Summary
Outnumbered and outgunned—but not outsmarted! American colonists faced overwhelming odds in their struggle for independence against the British. Colonial forces were mostly volunteer militias, while the British had the most powerful army in the world. Yet, the Americans proved to be scrappy underdogs. At the Battles of Lexington and Concord, a few hundred colonists forced 700 redcoats to retreat. The Continental Army under George Washington scored early victories in Boston, Trenton, and Saratoga. And Benjamin Franklin convinced France to provide much-needed help to the colonies. Still, the war was far from over. After a grueling winter at Valley Forge, Washington’s troops turned to guerrilla warfare to use the British army's size against it. After several years of bitter fighting, the British were finally defeated at the Battle of Yorktown. Press "play" to learn more!
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching American Revolution:
- What is one new thing you learned about american revolution?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining american revolution.
- Draw or give one example of your own.