Revolutionary War Map

Cyclist is a pioneer on historic trail

Seven hundred miles over 21 days &#x2014; that&#x2019;s how long it will take a Prairie Village biker to retrace a Revolutionary War route as he maps out a new trail from Rhode Island to Virginia. </p><p>While most people are celebrating the Fourth of July with their families, Poindexter will be on a solo expedition along a National Historic Trail that winds through nine states and five major cities.</p><p>He is leaving July 1 to begin his expedition on the historical Washington-Rochambeau route, which was taken by Gen. George Washington&#x2019;s continental army and Count Rochambeau&#x2019;s French allied troops in 1781. The armies marched from Newport, R.I., to the Yorktown, Va., where they defeated Lord Cornwallis. </p><p>President Barack Obama designated the route as a national historic trail in 2009. For the route&#x2019;s 230th anniversary this year, Poindexter will attempt to follow the soldiers&#x2019; march as much as possible, only by bike instead of on foot. The idea to create a bike trail for the route started last September when Poindexter was having coffee with a re-enactor friend who is planning to march the route on foot at the same time. Poindexter was invited to march, but being an avid cyclist, asked if he could bike the route instead. After he found out no such trail was mapped, he began planning one himself. </p><p>&#x201C;I love bicycling, I live car-free and I promote living car-free,&#x201D; Poindexter said. &#x201C;I&#x2019;m also a history buff and I love the National Park Service, so this was a perfect opportunity for me.&#x201D;</p><p>The National Park Service is supporting Poindexter by helping him make connections and sharing information. Few of the 19 National Historic Trails have bike routes. Joe DiBello, superintendent for the Washington-Rochambeau route, known as the W3R, described Poindexter as a trailblazer and said he looks forward to the possibilities the bike route will offer.</p><p>&#x201C;It adds another dimension to the experience of the route,&#x201D; DiBello said. &#x201C;I think he&#x2019;s going to reach a lot of people and those connections will only increase awareness and open this up to a whole new group.&#x201D;</p><p>DiBello said Poindexter&#x2019;s mission will not be easy. He will have to deal with the physical geography, traffic patterns and other factors. He will use GPS, Google maps, biking programs, road maps, historical maps and other technology to assist him with the mapping. He will also have locals who will bike with him at different points, providing information and giving advice on the best routes.</p><p>&#x201C;It will be challenging, but it will set an example and inspire others,&#x201D; DiBello said.</p><p>The terrain will be varied, encompassing everything from back roads and county highways to big cities and interstates. Poindexter hopes to as closely to the historic route as possible, with only a 10-mile difference to either side when he has to deviate.</p><p>&#x201C;We will be imagining the terrain of the past as we roll over changes of the present,&#x201D; Poindexter said.</p><p>He plans to cover 40 to 60 miles a day while biking five or six days a week. He will carry his own gear and camp outside 90 percent of the time, occasionally riding with people along the way. On days off he will speak to bike clubs, historical associations and other groups.</p><p>His route will not just be for hardcore cyclists, but will take into account tourism, families, experienced cyclists and people interested in history.</p><p>Robert Selig, the expedition&#x2019;s historian, said by combining recreation and history, the journey will create lots of opportunity for conversations, education and awareness. As an American Revolution expert, he is fascinated by the interaction between soldiers and townspeople. He described the Revolutionary War as a community campaign that helped in ways ranging from giving food and shelter to making products and repairing bridges. Poindexter will depend on similar generosity.</p><p>&#x201C;What he is doing depends on contributions, cooperation and people opening up to help him out,&#x201D; Selig said. &#x201C;It&#x2019;s the same kind of community spirit.&#x201D;</p><p>To finance the trip, Poindexter reached out to community members and businesses across the nation. He has raised about $1,300 but is aiming for $2,000 more.</p><p>Poindexter said he has learned a lot already, from planning the expedition to fundraising to historical research. </p><p>&#x201C;The most rewarding part is all of the people I&#x2019;ve met and their generosity,&#x201D; Poindexter said. </p><p>He said he&#x2019;s always read books about explorers and their planning and logistics, and realized that his journey is not just a bike ride but an expedition.</p><p>Poindexter will be updating Facebook, posting to his blog, adding pictures, uploading video interviews and logging journal notes whenever he gets the chance.</p><p> Poindexter has three goals with the trail:</p><p>Educate people all over the world about the W3R trail and the history behind it.</p><p>Promote cycling as a way to travel and see the nation.</p><p>Promote the health, environment and community benefits of cycling for travel and transportation. </p><p>He hopes the expedition will bring together groups like historians, cyclists, the National Park Service, artists, alternative transportation advocates, children and re-enactors.</p><p>He has inspired some people already.</p><p>Dana Niles of Merion Station, Penn., donated funds, a possible place to stay and a Starbucks card toward the expedition.</p><p>&#x201C;Hey Bill, In support of your ride I am going to donate the amount of money it takes to fill up my gas tank,&#x201D; she posted to his blog. &#x201C;In addition, I promise to limit the use of my car, increase use of the train, my bike and my feet, and to support the same of my kids.&#x201D;</p><p>Poindexter expects to be in Yorktown, Va., by July 21 after what he expects to be a fun bike ride and the chance to explore.</p><p>&#x201C;When I started talking about it everyone thought it was a great idea,&#x201D; Poindexter said. &#x201C;If I don&#x2019;t do this, somebody else will.&#x201D;</p><p><em>To reach Aleese Kopf, call 816-234-7701</em>.</p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> <strong><span class="infobox-head">More online </span></strong><br /> To follow Poindexter&#x2019;s expedition and learn more, visit www.cyclingw3r .blogspot.com.

FAQ about the American Revolution « Maps of World

When was the American Revolution?

The American Revolutionary War lasted from April of 1775 to September of 1783.

Who fought in the Revolutionary War?

The Revolutionary War was fought between Great Britain, which was ruled by King George III at the time, and the British colonists in America. The colonists themselves were split, with Loyalists on the side of Great Britain, and Patriots on the side of the colonial rebels. The majority of people living in the colonies were “fence-sitters,” who were undecided on the issue.

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What were the major battles of the Revolutionary War?

Battles of Lexington and Concord – the first battles of the Revolutionary War at dawn on April 19, 1775. British armies attacked the colonies and the Americans won, thanks to Paul Revere’s warning.

Battle of Bunker Hill – British armies attacked the Americans on June 17, 1775, expecting an easy victory over the smaller American militias. The Americans fought back but had to withdraw their troops, so Britain won the battle, despite losing more soldiers than the Americans.

Battle of Trenton – General George Washington led the Continental Army across the Delaware River to overtake the Hessian soldiers on December 26, 1776. This battle boosted the morale of the American troops, who had been losing

Battle of Yorktown – the final major battle of the Revolutionary War from September 28 to October 19, 1781. General George Washington’s army defeated Lord Cornwallis’s British Army, which caused Great Britain to surrender and ended the Revolutionary War.

What caused the Revolutionary War?

Many factors led up to the separation of the colonies from the governing Great Britain, but the major reason was that Great Britain spent too much money on the French and Indian War and wanted the colonies to help pay back the debt. Great Britain began adding taxes on certain goods in the colonies. The colonists grew upset because they were being taxed while having no representation in Parliament.

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