Revolutionary War
The Revolutionary war was the most important event in American History in light of the fact that without it there probably wouldn't be an America
- The war started on April 19th 1775, with shots fired at the Battle of Lexington and Concord. The first shot is commonly referred to as the "shot heard round the world"
- The populace was torn between who to support; 40-45% of colonists supported the rebellion; 15-20% of colonists were "Loyalist" and supported the king; the rest were undecided
- Allies to the two warring factions were as follows English= Native Americans, Germans and lots of slaves Colonists= French, Spain, and Dutch Republic
- France joined the war in 1776, Spain in 1779, and Dutch R. in 1780
- Natives and slaves fought from the beginning and Germans joined the fight in 1778
- The American victory at Saratoga in 1777 was a major turning point in the war. It inspired the colonies to keep fighting and the French to join in
- Meanwhile, in the West, the war was going on not between the British and colonies, but between the colonists and British-backed Native Americans. Most of the natives were lured by promises of peace and being able to be left alone by the British, very few Indians joined the Colonists