-
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 -
1,000's of redcoats in Boston
*general Gage brings thousands of British soldiers to Boston with more on the way -
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.." -
Battles of Lexington & concord
*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 -
second continental congress meet
*print$$$
*set up 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 -
capture of fort Ticonderoga
-Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort
get all supplies in the forest including cannons
american victory -
battle of bunker hill
fought on breed's hill
*"don't fire until you see the whites 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 & 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 ready & 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
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the declaration of independence is signed
