Events

1. France and Spain join the War

1.1. Why: With assistence from France, the Spanish did it because they wanted to take back Gilbraltar, west Florida, and Minorca, from the British

1.2. How is it important: The Spanish launched the Great Siege of Gilbraltar, an unsuccessful attempt from the Spanish and France to capture Gilbraltar from the British. 1781 the spanish achieved victory, getting control of west Florida. Then in 1782, Minorca surrendered and it was restored back with the Spanish.

2. Timing of Trenton

2.1. When: December 26, 1776 a little bit after eight o'clock.

2.1.1. Why is it important: after Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware River, his army was marched to Trenton, NJ. When they arrived, shortly after eight, the army charged for the city. Washington was surprised but he managed to have the element of surprise on the Hessians. As soon as guns fired, the Hessians ran out to get ready to fight. John Stark marched from the west as Washington and Nathanael Greene marched from the north. A Hessian soldier incorrectly reported to their Colonel Johann Rall that the troops surrounded and there was no way out. As a result of that, the Hessians were told to counterattack and not retreat. Washington and his men overpowered them and Rall and other Hessian soldiers flee from the fight. Without a commander the rest of the soldiers retreated and surrendered. After one hour of fighting Washington had won victory and captured nearly 900 men from the Hessians. His soldiers have marched for nearly two days straight through rain, slow, sleet, and even hail. Washington decided to return to their camps to let them rest from what they had to go through. Washington realized that his army could do way more then he thought they could handle at Trenton, and he also understood that not doing anything will cause more danger toward our country, and this helped him plan his next attack in Princeton

3. Surrender at Yorktown

3.1. Why? The American and French troops enclosed them until Cornwallis surrendered 7,087 officers and men, 900 seamen, 144 cannons, 15 galleys, a frigate, and 30 transport ships and pleaded illness. This effectively ended fighting in the American colonies.

3.1.1. How? Cornwallis led his troops to the Virginia coast where they could communicate with the British. They then raided the Virginia towns and headed for Yorktown. Washington had heard and ordered his troops to surround Yorktown, so Cornwallis couldn't escape. He joined forces with 4,000 French men and made plans to attack. As the next two passed they gradually got close enough to attack and Cornwallis surrendered.

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5. Propaganda Campaign

5.1. Thomas Paine: He was and eighteenth century writer who used propaganda and his persuasion techniques to motivate Americans in the fight for their freedom.

5.2. Sons of Liberty: They were an organization that was form to protect the rights of the colonists. During the Propaganda Campaign they started a propaganda war after the Boston Massacre trying to change the people's minds and affecting the public's opinion on the relationship between the colonists and the British.

6. DOI Issued

6.1. When: July 4, 1776

6.2. Why: American colonies separated themselves from Britain politically because of how they were treated. The Declaration of Independence gives examples of how Great Britain violated the rights of the colonists and lost their consent.

6.3. People involved: Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence

7. Winter at Valley Forge

7.1. When: 1770

7.2. What happened: Americans were unable to keep Britain out of Phildelphia, so Washington marched his beaten down soldiers to Valley Forge. From there Washington could watch the British. Washington's army was starved from lack of food, and bad health from bad shelter. On the otherhand, the British slept good and ate well. Six months later, the weather cleared and his men were ready to fight. They headed to New Jersey.

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