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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 -
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 town to warn the Sons of Liberty in Lexington and Concord that the "British are coming...The British are coming." -
Battles of Lexington and 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 -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
-Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort
-Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
-AMERICAN Victory -
Second Continental Congress meet
-Print $$$$
-Set up post office
-Created Continental Army led by George Washington
-Sent Olive Branch asking the King to protect their rights
-King hires 30,000 Hessians Soldiers in response -
Battle of Bunker Hill
- fought on Breed's Hil -"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
-Needs weapons -
"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 -
British surrender Boston
-Washington believes his army & weapons arrive
-Washington puts cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
-BRITISH retreat- AMERICAN Victory -
Second Continental Congress meet agian
-Debate on declaring independence
-Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document -
Second Continental Congress meet votes for Independece
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The declaration of Independence is signed!!!!
