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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 -
1,000s 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:
first battle of American Revolutionary War
"shot heard around the world"
British won
*Battle of Concord:
Americans stop British and force them to retreat back to Boston
American victory -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
*Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen capture the fort
*Get all supplies in the fort including canons
*American victory -
Second Continental Congress
*Starting printing money
*Set up post office
*Created Continental Army led by George Washington -
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 defending Americans would not be easy
*Sent Olive Branch Petition asking George III to protect their rights
*King hires 30,000 Hessian Soldiers in response -
Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with continental troops
*Realizes men are disorganized and need discipline
*Needed weapons -
"Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine
*Pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
*"Everything that is right or reasonable pleads for seperation" 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 his weapons arrive
*Washington puts cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
*British retreat, American victory -
Second Continental Congress meet again
*Debate on declaring independence
*Thomas Jefferson 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 is signed
fireworks