Battles of the Revolutionary War

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The thirteen British colonies on the North American continent fought the American War of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. This war of independence is also known as the American Revolutionary War helped the colonies overthrow the British rule. Let me first explain the reasons that led to the battles of revolutionary war that shaped the American History.

Reasons for Revolutionary War

The Colonial Americans wanted to own their country and be governed by their own laws. They wanted to do away with the unreasonable taxes levied upon them by the British government. The people of Colonial America were angry with the British rule, as they thought they were being robbed by their rulers. They worked hard to earn their livelihood that was lost to the British in form of taxes. To show the British government their resentment they stopped paying the taxes completely. The British in turn sent in their armies to make sure the colonies did pay up the taxes. This forceful payment was opposed by many and some men went against the government and fought against the British army. Their main aim was to restore America its freedom from the British rule.

The first Battle of the Revolutionary War was triggered when the British army tried to seize ammunition in the Concord of Massachusetts. This was known as the Battle of Concord and was fought in 1775. General George Washington, in 1776 fought his way and managed to cross the Delaware River and reached New Jersey. Here, he defeated the British Garrisions in Trenton and Princeton. The colonist seized the 13 colonial government and formed the Second Continental Congress. The next year they formally declared American independence and formed a new nation United States of America. Many Native Americans and African-Americans fought the Revolutionary War that followed in 1778, from bought sides of the war.

The Americans were at a loss as the British used their naval superiority to capture and occupy the coastal cities. They could even control the countryside, as the revolutionaries had a very small land army. After the Saratoga victory of the Americans, the French entered the war against the British in 1778. The United States and France signed a pact of trade and commerce that made France an ally of the Americans. Under the leadership of Louis XVI, the nation of France declared a war against the nation of Great Britain.

Soon Spain and Netherlands joined the war as French allies and this led to a major naval victory in Chesapeake. The British army at Yorktown surrendered in 1781 and this made the British exert caution. Soon the British gradually pulled their troops from the American land and finally in 1782, The House of Commons in Great Britain voted towards the end of the war, 4 years after it began. The last remaining troops of South Carolina and Georgia were pulled out in 1782. Finally, the Treaty of Paris ended the war in 1783. This was a major victory for the American War of Independence, as it led to the recognition of the sovereignty of the United States. The territory of United States was now bounded by present day Canada to the north, Florida to the south and the Mississippi river to the west.

The American War of Independence can be called a Civil War fought on foreign soil. The Revolutionary War could not have survived without the assistance from France. Also, the distance between the ruling country and the colonies too played a major role. The Americans had the advantage of home ground, as they were familiar with the territory, whereas the British faced logistic problems. The orders sent by the home country were always two months late, as the British relied on the Ocean transport. This meant by the time troops received orders, the situation and game play had already changed in America.

America is vast country and there was no specific capital, whose capture would mark the end of the war. Even if the British managed to seize the colonies, they did not have enough manpower to control them. The troops had to remain in the captured colonies or the Revolutionaries would take control. The British faced manpower shortage too, because they had to face the French and Spanish Army. There were many other factors whose combined effects led to the fall of the British rule and rise of United States of America as a nation.

There were over 10,000 events that were recorded on the American soil during the American Revolution. The losses were uncountable and it is said more than six hundred thousand lost their lives and there are many that are unaccounted for. Few battles of the Revolutionary War were said to be landmark points during the period. Let us now have a look at them in order.

Battles of Revolutionary War in Order

1773
December 16th	The Boston Tea Party.
1775
April 19	Battle of Lexington and Concord
May 10	Battle of Ticonderoga
June 17	Battle of Bunker Hill
September 17 - November 3, 1775	Siege of Fort St. Jean
November 14	Battle of Ticonderoga
December 31	Battle of Quebec
1776
February 27	Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge
May 15 - May 16	Battle of the Cedars
June 28	Battle of Sullivan's Island
August 27	Battle of Long Island (Battle of Brooklyn)
October 28	Battle of White Plains
November 16, 1776	Battle of Fort Washington
December 26	Battle of Trenton
1777
January 3	Battle of Princeton
May 17	Battle of Thomas Creek
July 5 - July 6	Second Battle of Ticonderoga
August 6,	Battle of Oriskany
August 16,	Battle of Bennington
September 11	Battle of Brandywine
October 4	Battle of Germantown
October 6	Battle of Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery
October	Battle of Bemis's Heights (Second Battle of Saratoga)
1778
May 20	Battle of Barren Hill
July 3,	Wyoming Valley Massacre
August 29	Battle of Rhode Island
November 1	Cherry Valley Massacre
1779
July 16	Battle of Stony Point
September 16 - October 18	Siege of Savannah
1780
May 29 - May 12	Siege of Charleston
August 16	Battle of Camden
October 7	Battle of Kings Mountain
1781
January 6	Battle of Jersey
January 17	Battle of Cowpens
March 15	Battle of Guliford Court House
September 28 - October 19	Battle of Yorktown

The Treaty of Peace signed in Paris marked the end of the war. The Battles of Revolutionary War were fought for 4 years technically, but the American War of Independence did not start on one specific day or end on a specific date. The Red Coats were fought by the Americans only with the help received from the French Army. Each victory meant expelling the Red Coats from that region in a different battle. The United States of America fought many other battles after the independence within the country that has in some way or the other turn it into one of the greatest nations in the world.