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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, Virginia 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 and Concord
Battle of Lexington
- 1st battle of the American Revolutionary War
- "shot 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 and Ethan Allen capture the fort
- get all supplies in the fort including cannons
- AMERICAN victory
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Second Continental Congress Meet
- printing money
- sets up post office
- created Continental Army led by George Washington
- sent Olive Branch asking the king to protect their rights
- King hires 30,000 Hessian's Soldiers in response
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Battle of Bunker Hill
- fought on Breeds Hill
- "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes"- William Prescott
- BRITISH victory, Americans ran out of ammunition, British learn that defeating the Americans will not be easy
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Washington Arrives on Outskirts of Boston with Continental Troops
- realizes men are disorganized and need discipline
- needs weapons
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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 and 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
- known as the Declaration of Independence
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Second Continental Congress Votes for Independence
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The Declaration of Independence is Signed
- John Hancock was the first to sign and is the biggest signature
