Road to Independence

  • First Continental Congress meets

    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
  • 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 Rever

    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 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 (Patriots) 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 Hessians Soldiers in response
  • Battle of Bunker Hill

    • fought on Breed's Hill "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" - William Pescott -BRITISH victory (Americans ran out of ammunition) British learn about 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 shis 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