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First 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
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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
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1,000's of Redcoats in Boston
- General Gage brings thousands of British soldiers to Boston with more on the way
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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.."
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Battles of Lexington and Concord
Battle of Lexington
- 1st battle of American Revolutionary War
- "shot heard round the world" Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Britsh Victory
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 cannons
- American Victory
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Second Continental Congress meet
- Print money
- Set up post office
- Created Continental Army led by George Washington -Sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
- King hires 30,000 Hessians Soldiers in response
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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
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Washington Arrives on Outskirts of Boston with Continental Troops
- Realizes men are disorganized and need disipline
- Need weapons
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"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
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Second Continental Congress meet again
- Debate on declaring independence
- Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document
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Second Continental Congress votes for Independence
- All 13 colonies vote yes on declaring indepedence
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The Declaration of Independence is signed