Road to Independance

  • Midnight ride of Paul Revere

    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.."
  • 1,000's of Redcoats in Boston

    1,000's of Redcoats in Boston

    • General Gage brings thousands of British soldiers to Boston with more on the way
  • First Continental Congress Meets

    First Continental Congress Meets

    • All colonies but Georgia have representatives
    • Votes to send a "statement of grievances"
    • Votes to boycott all British Trade
    • Patrick Henry - VA rep. urged colonists to unite against Britain
  • Battles of Lexington & Concord

    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
      • AMERICAN Victory
  • Second Continental Congress Meet

    Second Continental Congress Meet

    • Print Money
    • Set up mail service
    • Created Continental Army led by George Washington
    • Sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
      • King hires 30,000 Hessians Soldiers in response
  • Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

    Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

    • Benedict Arnold Ethan Allen capture the fort
    • Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
    • AMERICAN Victory
  • Battle of Bunker Hill

    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 defeating Americans would NOT be easy
  • Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with Continental Troops

    Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with Continental Troops

    • Realizes men are disorganized and need discipline
    • Need weapons
  • "Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine

    "Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine

    • Pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
    • "Every thing 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

    British Surrender Boston

    • Washington believes his army is read and weapons arrive
    • Washington puts cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
    • BRITISH retreat - AMERICAN victory
  • Second Continental Congress Meet Again

    Second Continental Congress Meet Again

    • Debate on declaring independence
    • Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document
  • Second Continental Congress votes for Independence

    Second Continental Congress votes for Independence

    • All 13 colonies vote YES on declaring independence
  • The Declaration of Independence is signed!

    The Declaration of Independence is signed!

    Fireworks