Bunker Hill

Front 1

The Battle of Bunker Hill was important in the American Revolution because it showed how well the patriot troops could do when fighting the British.

Even though the patriots lost the battle, they killed and wounded many more British soldiers than they lost.

It was the first major military engagement in the American War of Independence.

The Battle of Bunker Hill is important also because it helped to inspire more colonists to believe that they could actually defeat the British.

Back 1

The Charlestown Peninsula had several hills along it.

One was called Bunker Hill and one was named Breeds Hill.

The patriots originally planned to build at Bunker Hill overnight.

They started building on Bunker Hill at midnight.

But there was an argument and eventually they decided to move and build on Breeds Hill.

Front 2

The British won the French and Indian War, and took control of New France as well as a huge debt from the war.

England decided that the best way to pay the debt was through taxes on the colonists.

The colonists wouldn't stand for this and rebelled.

The colonists were actually fighting British soldiers.

When the British actually realized that, they suspended self-government in Boston.

Back 2

The British didn't realize until four in the morning.

By then the patriots had finished the earthwork.

The British decided to make a frontal attack.

On Breeds Hill the colonists left flank was uncovered.

Because of that, the Connecticut and New Hampshire Militia manned a rail fence to protect the left flank.

Militiamen kept coming to reinforce the fortifications.

The colonists didn't have much ammunition.

The colonists won the first attack.

Front 3

In response the colonists reorganized the Massachusetts Militia.

Because of this they got rid of officers that might be loyal to England and made participation in the militia mandatory.

The militia was organized by county in the various colonies and twenty five percent of the militia was minute companies.

They were organized into companies for their duty as militiamen.

The militiamen trained multiple times a week, as well as the British.

However, the militiamen were prepared to take action within one minute which is why they were called minutemen.

Back 3

As the day wore on it became very hot.

The colonists were running low on water and the British were low on energy, but they still wanted to try and beat the colonists.

On the second attack the British sent most of their army to attack all around Breeds Hill.

The colonists won the second attack as well.

For the third attack the British took off their backpacks.

The colonists were running really low on ammunition now.

The British overran the earthworks and beat the colonists.

Front 4

After the battle of Lexington and Concord, the British retreated to Boston with the patriots troops following.

The British General, Thomas Gage, planned an attack not knowing the patriots had learned of it.

The patriots decided to strike first from Breeds Hill and Bunker Hill.

Back 4

The British General Gage felt these Americans were something different.

He was right, because the patriots would fight strongly against the British by ambushing behind trees and other things.

This battle showed the British that the colonists would not give up.

After the Battle of Bunker Hill the patriots felt they could win their independence.