-
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
- Battle of Lexington
- First battle of the 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
-
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 $$$
- 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.
-
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 & need discipline
- Need weapons
-
"Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine
- pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
- "Everything 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
-
The Declaration of Independence is signed
