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
General Gage brings thousands of British soldiers to Boston with more on the way
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
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
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
Benedict Arnold Ethan Allen capture the fort
Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
AMERICAN Victory
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
Realizes men are disorganized and need discipline
Need weapons
"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
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
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
Fireworks