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Déclaration of Rights and Grievances to the Crown
British government circles = little awareness
Colonies refused Parliament's power except for trade = not independence -
First Continental Congress
The congress takes place in Philadelphia, it is composed of 51 delegates, stating England went too far (taxation without representation = unacceptable)
=> Boycott on imports of English goods (enforced by Continental Association in all colonies)
=> Supporting Massachusetts: "all Americans ought to support them in resistance" -
Second Continental Congress
Voted Independance -
Olive Branch Petition
10/05/1775: 2nd Continental Congress
The petition is a peace treaty, the patriots offered to remain British citizens but king George 3 refused.
So open war:
British force included mercenaries from Hesse (Germany)
Reaction from Americans: mother country is ready to let foreign soldiers rape, steal and kill them
Common sense written by Thomas Pain in 01/1776, enlights natural law and the rights of man, it showed GB exploited the colonies and Americans are better without GB -
Period: to
Americans protagonists during the war
American colonists:
-1/5 Loyalists = sided with GB (Anglican clergy, merchants with GB trade, backcountry southerners)
-2/5 Neutral (Westerners, Native Americans, Quakers=pacifist)
They are condemned by the active revolutionaries: severe penalties
2/5 Active (people connected to Government+political reformers)
Black slaves, 5% escaped to the British
Advantages of British: Money, arms, men
Advantages of USA: bold strategy, knowledge of the local terrain, French alliance, defending one's homeland -
The Midnight ride
William Dawes & Paul Revere: messengers that needed to warn the minutemen.
Dawes left at 9 pm by land
Revere left by sea, he arrived at 12 am
This warning system is more flexible & efficient -
Lexington & Concord battles
British troops near Lexington:
- 77 minutemen
- Americans ordered to withdraw
- British soldiers fired = 8 Americans killed and 10 wounded
British in Concord:
- 272 militiamen
- vs 90 -
Early battles
British took control of the Fort Ticonderoga -
Battle of Bunker Hill, Massachusetts
Battle won by the British
British heaviest losses: 1,100 killed or wounded
Consequences: Patriots = inflict losses on the British troops, Led colonists to join the American Revolution
General Gage replaced by General Howe -
Draft of the Declaration of Independence
Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Robert R. Livinston wrote this draft -
Presentation of the Declaration of Independence to the Congress
They debated during 2 more days, it was signed by the 56 delegates and the first signer is John Hancock -
Adoption of the Declaration of Independence
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End of the war: Cornwallis capitulation
General Cornwallis besieged in Yorktown, Virginia = decisive victory
Washington's troops on land + French Admiral (de Grasse): navy blocking escape
=> Cornwallis capitulated on 17/10/1781 -
Treaty of Paris
Negotiated by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay
US borders:
-from Atlantic to the Mississippi
-From Great Lakes to Northern boundary of Florida
-ignored the Natives
-Huge debts