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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 -
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 Concord that the "The British are coming" -
Battle of Lexington & Concord
Battle of Lexington
- 1st battle of the American Revolutionary War.
-"shot heard around on 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 -
The Second Continental Congress Meets
-print $$$
-Set up post office
-Created Contnental Army led by George Washington
-Sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
-King Hires 30,000 Hessians 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 ammunation) British learn defeating Americans would not be easy -
Washington arrives on outskirtst of Boston with Continenta troops
-realizes men are disorganized and need discpline
-need weapons -
"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 -
British surrender Boston
-Washington believes his army is ready and weapons arrive
-Washington puts cannons on Dorchester heights overlooking Boston
-BRITISH retreat - AMERICAN Victory -
Second Continental Congress meet again
-debate on declaring independence
-Thomas Fefferson 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