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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 colonist to unite against Britain
Sent the olive branch asking king to protect their rights
- king hires 30,000 Hessians soldiers in response -
British surrenders Boston
Washington believes his army is ready & weapons arrive
Washington puts cannons on Dorchester height overlooking Boston
BRITISH retreat - AMERICAN victory -
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
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 -
Battle of fort Ticonderoga
Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort
get all supplies in the fort including cannons
AMERICAN victory -
second continental congress meet
- Printing money
- Set up a post office
- Created Continental Army led by Gorge Washington
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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
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Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with continental troops
realizes men are disorganized & need discipline
needed weapons -
"common sense" published by Thomas Paine
pamphlet inspires more colonists to became 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" - Tomas Paine, Common senses -
second continental congress meet again
debate on declaring independence
Thomas Jefferson is primary author the document -
second continental congress votes for independence
all 13 colonies vote YES on declaring independence -
the declaration of independence is signed
fire works