-
Continental Congress meets
- All colonies but Georgia have representatives
- Voted to send a "statement of grievances"
- Voted to Boycott all British Trade
-
Thousands 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 warn the Sons of Liberty in Lexington and Concord that the "British are coming...The British are coming."
-
The Battle of Lexington & Concord
- Battle of Lexington is known to be the first battle of the American Revolutionary War
- Also known as the "shot heard around the world"
- British victory
- Battle of Concord - Americans stop British and force them to retreat back to Boston
- American victory
-
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
- Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen capture the fort
- Get all the supplies in the fort including cannons
- American victory
-
Second Continental Congress meet
- Print their own money
- Set up post office
- Created Continental Army led my George Washington
- Sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
- King hires 30,000 Hessian Soldiers
-
Battle of Bunker Hill
- Fought on Breed's Hill
- "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" - William Prescott
- British victory (American ran out of ammunition)
- British learn defeating America will not be easy
-
Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with Continental troops
- Realizes men are disorganized & need discipline
- Need weapons
-
"Common Sense" 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
-
British Surrender Boston
- Washington believes his army is ready & weapons arrive
- Washington put cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
- British surrender - 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 Independance
- All 13 colonies voted YES on declaring independence
-
Declaration of Independence is signed!