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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 thousand of British soldiers to Boston 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.." -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
- Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort
- Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
- American Victory
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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 Hessian Soldiers in response
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Battle of Bunker Hill
- Fought on Breed's Hill Map
- "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.
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Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with Continental troops
- Realizes men are disorganized & need discipline
- Need weapons
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"Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine
- Pamphlet inspires more colonist to become patriots
- "Every thing 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
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British Surrender Boston
- Washington believes his army is ready & weapons arrive
- Washington puts cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston -BRITISH retreat -- AMERICAN Victory
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Battles of Lexington & Concord
Battle of Lexington-
-1st battle of American Revolutionary War
- "shot heard around the world" -Ralph Waldo Emerson
- BRITISH Victory
Battle of Concord-
-Americans Stop British and force them to retreat back to Boston
- AMERICAN Victory -
Second Continental Congress meet again
- Debate on declaring independence
- Thomas Jefferson in the primary author of the document
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Second Continental Congress votes for Independence
- All 13 colonies vote YES on declaring independence
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The Declaration of Independence is signed
The 4th of July