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Ethan Allen and Fort Ticonderoga By Jane Runyon After the first battles of the Revolutionary War in Lexington and Concord, it became apparent to colonial leaders that they were completely outmatched. Not only were the British soldiers better trained and larger in number, their weapons were bigger, better, more powerful, and in greater supply. The hunting muskets of the colonial farmers were not a match for the sleek, long muskets and cannons of the British army. Something had to be done to increase the fire power of the colonial militia if they were to stand a chance against their newly declared enemy. Since the weapons couldn't be purchased because they were at war with the only source they had for weapons, a plan had to be created. What plan did the colonists come up with? Why, take the weapons from the British army, of course. During colonization, King George had ordered the building of several forts throughout the colonies for the protection of British holdings from the French and the Indians. The forts had been supplied with soldiers and weapons. Cannons were installed behind the walls of the forts to scare the enemy as much as to kill them. One such fort was Fort Ticonderoga located near Lake Champlain. It was decided that Ethan Allen was the right man to relieve Fort Ticonderoga of its cannons. They would then be used by the colonists for their own protection. Ethan Allen was a man with a reputation of being loud, opinionated, and head strong. He had left his native Connecticut for the highlands of the Green Mountains. The governor of New Hampshire had sold land to early settlers such as Allen in this region at a reasonable price. All went well until the king ruled that only the governor of New York had the right to sell this land. Some of the land was taken away from the settlers while the rest was taxed by New York. The settlers were angry. One of the most vocal of these settlers was Ethan Allen. He led a group of mountain men calling themselves the Green Mountain

Boys. When the revolution came, they were more than ready to fight the British rule. Ethan Allen and his followers were called upon to go to Fort Ticonderoga and take the cannons there for use by the colonists. A plan was devised and set into motion. A farmer in the area was sent into the fort as a spy. He said he was looking for someone to cut his hair. While he was there, he took note of weaknesses in the British forces. When he reported back to Allen, it was decided that they would enter the fort at a weak point. Ethan Allen was not much for killing people, but he did like to win. Just as the attack was about to begin, a colonel in the Continental army appeared. He was dressed in full uniform and very formal in his ideas of how an attack should take place. This colonel's name was Benedict Arnold. Allen and Arnold led the attack together. The Green Mountain Boys went through the wall of the fort screaming and yelling like Indians. They were so loud, they scared the British guard on duty into running away. Allen and his men reached the office of the commander of the fort and ordered him to surrender. The commander had been awakened from a sound sleep and hadn't even had time to put his pants on. When he demanded to know who had the right to attack like this, Ethan Allen is reported to have said, "In the name of the Great Jehovah (God) and the Continental Congress." No blood was shed, and the cannons now belonged to the Patriots. Ethan Allen was not so fortunate in his next battle for the colonists. He led a force which was to capture Montreal but was captured himself and spent two years of the revolution in prison. He returned to the area he and others had named Vermont and fought for its acceptance into the union of colonies until his death. He didn't live to see his cause won, for he died in 1789, and Vermont did not become a state until 1791.

6. Do you think the colonists would have been able to continue the war against Britain if the attack on Fort Ticonderoga had not been successful?

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Ethan Allen and Fort Ticonderoga

Questions 1. What is one thing the colonial army lacked in their war against the British? A. cannons B. courage C. men D. muskets 2. What was the effect of the king's decision that New York had the right to sell land in the Green Mountains? A. New Hampshire declared war on New York. B. Vermont left the union. C. The settlers became angry with New York. D. The king changed his mind.

7. What other notable person was involved in the battle for Fort Ticonderoga? A. Benedict Arnold B. George Washington C. Paul Revere D. John Adams 8. Why do you think the colonists had such an easy time taking Fort Ticonderoga?

3. Ethan Allen led the Green Mountain Boys. A. True B. False 4. How did the colonists plan to get weapons and ammunition they needed? A. Make their own weapons B. Buy them from France C. Trade them for food with the Indians D. Take them from the British 5. Describe the attack on Fort Ticonderoga.

What type of men became the leaders of the colonists?

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Where did the colonists get the weapons they needed to fight the British in the Revolutionary War?