U.S Flag History

 Betsy Ross used to tell her family that one day George Washington, Robert Morris, and, George Ross asked her to sew the first flag this occurred at her house on the late May of 1776. At that moment Washington was the head of the Continental Army. In June of 1776 George Washington showed her a rough design of the flag at the time Betsy was a widow and had to stand for herself in her business (she made flags). Before all these happened the Colonies and the Militia had many flags. One was the "Rattlesnake Flag" it had a rattlesnake in the center and 13 stripes (white and red) and it said "Don’t treat on me" this flag was used by the continental army, another flag used b the Continental Army was a green tree and had a white background and it said "An appeal to heaven". Other flag was the one used by the Loyalists which had the 13 red and white stripes and had at the left upper side the British flag. 

They realized they needed an official flag this story tells that Betsy Ross the flag in late May or early June of 1776. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress, seeking to promote national pride and unity, adopted the national flag. "They said: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation."

                                  

Deborah Sampson

Deborah Samson Gannet,better known as Deborah Sampson,she was an American  women who impersonated a man in order to serve the Continental Army.During the Revolution she was the only woman to fight int  the revolutionary war.

She served 17 months in the army,with the name of Robert Shurttiff of Uxbridge,Massachusetts,was wounded on war and discharged honorably at West point.

When she turned 18 and was released indenture serfdom with the Thomas Family,she became a school teacher rejecting the suggestion of getting marry.Eventhough later on she did  get married.

Betsy Ross

Betsy Ross was born the fist of January in1752 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By the name of Elizabeth Grinscom. She was the great-granddaughter of a British carpenter called Andrew Grinscom. She attended a Quaker school and in there she learned needlework. She married John Ross, an Anglican, in 1773. Betsy Ross joined the "Free Quakers" or " Fighting Quakers" because the were not as pacifist as the typical Quaker steryotype. Later on John and Betsy Ross opened a business based on her skill on needlework. 

John her first husband was killed in January 1776 in a militia duty  on Philadelphia, Betsy continued the business by herself. She reamarried on 1777 with Joseph Ausburn who was a sailor, he died in prison after being in a ship that was captured by the British. Betsy got married once more this time with John Claypoole, who was in prison with Joseph, he died in 1817.She had 7 children. Betsy lived until 1836, dying on January 30. She is who supposedly was the first one who made the first U.S.A flag (the one with the 13 stars and 13 stripes) but there is some doubt about this fact. Anyways she is a great example of a strong woman, she went through man things such as widowhood, single motherhood and, managing a business by herself.

Battles Of Saratoga

 The Battle of Saratoga I ,in late September of the year 1777,when the General  Burgoyne and his men reached Albany in September,the city was protected by 7,00 patriots under the orders of Horatio Gates.The Patriots had used the land  in their advantage,they decided to wait and let the British do their first move.Finally in September 19 1777,general Burgoyne and his troops attacked the Patriots at Freeman's Farm.The patriots have the help of the troops of Benedict Arnold,but they couldn't hold the British.

 Patriots had 320 men killed or wounded,the retired themselves to Bemis Heights.There were 600 British killed or wounded,survivors moved two miles north of Freeman's Farm where they set up their camp headquarters. British continue with the assaulting to the Patriots.

Second Battle:

Was on October 7 1777,the British attacked the Patriosts at Bemis Heights.The Patriots were ready for that time to fight with the British.The Patriot defense was General Gates', General Arnold's, and General Daniel Morgan's troops.General Burgoyne had no choice of retired from Saratoga,the British had suffered 600 losses compared to the Patriot loss of only 150 men. On October 17, 1777, General Burgoyne with less than 5,000 men surrendered to a Patriot Army of 20,000 men.

The Battles of Saratoga were important,this helped the french ally with the Americans and the goal of the British to take control of America had died.

Second Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress was held out on Philadelphia the 10 of March f 1776. John Hancock from Massachusetts, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, and Benjamin Franklin from Pennsylvania asssist to this reunion as delagates. They did the second Continental Congress after the Battle of Lexington and Concord. The congress included 65 delagates in total. They decided very important things during this meeting. Some of these things were:

• Separating from Britain 
• On May 15,1776 to put the Colonies in state defense 
• To organize the militia from the colonies better
• They decided to form an army called "The American Continental Army"
• On June 14,1776 to appoint George Washington as the commander- in-chief of the army (He was selected unanimously)
• They discussed the possibility of printing paper money later on it was approved and been done later durig the year.

The Second Continental Congress was one of the most important meetings on the U.S History.

Paul Revere

Paul Revere was born inBoston January the first of 1735, he was son of a silversmith. Revere learned to do many things like copper plates, tools, and sometimes fake teeth he worked as a silversmith also and was a soldier for a short time during the French and Indian war. He had two marriages. First he married Sarah Orne with whom he had eight children after her death he married  Rachel Walkerin 1773, and together they had another eight children.

Paul became a strong defender of the Revolution during the 1770's actually he was a member of the 'Sons of Liberty'. He participated with other 50 Patriots on the Boston Tea Party. Paul Revere became a messenger so that he could help on the Am. Revolution and he rode to Concord, Massachusetts on April 16, 1775 to tell them to move their arms, two days after he rode to Lexington to alert the people that the British troops would soon arive there. Thanks to Paul Revere the Patriots were ready. During the war Paul made supplies that could help the fighting. He died on May 10,1818 on the city of Boston,Massachusetts.

Thomas Gage

Thomas Gage was born in Sussex, England 1721. He was the second son of the Viscount Gage. He joined the british army. In 1754 he was sent to America. Late in 1758 he married a daughter of Peter Kemble. In 1760 Thomas Gage became the military governor of Montereal and the surrounding area. In 1763 he became the command in chief of the British army in America. Gage would be in America until the harsh time would be over and parliament would keep imposing taxes during this time to the American colonies. 

Thomas Gage established troops at Boston. After the Boston Massacre he returned to England.In 1774 he became governor Massachusttes. He sent British troops to seize patriot supplies in the battles of Lexington and Concord the 19 April 1775, motivating even more the Am. Revolution. Following the Battle of Bunker Hill the 17 June 1775, he was recalled to England and blamed for allowing the American colonies to rebel. He became general in 1782. He died in England, April 2, 1787.