December Revolutionary War Calendar

[gunville]

From Breed's Hill Institute

December's Revolutionary Calendar

December 2, 1777
Lydia Darragh may have saved George Washington's life when she overhears the British planning a surprise attack the next day. She managed to get the intelligence out of Philadelphia and to Washington's troops, ruining General Howe's plan.

December 7, 1787
Delaware ratifies the Constitution.

December 8, 1775
Americans begin the siege on Quebec. The siege was an attempt by American colonial forces to capture the city and enlist French Canadians support for the Revolution.

December 10, 1778
John Jay is elected president of the Continental Congress

December 15, 1791
The Bill of Rights becomes part of the Constitution making the first 10 amendments law.

December 16, 1773
The Boston Tea Party. The Sons of Liberty, thinly disguised as Mohawk Indians board three British tea ships moored in Boston Harbor and dump 342 chests of tea into the water to protest the passing of new taxes (including a tea tax)  without their consent.

December 17, 1777
France formally recognizes the United States as an independent country.

December 19, 1776
Thomas Paine publishes The American Crisis. This pamphlet was a powerful follow up to Common Sense and had a great deal of impact in motivating people to support the cause of Liberty when victories were few and the cause seemed lost.

December 22, 1775
Continental Congress creates the Continental Navy

December 23, 1783
George Washington resigns as commander in chief. Following the signing of the Treaty of Paris, When Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army he was willingly giving up the highest position of power in America to return to his wife and farm.

December 25, 1776
Washington crosses the Delaware. Leading a hungry, under clothed and greatly reduced army through a storm, freezing temperatures and a river filled with deadly ice, Washington launches a surprise attack on the Hessian (mercenary) soldiers at Trenton NJ.

December 26, 1776
Washington wins first major U.S. victory at Trenton. Loosing only two men in the march through the snow and with only 5 wounded in the action, Washington's troops won an important victory for the Revolutionary morale. The Hessians saw 22 killed, 83 wounded and 896 captured. Among the wounded, a young officer Lieutenant James Monroe was shot in the shoulder and carried from the field. He would recover and later become our 5th President.