Changes

Their opportunity came in June, at the [[Battle of Bunker Hill]], when 2,400 redcoats attacked 1,600 patriots dug in on Breed's Hill (in front of Bunker Hill).  Crouching low behind their breastworks, the Yankees were told to wait--"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!"  The first two waves were mowed down; finally a bayonet charge took the hill.  The redcoats won, at a stunning cost of 1,054 casualties, including a high proportion of officers.  The Americans lost 400 casualties, and shattered the illusion that they would not or could not stand up to well-trained regulars. Following Bunker Hill, [[King George III]]'s response was to push for the [[Proclamation of Rebellion]], announcing that his American subjects were "engaged in open and avowed rebellion."[[image:Bunker hill.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Battle of Bunker Hill]]

Their opportunity came in June, at the [[Battle of Bunker Hill]], when 2,400 redcoats attacked 1,600 patriots dug in on Breed's Hill (in front of Bunker Hill).  Crouching low behind their breastworks, the Yankees were told to wait--"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!"  The first two waves were mowed down; finally a bayonet charge took the hill.  The redcoats won, at a stunning cost of 1,054 casualties, including a high proportion of officers.  The Americans lost 400 casualties, and shattered the illusion that they would not or could not stand up to well-trained regulars. Following Bunker Hill, [[King George III]]'s response was to push for the [[Proclamation of Rebellion]], announcing that his American subjects were "engaged in open and avowed rebellion."[[image:Bunker hill.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Battle of Bunker Hill]]

Over the winter of 1775-76, the Americans sent expeditions to conquer Canada.  Some of the habitants in French Canada welcomed the Americans and joined the invading army. Some supported the British colonial government. Most remained neutral.<ref>Mason Wade (1945) vol 1</ref> The American invasion was hopeless.  Short of supplies, outnumbered, sick with disease and too reckless, the Americans were whipped by the British regulars and Canada would continue to fly the Union Jack.   

Over the winter of 1775–76, the Americans sent expeditions to conquer Canada.  Some of the habitants in French Canada welcomed the Americans and joined the invading army. Some supported the British colonial government. Most remained neutral.<ref>Mason Wade (1945) vol 1</ref> The American invasion was hopeless.  Short of supplies, outnumbered, sick with disease and too reckless, the Americans were whipped by the British regulars and Canada would continue to fly the Union Jack.   

The British battened down in Boston, which was on a peninsula and could not be attacked without artillery on the hills around the city.  Led by [[Henry Knox]], a brilliant young clerk who had read military treatises and knew how to seize the moment, the patriots obtained 60 heavy guns from the capture of Ft. Ticonderoga, in upstate New York.  Water traffic was controlled by the Royal Navy, so Knox organized ox teams that hauled the heavy guns on sleds across the snows and ice in winter 1775-76. When the guns finally arrived in Boston in March, 1776, the British in Boston were defenseless; they withdrew to the great British naval base in Halifax, Canada.  The rebellion faced by their old enemy pleased the French, who began secret shipments of gunpowder, muskets and other vitally needed munitions, and allowed American privateers to use ports in France and the French West Indies.

The British battened down in Boston, which was on a peninsula and could not be attacked without artillery on the hills around the city.  Led by [[Henry Knox]], a brilliant young clerk who had read military treatises and knew how to seize the moment, the patriots obtained 60 heavy guns from the capture of Ft. Ticonderoga, in upstate New York.  Water traffic was controlled by the Royal Navy, so Knox organized ox teams that hauled the heavy guns on sleds across the snows and ice in winter 1775–76. When the guns finally arrived in Boston in March, 1776, the British in Boston were defenseless; they withdrew to the great British naval base in Halifax, Canada.  The rebellion faced by their old enemy pleased the French, who began secret shipments of gunpowder, muskets and other vitally needed munitions, and allowed American privateers to use ports in France and the French West Indies.

In full control of nearly all parts of the 13 states, and realizing they had to break from London once and for all if they ever were to secure a full-scale military alliance with France, the new United States of America declared its independence on July 4, 1776. This was a proclamation of a state of affairs that had taken effect at least a year earlier, when the Continental Congress took over the forces around Boston and formally established a Continental Army. The army's mission thus was to preserve the status quo of a new nation that had seized control of its fate. The British had to crush that symbol, and reassert the supremacy of the Crown. The Royal Navy blockaded the American coastline. Washington and his armies had to trudge overland, while the British forces could be moved rapidly by water from point to point. Although they had the naval power to seize any one point, Britain never had the manpower to occupy all the rebellious colonies simultaneously. At least 200,000 soldiers would have been needed for that, and probably more. London did expand its army, but service was unpopular and it could not raise enough troops. Efforts to hire mercenary armies around Europe turned up only 30,000 men rented out by the rulers of Hesse-Cassel and other tiny German countries. (The rulers were paid so much per soldier, with a bonus for those killed.) The 3,000-mile-long supply line drastically limited the number of troops that could be maintained in America. The supply line furthermore had to be constantly protected from American privateers (privately operated armed merchant ships with a license to attack British merchantmen.) London assumed that a small number of radicals, wholly unrepresentative of American opinion, had seized control. The solution was not to negotiate but to overthrow them. The reasonable Americans would see their duty as British citizens, and renew their allegiance to the Crown once they saw the invincible British army had arrived.

In full control of nearly all parts of the 13 states, and realizing they had to break from London once and for all if they ever were to secure a full-scale military alliance with France, the new United States of America declared its independence on July 4, 1776. This was a proclamation of a state of affairs that had taken effect at least a year earlier, when the Continental Congress took over the forces around Boston and formally established a Continental Army. The army's mission thus was to preserve the status quo of a new nation that had seized control of its fate. The British had to crush that symbol, and reassert the supremacy of the Crown. The Royal Navy blockaded the American coastline. Washington and his armies had to trudge overland, while the British forces could be moved rapidly by water from point to point. Although they had the naval power to seize any one point, Britain never had the manpower to occupy all the rebellious colonies simultaneously. At least 200,000 soldiers would have been needed for that, and probably more. London did expand its army, but service was unpopular and it could not raise enough troops. Efforts to hire mercenary armies around Europe turned up only 30,000 men rented out by the rulers of Hesse-Cassel and other tiny German countries. (The rulers were paid so much per soldier, with a bonus for those killed.) The 3,000-mile-long supply line drastically limited the number of troops that could be maintained in America. The supply line furthermore had to be constantly protected from American privateers (privately operated armed merchant ships with a license to attack British merchantmen.) London assumed that a small number of radicals, wholly unrepresentative of American opinion, had seized control. The solution was not to negotiate but to overthrow them. The reasonable Americans would see their duty as British citizens, and renew their allegiance to the Crown once they saw the invincible British army had arrived.

===George Washington===

===George Washington===

When Congress took charge of the unorganized army at Boston in June, 1775, its consensus choice for commander in chief was [[George Washington]], age 45. His military experience totaled five years in the [[French and Indian War]], when he became colonel in charge of all Virginia forces at age 23. Now a wealthy tobacco planter, slaveholder, and political leader of Virginia, he had the stature, the energy, and the bearing of leadership the Americans needed. Washington had three roles during the war. In 1775-77, and again in 1781 he led his men against the main British forces. He lost many of his battles—save the last one—but always survived to fight another day. Second he was charged with organizing and training the army. He recruited regulars and assigned General von Steuben, a German professional, to train them.  

When Congress took charge of the unorganized army at Boston in June, 1775, its consensus choice for commander in chief was [[George Washington]], age 45. His military experience totaled five years in the [[French and Indian War]], when he became colonel in charge of all Virginia forces at age 23. Now a wealthy tobacco planter, slaveholder, and political leader of Virginia, he had the stature, the energy, and the bearing of leadership the Americans needed. Washington had three roles during the war. In 1775–77, and again in 1781 he led his men against the main British forces. He lost many of his battles—save the last one—but always survived to fight another day. Second he was charged with organizing and training the army. He recruited regulars and assigned General von Steuben, a German professional, to train them.  

[[Image:VonSteuben.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, German volunteer general]]       

[[Image:VonSteuben.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, German volunteer general]]