chapter 6 section 2 a critical time

Chapter 6 Section 2A Critical Time

Retreat from New York:-By the mid-1776, the war shifted from Boston and New England to the Middle States.-In New York, the Continental army did not fight well against the British.

Battle of Long IslandJune 1776

- British General William Howe led 34,000 British troops and 10,000 sailors.

- Over 1,400 Americans were killed, wounded or captured.

What was the result of the Battle of Long Island?

The colonists retreated and eventually abandoned New York City.

Battle of Trenton

-On Christmas night, 1776, Gen. Washington led his troops across the Delaware River in New Jersey and hiked in the snow to the town of Trenton. His soldiers were so poorly equipped some of the had no shoes and tied rags to their feet.

--Washington’s plan was to attack the British on two sides in a surprise attack.

Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, American, 1816-1868George Washington Crossing the Delaware, 1851

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

How did Washington attack Trenton?

They crossed the Delaware, hiked through snow, and attacked the city on two sided by surprise.

- The next day, on December 26, the Americans captured over 1,400 Hessians in Trenton. (Hessians - German soldiers hired by the British)

Battle of Princeton

- As the Americans retreated from Trenton, they defeated the British in Princeton.

The British Plan

Burgoyne’s plan called for British forces to drive toward Albany New York from three directions.

Burgoyne did not realize that his planned route to Saratoga would force him to cross lakes, swamps, mountains, and forests.

British Gen. John Burgoyne

Battle of Saratoga

• The battle help convince Europeans that the Americans had a sound chance of winning.

Results of the Battle

• The Battle of Saratoga marked a major turning point in the war.

• The victory ended the British threat to New England and destroyed British hopes of an easy victory.

List two results of the Battle of Saratoga.

-Marked the turning point of the war.-Saved New England-Demoralized Britain-Encouraged European Support

Help From Overseas

France was eager to weaken Britain.-Before Saratoga, the French secretly supplied money and arms.-As Europeans volunteered to serve with the American forces, a French Noble, the Marques de Lafayette became a high ranking officer in Washington’s Army.

Marquis de Lafayette

Benjamin Franklin

at the Court of France.

How did France aid the Patriot cause?

-At first France secretly supplied money and arms to the colonists. After officially forming an alliance with the United States, France and its allies fought Britain in Europe and the Caribbean, which forced Britain to wage war on many fronts.