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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 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
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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.."
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Battles of Lexington & Concord
- 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
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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 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
- "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
- "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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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!
