In the following lessons, you will learn key terms, concepts, individuals and events concerning the American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), it’s causes, democratic ideals, important battles, foreign contributions, combatants, and results.
You will complete a 3 minute timed quiz after each lesson.
You will play game quizzes reviewing key concepts and related information.
Finally, you will complete a 30 minute timed quiz assessing your acquired learning for this course.
Lesson 1 – introduction: proclamation of United States of America (1776), a world war, the Yorktown British surrender (1781), ‘unlawful’ British taxes, declaration of independence by the Continental Congress, eventual Patriot military gains and victory, and the Treaty of Paris.
Lesson 2 – causes 1.1: the end of the Seven Years War (1756-1763), heavy British debt, the Stamp Act (1765), ‘taxation without representation’, the Sons of Liberty, Colonial boycotts, the Declaratory Act (1766), the Townshend Act (1767), the “Boston Massacre” (1770), and the “Boston Tea Party” (1773).
Lesson 3 – causes 1.2: the Massachusetts Government Act, the “Intolerable Acts”, the Provincial Congress, the First Continental Congress, the Suffolk Resolves, divided British conservative (Tory) and liberal (Whig) factions.
Lesson 4: causes 1.3: Paul Revere’s ‘Midnight Ride’, the battles of Lexington and Concord (1775), the Battle of Bunker Hill, advent of George Washington as Colonial military leader, and assistance from France.
Lesson 5: causes 1.4: ‘Evacuation Day’ (1776), the capture of Fort Ticonderoga (1775), advent of Benedict Arnold, the unsuccessful attack on Quebec City (1775), Iroquois support of the British, and the Battle of Trois-Rivières (1776).
Lesson 6: British reaction 2.1: the Proclamation of Rebellion (1775), the Olive Branch Petition (1775), the Second Continental Congress, German mercenaries, the Declaration of American Independence (1776), the Battle of Long Island (1776), the East River Continental Army retreat (1776), the Battle of White Plains (1776), and ‘Prison ships’.
Lesson 7: British reaction 2.2: Washington crossing the Delaware (1776), the Battle of Trenton (1776), Continental Army winters at Morristown, Pennsylvania (1776), the Battle of Princeton (1777), and evacuation of Congress from Philadelphia (1777).
Lesson 8: Saratoga Campaign 3.0: the Battle of Bennington (1777), the Battle of Oriskany (1777), Sayenqueraghta (Seneca Patriot ally), Joseph Brant (Mohawk British ally), the Battle of Saratoga (Turning point in the War -1777), and France an official Patriot ally.
Lesson 9: Philadelphia Campaign 4.0: the Battle of Brandywine (1777), British control of Philadelphia, the Battle of Germantown 1777), the Battle of White Marsh (1777), Washington’s winter encampment at Valley Forge (1777-1778), Baron Von Steuben’s Revolutionary War Drill, and British General Howe failure to capitalize on Continental Army’s weakness.
Lesson 10: Foreign Intervention 5.0: French Admiral Latouche Tréville supply of arms and munitions to the Patriots, Benjamin Franklin, Silas Dean and Arthur Lee – successful Patriot diplomates, the Treaty of Alliance (French joins the United States -1778), the Treaty of Aranjuez (Spain joins the United States -1779), Holland supports the United States – 1780), and Congress rejection of British conciliations.
Lesson 11: Northwest Theatre 6.1: the Battle of Monmouth (1778), Tryon’s raid (1779), the Battle of Stony Point (1779), and the Battle of Paulus Hook (1779).
Lesson 12: Northwest Theatre 6.2: Arrival of French expeditionary force (1780), defection of Benedict Arnold, the Sullivan Expedition, George Rogers Clark, the Gnadenhütten massacre (1782), and the Battle of Blue Licks (1782).
Lesson 13: Southern Theatre 7.1: British capture of Savannah, Georgia (1778), British capture of Charleston, South Carolina (1780), Francis Fox (the Swamp Fox), the Battle of Waxhas (1780), the Battle of Camden (1780), the Battle of Kings Mountain (1780), the Battle of Cowpens (1781), and the Battle of Guilford Court House (1781).
Lesson 14: Southern Theatre 7.2: Daniel Morgan, Nathaneal Green, the Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill 1781), the Siege of Ninety Six (1781), the Battle of Eutah Springs 1781), General Gilbert du Motier, and Marquis de Lafayette.
Lesson 15: Southern Theatre 7.3: the Battle of the Chesapeake (1781), the Battle of Yorktown (1781), Cornwallis surrender at Yorktown, Virginia (1781), the Battle of the Saints (1782), British Whig government acceptance of American independence, American Privateers, creation of Continental Navy (1775), and John Paul Jones.
Lesson 16: the Caribbean Theatre and Treaty of Paris 8.0: the Treaty of Paris 1783, Ratification of the Treaty of Paris 1784, Native resentment, The Northwest, Indian War 1785-1795, the War of 1812, France seriously debt-ridden, and Spain’s gain of Florida.
Lesson 17: Combatants 9.0: Militiamen lightly armed with little training, Continental army created (1775), George Washington army leader, United States Marine Corps created (1775), 250000 served, Many British Generals unwilling participants, and 1/3 of British forces were Germans.
Lesson 18: Patriot Women 10.1: Phyllis Wheatley, Mercy Otis Warren, Mary Katherine Goddard, Sarah Wentworth Morton, Mary Ball Washington, Martha Custis Washington, Abigail Adams, Elizabeth Hutchinson Jackson, Sarah Franklin Bache, Rebecca Flower Young, Martha Bratton, Elizabeth Burgin, Karenhappuch Turner, Polly Cooper, Margaret Hill Morris, Anna Warner Bailey, Rachel Clement, Patriot spies, Camp followers, and Baroness Frederika Charlotte Riedesel.
Lesson 19: Patriot Women 10.2: Sarah Osborne, Sarah Parsell, Ruth Draper, Rebecca Motte, Mammy Kate, Lucy Flucker Knox, Hannah Till, Angelica Vrooman, Mary Hagidorn, Nancy Morgan Hart, Prudence Cummings Wright, Experience Bozarth, Hannah Thomas, Rebecca Stillwell Willets, Sarah Shattuck, Catherine Moore Barry, Hannah Arnett, Martha Bell, Anna Smith Strong, Patience Wright, Home Spun Movement, Ladies Association of Philadelphia, Edenton Tea Party, and the Daughters of Liberty.
Lesson 20: Patriot Women 10.3: Mary Lindley Murray, Grace Martin, Lydia Darragh, Emily Geiger, “Mad” Anne Trotter Bailey, Deborah Champion, Prudence Patterson Hall, Nancy Ward, Elizabeth (Phoebe) Fraunces, Elizabeth Zane, Dicey Langston, Sybil Ludington, Margaret Corbin, Anna Maria Lane, Molly Hays McCauley, Sally St. Claire, Ann Bailey, Deborah Sampson Gannett, Sarah Franklin, Jane Mecom, and Martha Washington.
Lesson 21: African Americans 11.1: All-Black Units, 5000 Black men served, slaves escape, Epheram Black, Charles Bowles, Cyrus Bustill, James Potter Collins, Oliver Cromwell, Paul Cuffee, John Greenwood, Jude Hall, Cato Howe, Prince Whipple, Cuff Whitemore, James Armistead, Crispus Attucks, Private Austin Dabney, James Forten, Lemuel Haynes, and Pompey Lamb.
Lesson 22: African Americans 11.2: Captain Mark Starlin, George Middleton, Edward Hector, Agrippa Hull, Nero Hawley, Phillip Abbot, Seymour Burr, Prince Easterbrooks, Lambert Latham, Primus Hall, Benjamin Mayes, John Redman, the Rhode Island First Regiment, Jack Sisson, Salem Poor, Peter Salem, and Barzillai Lew.
Lesson 23: Native Americans 12.0: most tribes pro-British, divided Iroquois communities, the Sullivan Expedition, Joseph Brant (the British), Joseph Louis Cook (the Patriots), Creeks, Seminoles, Chickasaws, and Choctaws (the British).
Lesson 24: The Americans 13.0: Patriot disadvantages, Patriot advantages, motivated Patriots, Patriot allies, experienced Patriot generals, the Revolutionary War Drill Manual and better trained Patriot troops.
Lesson 25: The British 14.0: Overconfidence, few allies, recruitment issues, some inexperienced officers, logistical issues (distance, communications, overstretched areas of control and supply chains) , vulnerable to guerilla attacks, inferior firearms, some lack of troop discipline, failure to hold occupied areas, and ineffective Loyalist soldiers.
