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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 British
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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..." -
Battle of Lexington & Concord
Battle of Lexington
-1st battle of American Revolutionary War
- "Shot hear round the world" - Ralph Waldo
- British Victory
Battle of Concord
- Americans stop British force and tell them to retreat back to Boston
- American Victory -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
- Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen capture the fort
- Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
- American Victory -
Second Continental Congress meet
Print $$$
Set up post office
Created continental army lead by George Washington
Sent Olive Branch asking king to protect their rights
- King hires 30,000 Hessian soldiers in response -
Second Continental Congress meet
Print $$$
Set up post office
Created continental army lead by George Washington
Sent Olive Branch asking king to protect their rights
- King hires 30,000 Hessian soliders in response -
Battle of Bunker Hill
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
Realized men are disorganized and need discipline
Need weapons -
Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with continental troops
Realizes men are disorganized and 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 and 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 primary author of the document -
Second Continental Congress votes for independence
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The Declaration of Independence is signed
