Road to Revolution 5.3 & 5.4

Continental Congress meets

Sep 5, 1774

• All colonies but Georgia has representatives
• Voted to send a "statement of grievances"
• Voted to Boycott all British Trade

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 around the world" -Ralph Waldo Emerson
• BRITISH VICTORY
• Battle of Concord
• Americans Stop British and force them to retreat back to Boston
• 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 Petition asking King George lll to protect their rights
• Asking King George lll for peace one more time
• King hires 30,000 Hessian Soldiers in response

Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

May 10, 1775

• Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the Fort
• Americans capture much needed supplies and ammunition in the fort including cannons -AMERICAN VICTORY

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 and 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 and 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 votes for Independence

Jul 2, 1776

• All 13 colonies vote YES on declaring independence

The Declaration of Independence is signed

Jul 4, 1776

• All 13 colonies have signed it and now are independent from England.