered to Washington on Oct 19, 1781.
This was a document written by Thomas Paine that supported America's fight to rid itself of English rule. The mass printing of this pamphlet spread awareness throughout the colonies of the importance of this fight. The title was the first time these two words had ever been used together and has now become a frequently used saying. On the night of December 25, 1776, George Washington crossed the freezing Delaware River to attack Hessians, German mercenaries who were allies of the British, stationed in this town. The American troops surprised the soldiers in an early morning raid captured nearly 1000 men. There were no American casualties. This was a great victory for the Americans. The majority of soldiers' enlistments in the army were up at the end of the year and the soldiers would be returning home. This victory gave them new hope and the encouragement they needed to continue the fight for freedom. Benjamin Franklin published this using the pen name of Richard Saunders. It was full of famous sayings such as "Haste makes waste" and "Early to bed, and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." It also contained crop predictions, a chart of the phases of the moon, recipes, notes on fashion, and other comments on daily life. This battle is considered the turning point in the war for independence. With the American victory, it proved to the world that the Americans were serious and powerful enough to defeat the highly trained British forces. General Benedict Arnold diobeyed orders from his superior and led his troops in an offensive manuveur. His efforts were so successful that British General Burgoyne was forced to surrender a few days later. Upon hearing of the American victory, the French declared recognition of the United States of America and fully supported their war of independence. He organized a group of men called the Green Mountain Boys and helped Benedict Arnold capture Fort Ticonderoga from the British in 1775 - one of the first important victories of the American Revolution. He is known as the most famous traitor in United States history. He plotted with the British for 16 months, but was revealed as a spy when Captain John Andre was captured with his papers detailing the plans of West Point. He escaped capture, and was made a Brigadier General of the British Army. He was regarded as one of the best generals of the American Revolution - for both sides. Name of a battle fought on Breed's Hill near Boston, Massachusetts, on June 17th, 1775 between the Americans. Because of a limited amount of ammunition, the troops were warned "Don't fire'til you see the whites of their eyes!" The Americans repelled the first two attacks by the British, but were forced to retreat from the third attack when they ran out of ammunition. The battle was a costly victory for the British who lost more than 40% of their force. Even though the Americans were defeated, it proved that the British could suffer great losses, too, giving encouragement to the growing rejection of British rule. A successful school teacher, he became part of a select fighting group known as the Rangers after capturing a supply loaded ship.He volunteered to accept Washington's request to obtain information on the British position. Dressed in civilian clothes, he obtained the information, but was captured on his return. Since he was out of uniform, he was condemned to hang as a spy. He is famous for his courage and calm in the face of death and for his last words, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." A very wealthy Boston merchant who used his wealth and influence in the fight for independence. He was president of the First and Second Continental Congresses and the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. A large reward was offered by the British for his capture and upon signing this famous document he said, "The British ministry can read that name without spectacles; let them double their reward." He was a distinguished statesman, lawyer and orator, best remembered for his words, "Give me liberty or give me death!" spoken while urging Virginia colonial militia to be armed for defense against England. His strong feelings of democracy were evident when he was the first American politician to call voters, "fellow citizens." He was the author of the Declaration of Independence. One of the leading architects of his time, he designed the Virginia Capitol, the University of Virginia and his home, Monticello. An inventor and scientist, he invented the lap desk, a decoding device, and developed the decimal system of coinage that is the basis of American money - dollars and cents. He became the third President of the United States. He is often called the Father of the American Navy. With his ship the Bonhomme Richard - named after Benjamin Franklin - he defeated the bigger and better equipped British Serapis. Battling throughout the night, it seemed as though he would lose the battle since his ship was sinking. When the British commander asked him to surrender, he replied, "I have not yet begun to fight," which has become a famous Navy slogan representing heroism in the face of defeat. He was a wealthy French nobleman whose beliefs in liberty led him to America's fight for Independence. He agreed to serve without pay in the American army and was made a major general and served on George Washington's staff. He persuaded the French government to send more aid to the Americans. He was a famous writer whose words greatly influenced the leaders of the American Revolution. Born in England, he became friends with Benjamin Franklin, who encouraged him to go to America. He wrote and published the pamphlet "Common Sense" which demanded complete independence from Great Britain. It also stated a strong case against the monarchy and inherited privilege. It was the most widely distributed pamphlet in American history at that time - popular with the highly educated as well as the common man.He also published a series of pamphlets called "The Crises," which begins with the words, "These are the times that try men's souls." General George Washington read these pamphlets to his troops, which gave them great encouragement during the hardest times of the war. He is known as the "Father of our Country". He represented Virginia as a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses. In June 1775, Congress unanimously chose him to be Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. He forced General Cornwallis to surrender at Yorktown in October of 1781. He refused the offer from his officers to set up a monarchy with himself as king, an idea he viewed "with abhorrence." He resigned his commission to Congress and returned to his home in Mount Vernon, Virginia. He was unanimously elected to serve as the presiding officer over the Constitutional Convention that wrote the Constitution of the United States. He became the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, serving two terms from 1789-1797. His portrait appears on the one-dollar bill. |