Junior Cert History

1. George Washington was born in Virginia. He
served as an officer in the British army in the
French Indian War. He was a supporter of the
American War of Independence. He was
elected to be the Commander in Chief of the
American forces at the Second Continental
Congress. He then had to turn the American
forces into a professional army that could
compete against the British forces. The first
battle took place at Bunker Hill. The
Americans were defeated but they inflicted
heavy losses on the British. Washington then
had a great success when he drove the British
out of Boston. However he suffered two
setbacks when he lost New York and
Philadelphia. He lost New York by allowing
the British to gain the high ground. The loss of
Philadelphia was a bitter loss as it was the
capital of the congress. Another American
General, Horatio Gates, defeated the British

2. at Saratoga. This combined with
Washington’s defeats had some people
wanting Washington to lose his position.
Washington’s forces wintered in Valley Forge.
Conditions were harsh as there was little
shelter and food was scarce. While camped
here a former Prussian Captain, Frederick Von
Steuben, arrived to drill the American troops.
He turned them into a professional fighting
force along European lines. The key turning
point was when the French joined the war on
the side of the Americans. They sent supplies,
troops and most importantly their navy. This
tied down the British navy. Washington’s
forces were reenergised and had final victory
over General Cornwallis (British) when they
defeated him at Yorktown. Following this the
British formally recognised American
Independence under the Treaty of Versailles
1783.

3. Washington retired to his estate following the
war but he would be asked a few years later
to become the first President of the United
States.