Road to Revolution ~ 5.3 & 5.4

Continental Congress meets

Sep 5, 1774

~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

Apr 1, 1775

~General Gage brings thousands of British soldiers to Boston with more on the way.

Midnight ride of Paul Revere

Apr 18, 1775

~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

Apr 19, 1775

~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

Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

May 10, 1775

~Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort
~Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
~AMERICAN Victory

Second Continental Congress meet

May 10, 1775

~Print Money
~Set up post office
~Created Continental Army led by George Washington
~Sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their right
~King hires 30,000 Hessian Soldiers in response

Battle of Bunker Hill

Jun 16, 1775

~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.

Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with Continental troops

Jul 15, 1775

~Realizes men are disorganized & need discipline
~Need weapons

"Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine

Jan 10, 1776

~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

British Surrender Boston

Mar 17, 1776

~Washington believes his army is ready & weapons arrive
~Washington puts cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
~BRITISH retreat~AMERICAN Victory

Second Continental Congress meet again

Jun 15, 1776

~Debate on declaring independence
~Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document

Second Continental Congress vote for Independence

Jul 2, 1776

The Declaration of Independence is signed!

Jul 4, 1776