Road to Independence

  • First Continental Congress meets

    -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 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-
    (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 capture the fort
    -Gets all supplies in the fort including cannons
    -AMERICAN Victory
  • Second Continental Congress meet

    -Printed $$$$
    -Set up a 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 Map
    -"Don't Fire untill you see the whites of their eyes"-William Presscott
    -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

    -All 13 colonies vote YES on declaring Independence
  • The Declaration of Independence is signed!