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Continental Congress meets
- All colonist but Georgia has representatives.
- voted to send a "statement of grievances"
- Voted to boycott all British Trade
- Patrick Henry- VA rep. urged colonist to unite 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 Briish are coming"
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Battles of Lexington & Concord
Battle of Lexington-
- 1st battle of the 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
- Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort.
- Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
- AMERCAN Victory
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Second Continental Congress meet
- Print $$$$
- Set up a post office
- Created Continental Army led by George Washington
- Sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
- King hires 30.000 Hessains Soldiers in respoinse
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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 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
- Need weapons
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'Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine
- pamphlet inspires more colonist to become patriots
- "Everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, "ITS TIME TO PART" - Thomas Paine, Common Sense
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British Surrender Boston
- Washington believes his army is ready & 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
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Second Continental Congress votes for Independence
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The Declaration of Independence is signed!
