Road to Independence

By stu.smithl2@mishawaka.k12.in.us
  • The first Continental Congress meets

    The first Continental Congress meets

    • All the colonies except Georgia send representatives
    • Voted to send a "statement of grievances"
    • Boycotted British trade
    • Patrick Henry (VA rep) urged colonists to unite against Britain
  • Washington to Boston

    Washington to Boston

    • in July 1775, Washington arrives in Boston
    • Washington disciplines his troops for months
  • Troops in Boston

    Troops in Boston

    • General Thomas Gage takes over Boston
    • By April 1775, thousands of troops are in Boston
  • British Moving

    British Moving

    • Dr.Joseph Warren saw moving troops and warned others
    • Troops were moving to Concord to burn Patriot ammunition
    • Paul Revere and William Dawes rode to Lexington to warn people
    • Paul and Dawes caught by British, message is carried to Concord via Samuel Prescott
  • The Battle of Lexington

    The Battle of Lexington

    • American victory
    • British troops on the way to Concord are interrupted by minutemen
  • The Battle of Concord

    The Battle of Concord

    • American Victory
    • Minutemen met British at the North Bridge in Concord
    • British turn and retreat
    • British suffer heavy losses
  • The Battle at Fort Ticonderoga

    The Battle at Fort Ticonderoga

    • American victory
    • British troops vs. Green Mountain Boys and Connecticut militia
    • Colonists took British by surprise
    • British surrender
  • Second Continental Congress Meeting

    Second Continental Congress Meeting

    • Delegates from the first continental congress and more came
    • John Hancock chosen to be president of meeting
    • Some people in attendance include: John and Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and John Hancock.
  • Battle of Bunker Hill

    Battle of Bunker Hill

    • British victory
    • Previous day, colonist militia assembled on Bunker and Breed's hills
    • British charged hills 3 times
    • Americans surrendered because they were out of ammunition
    • Heavy British losses
  • Common Sense

    Common Sense

    • Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense
    • He came from England to the Colonies in 1774
    • Common Sense listed reasons why America would be better separate from Britain
  • Redcoats retreat from Boston

    Redcoats retreat from Boston

    • Washington brought cannons from Fort Ticonderoga
    • Under the cover of darkness, Washington put people and cannons into position overlooking Boston
    • William Howe retreated to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
  • Vote for Independence

    Vote for Independence

    • 12 of 13 colonies voted
    • Voted on Richard Henry Lee's statement that the colonies should be an independent nation
  • Declaration of Independence Published

    Declaration of Independence Published

    • Committee of writing: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Robert Sherman.
    • Approved July 4th, 1776
    • John Hancock signed it first
    • Washington had the declaration read to his troops in NYC on July 9, 1776
  • Traitor

    Traitor

    • Benedict Arnold helped take Fort Ticonderoga
    • Arnold sold military information to the British
    • Fled to NYC