Battle of Bunker Hill

After the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the Patriots stopped the British from bringing supplies or soldiers into Boston by land. But the British could still come through the harbor. On May 25, 1775, three British generals arrived in Boston to plan how to break the siege. They decided to take control of the high ground around the city, including Bunker Hill and Dorchester Heights.

On June 15, the Patriots learned about the British plan and quickly set up defenses on Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. The British generals thought the Patriots were untrained and decided to attack them directly.

On June 17, at 3:00 p.m., the British began attacking Breed’s Hill. The Patriots fired at them and stopped their first attack. The British tried again, but the Patriots stopped them again. After a while, the Patriots ran out of bullets. The British soldiers got close enough to fight with their muskets. The Patriots had to leave, but they did so smartly, so most of them got away.

The British won the battle and took control of the Charlestown Peninsula, but they lost over 1,000 soldiers, while the Patriots lost about 450. Many of the British soldiers who died were officers.

Even though the British won, they learned that it would not be easy to take over Patriot positions. They realized they needed more soldiers, so they hired over 30,000 German soldiers to help. For the Patriots, the battle showed that they could fight against the British army, even though their soldiers weren’t trained.

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Why were the British able to get into Boston after the Battle of Lexington and Concord?
1. They could use the harbor to bring in supplies and soldiers.
2. The Patriots allowed them to enter.
3. The British built a bridge to bypass the Patriots.
4. The British took control of the land around Boston.
What did the British generals decide to do to break the Patriot siege of Boston?
1. Attack the Patriots directly in Boston.
2. Take control of the high ground around Boston, including Bunker Hill and Dorchester Heights.
3. Wait for the Patriots to run out of food.
4. Build fortifications around Boston.
What did the British generals think about the Patriot soldiers before the battle?
1. They thought the Patriots were well-trained and ready for battle.
2. They thought the Patriots were untrained and decided to attack them directly.
3. They thought the Patriots would retreat without a fight.
4. They thought the Patriots would easily give up.
What was the main reason the Patriots were forced to retreat?
1. They were surrounded by the British.
2. They ran out of ammunition and could no longer fight effectively.
3. They received orders to retreat.
4. The British soldiers had better weapons.
What did the British learn after the Battle of Bunker Hill?
1. They could easily defeat the Patriots.
2. They needed more soldiers and hired over 30,000 German soldiers.
3. They should stop fighting and negotiate with the Patriots.
4. They could win without any losses if they attacked quickly.