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The Boston Tea Party
- Members of Sons of Liberty dump over 340 chests of tea into Boston Harbor
- Caused problems for loyalists
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First Colonial Congress Meets
- All colonies 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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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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Battle of Lexington & Concord
- 1st shot of American Revolutionary war
- "Shot heard around the world" Ralph Waldo Emerson BRITISH VICTORY
AMERICAN VICTORY -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
-Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen captured the fort
-Got all supplies in the fort including cannons
- American Victory -
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 Hessian Soldiers in response -
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 the Americans would NOT be easy.
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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 -
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 is the primary author of the document -
Second Continental Congress votes for Independence
All 13 colonies vote YES on declaring independence -
The Declaration of Independence is signed!