-
First continental congress meet
All colonies but Georgia have representatives
Voted to send a "statement of grievances"
Voted to Boycott all British Trade -
1,000's of Redcoats in Boston
General Gage Brings thousands of British soldiers to Boston with more on the way. -
Battles of Lexington & Concord
Battle of Lexington
1. 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 -
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..." -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort
Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
AMERICAN Victory -
Second Continental Congress meet
print money
setup post office
Created Continental Army led by George Washington
sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
King hires 30,000 Hessian Soldiers in response -
Battle of Bunker Hill
fought an Breed's Hill
"Don't Fire until you see the whites of their eye's" -- 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
Washington puts cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
BRITISH retreat -- AMERICAN Victory -
"Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine
pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
"Every thing that is right reasonable pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voices of nature cries, 'Tis TIME TO PART"-- Thomas Paine, common sense -
Second Continental Congress meet again
Debate on declaring independence
Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document