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Continental Congress meets
- All colonists 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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1000'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
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 -
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 money$$
- 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 learned 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 and weapons arrive
- Washington puts cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
- BRITISH retreat = AMERICAN victory
-
Second Continental Congress meet again
- Debate on declaring independence
- Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document
-
Second Continental Congress votes for independence
-
The Declaration of Independence is signed
