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Continental Congress Meets
-All colonies but Georgia have representatives
- Voted to send a "statement of grievances"
- Voted a boycott all British trade
- Patrick Henry: VA rep, urged colonist to unite against britian -
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
- "shots heard around the world"- Ralph Waldo Emerson
-British victory
~ Battle of Concord
- Americans stop British and force them to retreat back to Boston -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
- Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen captures the fort
- Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
- American victory
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Second Continental Congress Meet
- Print Money
- Set up the post office
- Creat continental Army led by George Washington
- sent Olive Branch asking the king to protect their rights ~ King hires 30,000 Hessians Soldiers in response
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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
- Need weapons
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"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
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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
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The declaration of independence is signed
