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Many people played important roles in the events leading up to the Revolution and the outcome of the war. Here are some of them.
John Paul Jones (1747–1792)
When the Revolution began, Jones joined the Continental Navy. He crossed the Atlantic to create problems for the British closer to home, in their own waters. Jones captured 17 merchant ships and took more than 500 prisoners. One night, Jones’s Bonhomme Richard battled the warship Serapis. Asked if he was ready to surrender, Jones replied, “I have not yet begun to fight!” The battle raged on. In the end, the British captain surrendered.
King George III (1738–1820)
A king with only average ability, George III was very stubborn. He believed it was his duty to defeat the rebellious colonists. Early in 1782, it became clear that his opposition in Parliament had enough votes to end the war. George nearly gave up the throne. A trusted adviser convinced him to stay. By 1811, George III was both insane and blind. His son ruled in his place.
Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
Jefferson rewrote the Declaration of Independence many times before it was done. One time, he changed one-third of the words. After writing this famous document, Jefferson was elected to two one-year terms as governor of Virginia. In 1781, he barely escaped capture by British troops. They later raided and robbed his home. They burned his crops and killed his livestock. They also made 30 of his slaves sick with smallpox. The British hoped the sick slaves would spread the disease to the American troops.
Abigail Smith Adams (1744–1818)
Abigail Smith married John Adams in 1764. During the Revolution, when John was away from home for long periods of time, he and Abigail exchanged letters. Hers paint a vivid picture of the homefront and show her own revolutionary thinking. She firmly supported independence. She was against slavery. She was also strongly in favor of women’s rights.
George Washington (1732–1799)
Most historians agree that without George Washington, the Patriots would have lost the war. Washington wasn’t a military genius. But he was great at doing the most with what he had. Even more important, Washington had great character. He was brave in battle. He was completely honest. And he was fully dedicated to the cause of independence. He was also a smart politician who kept 13 independent states united for one cause.
Benedict Arnold (1741–1801)
Brilliant Patriot or disgusting traitor? Arnold was actually both. In the early years of the war, he fought hard for the American cause. Arnold was put in charge of the fort at West Point, New York. His second wife convinced him that he’d make more money by working for the British. So Arnold gave Major John André information that the British needed to take the fort. André was caught with this information and hanged. Arnold served with the British for the rest of the war. He went to England afterward.
Friedrich Wilhelm Augustin, Baron von Steuben (1730–1794)
Born in Prussia (a German kingdom), Von Steuben took over the training of the Continental Army in 1778. He wrote a book of regulations for the young army. Then he served as its inspector general. He also took part in the siege of Yorktown in 1781. After the war, he stayed in America. He became a citizen in 1783.
Thomas Paine (1737–1809)
Paine had a way with words that made people take action. In January 1776, several colonies weren’t sure about declaring independence. Paine wrote a pamphlet called “Common Sense” that explained the case very well. Later, he raised soldiers’ spirits by writing “The Crisis.” It begins with the now-famous words, “These are the times that try men’s souls."
John Burgoyne (1722–1792)
He was vain and bragged a lot. But British General Burgoyne was also brave. His troops called him Gentleman Johnny because he treated them well. In 1777 he planned to gain control of the Hudson River Valley and separate New England from the other colonies. The plan failed. Burgoyne was left alone in the Hudson Valley. On July 6, 1777, he captured Fort Ticonderoga. But he was soon forced to surrender at Saratoga.
Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834)
In the summer of 1777, a French nobleman came to America to fight for liberty. Lafayette and Washington soon became close. Lafayette’s troops called him “the soldier's friend.” That’s because he spent his own money to buy them warm clothing. While in Virginia, Lafayette was lent a slave named Jim, who did some daring spying at Yorktown. Lafayette persuaded Virginia to make Jim a free man. Later, Lafayette helped start the French Revolution.
