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Continental Congress meets
- All colonist 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
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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 British are coming...''
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Battles of Lexington & 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
- 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 $$
- Set up post office
- Created Continental Army led by George Washington
- Sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
- King hires 30,000 Hessians 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 that 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
- ''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
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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
-
Second Continental Congress meet again
- Debate on declaring independence
- Thomas Jefferson os the primary author of the document
-
Second Continental Congress votes for independence
-
The Decoration of Independence is signed
