The American Revolution Began In April
The American Revolution began in April, 1775 at Concord and Lexington in Massachusetts. The Second Continental Conrad on Philadelphia organized a Continental Army to show resolve and named George Washington of Virginia as commander. Few wanted independence and hoped by showing force, London, Under Prime Minister Lord North and King George III would compromise. Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense and the American Crisis in which he pushed for stronger action. After Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill showed that the rebellion would not easily be quenched as it proved a costly victory for the British troop’s .British command was moved from Boston to New York when cannons appeared on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston. The cannon had been hauled from Fort Ticonderoga which had been captured by Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen, leader of the Green Mountain Boys. Washington failed to route the British from New York at the Battle of Long Island and the city remained under British rule throughout the war. Washington retreated to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania for a hard winter encampment. His troops were ready to go home, so he crossed the Delaware River and attacked the Hessians at Trenton on Christmas Day. He followed with victory at Princeton. This helped keep his troops loyal. On July 2, 1776, independence was declared and two days later the Declaration of Independence was approved. Thomas Jefferson was its principle author. Gates' victory at Saratoga, New York brought France into the War against Britain. Spain soon followed. Benedict Arnold, hero at Ticonderoga, the Canadian campaign, and Saratoga, turned traitor at West Point, British Major John Andre was hung as a spy but Arnold escaped and joined the British army, leading attacks on New Haven and Richmond. Horatio Gates, commander at Saratoga, fled his defeat at Camden and was replaced as southern commander by Nathaniel Greene who defeated the British at Cowpens. Cornwallis' surrender at