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Battles of Lexington and Concord
British troops marched toward Concord from Boston to seize the colonists' arms. The colonists removed most of the arms before the British go close enough, and fought with them in two separate battles. These battles proved to be incredibly motivating, as the colonists realized they may actually have a good chance of winning. -
Meeting of the Second Continental Congress
Delegates from the 13 colonies met to discuss their plan of action. They decided that they would go to war with Britain. They also agreed that the colonies would be much better off fighting as a united group. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Colonists got word that the British were going to attack to break the siege on Boston. The colonists decided to try to prevent the British from doing this, and ended up starting a battle. The British won this one. -
Failed Seizure of Quebec
Benedict Arnold and Richard Montgomery planned to capture the British city, Quebec. They were defeated by the British, and this was one of the first failed battles for the colonists. -
Common Sense is Published
Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense to get the colonists' support. He explained the importance of independence and a democracy. People reading Paine's work agreed with what he was saying. This helped round up more Patriots. -
Adoption of the Declaration of Independence
Delegates discussed the main concerns of the colonies. They created a document that expressed their desire to separate from Britain and become independent. -
Battle of Trenton
Britain hired Hessian soldiers to fight for them. These soldiers were camping out in Trenton. Washington lead a surprise attack on the Hessians. They were not expecting a battle because it was Christmas time. This Battle concluded with a -
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Battle of Saratoga
There were two battles that occurred here. The colonists won and these battles caught the attention of other countries like France. The colonists and other countries were feeling very confident that the Patriots could win. -
Paoli Massacre
This was a battle fought around midnight. The British attacked colonists who were low on ammunition or were not trying to fight at all. They even killed colonists who had tried to surrender. This obviously resulted in a British victory. -
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Washington's Encampment at Valley Forge
This was a very trying time, and it definitely tested the colonists' patriotism. The colonies simply didn't have the means to support all of the soldiers. Many of them were underdressed and underfed. A lot of beneficial training took place under Benedict Arnold.