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Washington arrives on the outskirts of Boston with Continental troops
- Realizes men are disorganized & need discipline
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The Continental Congress
- All colonies but Georgia have representatives.
- Voted to send a "statement of grievances"
- Voted to Boycott British Trade
- Patrick Henry - VA rep. urged colonists to unite against Britain.
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1,000's of Redcoats in Boston
General Gage brings thousands 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 . . " -
Battles of Lexington & Concord
- 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 to back to Boston.
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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 Meets
- Print money
- Set up a post office
- Created a Continental Army led by George Washington
- Sent an Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
- King hired 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 learned defeating Americans would NOT be easy
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"Common Sense" Published by Thomas Paine
- Pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
- "Everything that is right or responsible 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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Second Continental Congress meet again
- Debate on declaring independence
- Thomas Jefferson is 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
