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Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia
The Continental Congress formed as a response to the Coercive Acts. The delegates hoped to reestablish the freedoms the colonists had previously enjoyed. -
Minutemen start to form
Minutemen formed as a result of the Continental Congress.
They were militia groups trained to prepare quickly for local defense in case of British attack. They were crucial to the pre-Revolution battles. -
Paul Revere and others take their midnight ride
The purpose of Revere's and the other patriots' midnight ride was to race to Lexington to warn the patriots Samuel Adams and John Hancock, as well as local militias that the British were coming to Concord. This alerted militias who were able to quickly prepare and suit up to fight against the 700 British troops. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
Paul Revere went on his famous ride warning that the British were coming. Gunfire erupted in Lexington, leaving eight American colonists dead in this brief battle lost by the minutemen. This marked the start of the American War of Independence -
Assembly of 2nd Continental Congress
Assembly of colonial representatives that served as a national government during the American Revolution. Despite limited formal powers, the Continental Congress coordinated the war effort and conducted negotiations with outside powers. -
Continental Army formed by 2nd Continental Congress
Army created by the Second Continental Congress after the battles of Lexington and Concord began the American Revolution in 1775. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was an American Revolution battle in which British troops defeated patriot militias. But, the British suffered many more casualties, which emboldened the patriot forces. -
Dunmore’s Proclamation is issued
Proclamation issued by the British commander Lord Dunmore that offered freedom to all enslaved African Americans who joined the British army. The proclamation heightened concerns among some patriots about the consequences of independence. -
Common Sense by author Thomas Paine is published
The purpose of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" was to use both biblical and enlightenment references to provide a rationale for creating more equality among Americans. -
Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Continental Congress
56 delegates signed the Declaration of Independence on August second. The Declaration declared to Britain that America wanted to be free from their rule and be their own country.