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Lexington and Concord
In the First battle of the American revolution, the Minutemen fought the British after Paul Reveree warned them that the British were coming to fight colonists. Known as "The Shot Heard Around the World," it set the tone for a newly energized American population -
The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia
The succession to the original Continental Congrees meets in Philidelphia to discuss advancement in opposing the Coercive acts, manage the newly revolutionary colonial war effort, and 56 deleates set the stage for a governing body once revolution was achieved. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Even with the seemingly catastrophic and lop-sided loss of many British Soldiers compared to the colonial army, the overwhelming volume of them beat the colonial army in the second major battle of the revolution in Massachusetts. This set the tone that even though the British have the best military in the world, a little rag tag group of men who want something badly can come close to defeating them. -
Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" was published
Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet called "Common Sense" that inspired people in the Thirteen Colonies to declare and fight for independence from Great Britain in the summer of 1776. In clear, simple language it explained the advantages of and the need for immediate independence. -
The Vrginia Decleration of Rights
The Virginia Declaration of Rights is a document drafted in 1776 to proclaim the inherent rights of men, including the right to rebel against "inadequate" government. It influenced a number of later documents, including the United States Declaration of Independence (1776), and the United States Bill of Rights (1789). -
The Declaration of Independence
The Continental Congress of 1776 conjured up a document that stated the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. Instead they formed a new nation. This was a huge turning point for American history, and we still celebrate it today. -
The Battle of Long Island
The First Major battle after the Declaration of Independence was The Battle of Long Island and the British were victorious. This gave the British control of the key port city of new york. This helped them block off imports that were bound for colonists and the colonial army. General George Wasington's army retreated from Long Island to Manhattan, and then to New Jersey. -
Battle of Trenton
Washingtons' forces cross the Delaware river to create a suprise attack on the Hessians in Trenton. 1000 german soldiers surrender to Washington, and the brutal journey and harsh winter were all worth it because this was the turning point for the now colonial dominated war for freedom. -
Seige of Fort Ticonderoga
The 1777 Siege of Fort Ticonderoga occurred between 2 and 6 July 1777 at Fort Ticonderoga, near the southern end of Lake Champlain in the state of New York. Lieutenant General John Burgoyne's 8,000-man army occupied high ground above the fort, and nearly surrounded the defences. These movements precipitated the occupying Continental Army, an under-strength force of 3,000 under the command of General Arthur St. Clair, to withdraw from Ticonderoga and the surrounding defences. -
Battle of Saratoga
General Burgoyne fought two small battles to break out. They took place eighteen days apart on the same ground, 9 miles (14 km) south of Saratoga, New York. They both failed. Trapped by superior American forces, with no relief in sight, Burgoyne surrendered his entire army on October 17. This gave a decisive victory for the colonies over the british. -
A Brutal Winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 during the American Revolutionary War. It is approximately 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Starvation, disease, and exposure killed nearly 2,500 American soldiers by the end of February 1778. This was Genral Washington's safe haven after the final battle before the winter, 'The Battle of White Wash" -
The Treaty of Alliance
The defensive alliance between France and the United States of America, formed in the midst of the American Revolutionary War, which promised military support in case of attack by British forces indefinitely into the future. This is what the Americans can credit to victory against the british -
Phillipsburg Proclamation
The proclamation extended the scope of Dunmore's Proclamation, which was issued four years earlier. Dunmore's Proclamation, issued by Virginia's last royal governor, Lord Dunmore, granted freedom to slaves in Virginia, provided that they were willing to serve the royal forces. Slaves could run from their owners and be free. -
British Capture Chaleston, South Carolina
A Crucial Port city in the south is now occpied by british rule. British officers have troops in either New York city or Charleston, which makes them very vulnerable to colonial attack. The British were trying to sandwich in the colonists by coming in through thte south as well as the north, but the plan doesnt previal. -
Horatio Gates gets a pink slip
Cornwallis defeated Gates in Camden, so General George Washington Appoints Nathaniel greene to recapture the south. This was an infamous leadership strategy by washington, and it paid off. -
Battle at Cowpens, SC
The Battle of Cowpens (January 17, 1781) was a decisive victory by the Continental Army forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan in the Southern campaign of the American Revolutionary War over the British Army led by Colonel Banastre Tarleton. It was a turning point in the reconquest of South Carolina from the British. -
Adoption/Radifiction of The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, formally the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was a document signed amongst the 13 original colonies that established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states and serveThe first state to ratify was Virginia on December 16, 1777; the thirteenth state to ratify was Maryland on February 2, 1781. A ceremonial confirmation of this thirteenth, final ratification took place in the Congress on March 1, 1781. -
Battle at Guilford Courthouse
General Greene and his forces attacked the weakend British forces. The passionate colonists did not come out victorious, but had enough strength to scare the british and run them all the way back to yorktown. -
British surrender at Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown on October 19, 1781 at Yorktown, Virginia, was a decisive victory by a combined force of American Continental Army troops led by General George Washington and French Army troops led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by British lord and Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis. The culmination of the Yorktown campaign, the siege proved to be the last major land battle of The American Revolution. -
Change in British Rule
Lord North, a successful warrior and prime Minister resigns from office. -
The Treaty of Paris (1783)
This Treaty formally ended the war and made 'Merica as awe know it today. The British recognized the colonies as completely independent from Britian and let go of all land claims in the colonies or east of the mississippi river. -
U.S. Constitution Signed
The Constitutional Convention signed this document in Pennsylvania in respose to dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation and the want of a centralized government. This was the first stage to a stable American Government. -
The Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers is a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution. -
Ratification of the U.S. Constitution
To win over other delagates, federalist leaders assured the convention that they would recommend a national bill of rights. Massachisetts ratifies, then Maryland, then a chain reaction to fianlly New Hampshire. This seals the deal for American Independence
