lexington and concord - the outbreak of war Flashcards
what were the british attitudes and how did this influence strategy?
they thought the americans were cowards
what gave the british this impression of americans?
they weren’t united in the seven years war
failure of the albany plan
why was everyone so confident?
the british believed that america was weak, especially since they didn’t have a navy or professional soldiers
american preprations for war
dutch gunpowder was being imported into american ports
massachusetts spent £20,000 on arms to equip the military force it was tasked with forming
created an elite force of ‘minutemen’, who were prepared to fight at any moment
november 1774 - connecticut assembly ordered the colonies’ town to double their stocks of musket balls, gunpowder and flints
what were guerilla tactics?
hide and ambush the enemies
lexington and concord:
18th april 1775
gage sent 700 troops to concord to seize rebel arms and to arrest leaders of the provincial congress
lexington and concord:
who informed the massachusetts militia of british intentions?
paul revere
william dawes
dr prescott
lexington and concord:
19th april 1775
british troops’ path was barred by 70 minutemen at lexington and shots were fired
8 colonists killed
lexington and concord:
what happened after smith’s troops destroyed military stores but failed to arrest rebel leaders?
they turned back to boston
lexington and concord:
what held the militia men at bay?
lord percy’s arrival
lexington and concord:
british resumed the retreat to boston and were…
galled all the way by american snipers
273 casualties
92 killed
lexington and concord:
within a week, how many new england militia had besieged boston?
20,000
what were the consequences of lexington and concord?
galvanised military preparations throughout the colonies
new york threw itself behind massachusetts and even the conservative pennsylvania voted to raise 4,300 men to help reinforce the seige of boston
