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Continental congress meets
-All colonies but Georgia has representatives
-voted to send "statement of grievances"
-Voted to boycott all British goods -
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 British and force them to retreat back to Boston
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Capture of fort Ticonderoga
- Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort at night
- Americans capture much needed supplies and ammunition in the fort including cannons
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Second continental congress meet
- print money (American dollars) -set up post office
- created continental Army led by George Washington -sent olive branch petition asking King George lll to protect their rights -king hires 30,000 Hessians soldiers
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Battle of Bunker Hill
- fought on Breed's Hill -"Don't fire until you see the white of their eyes" -William Prescott -British victory (Americans ran out of ammunition) British learn 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
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Second Continental Congress meet again
- Debate on declaring independence from Great Britain
- Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document
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Second Continental Congress votes for independence
- Al 13 colonies vote YES on declaring independence
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The Declaration of Independence is signed
