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Continental 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. -
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.." -
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 the British and force them to retreat back to Boston -American Victory
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Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
-Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort
-Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
-American Victory -
Second Continental Congress meet
- Print $$$
- Set up 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 learn defeating Americans would not be easy -
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
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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 Decloration of Independence is signed