Road to Independence

  • First Continental Congress

    :All colonies but Georgia have representatives
    :voted to send a "statement of grievances"
    (a list of complaints)
    :voted to boycott all British Trade
    :Patrick Henry- VA rep. urged colonist 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.
  • Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with Continental troopss

    -Realizes men are disorganized need discipline
    -Need weapons
  • Midnight ride of Paul Revere

    Paul Revere rides to warn the Sons Liberty in Lexington and Concord that the "British are coming...The British are coming.."
  • Battles of Lexington & Concord

    Battle of Lexington- 1st battle of the American Revolution "shot heard around 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's 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 learned defeating Americans would NOT be easy.
  • "Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine

    -pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
    -" Everything thing that is right or reasonable pleads for separation. the blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature dies, TIS TIME TO PART."- Thomas Pain, 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