-
First Continental Congress meets
-All colonies but Georgia have representatives
- voted to send a "statement of grievances"
- voted to boycott all British trade
- Patrick Henry - Va rep. urged colonists to unite against Britain -
1,000's of redcoats in boston
-General Gage brings thousands of British soldiers to Bosten with more on the way. -
Midnight ride of Paul Revere
Paul Revere rides to warn the sons of liberty in Lexington and concord that the " British are coming... The British are coming.." -
Battles of Lexington & concord
- battle of lexington
- 1st battle of american revolutionary war " shot heard round the world" - Ralph Waldo Emerson -British victory battle of concord -Americans stop British and force them to retreat back to Boston AMERICAN victory
-
capture of fort ticonderoga
-Benedict Arnold % Ethan Allen capture the fort
- get all supplies in the fort including cannons
-american victory -
second continental congress meet
-print $$$$
-set up post office
-created continental army led by George Washington
-sent olive branch asking king to protect their rights
- king hires 30,000 Hessians soldiers in response -
battle of bunker hill
-fought on breed's hill
-" don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" - William Prescott
- BRITISH victory ( Americans ran out of ammunition) British learn defeating Americans would NOT be easy. -
Washington arrives on the outskirts of Boston with continental troops
- realizes men are disorganized & need discipline
- need weapons
-
" common sense " published by Thomas Paine
- pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots -" everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation. the blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, " TIS TIME TO PART"- Thomas Paine , common sense
-
British surrender Boston
- Washington believes his army is ready & weapons arrive
- Washington puts cannons on Dorchester heights overlooking Boston
- BRITISH retreat - AMERICAN victory
-
Second continental congress meet again
-Debate on declaring independence
- Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document -
second continental congress votes for independence
- all 13 colonies vote YES on declaring independence
-
The declaration of independence is signed!
-