Brought together representatives from each colony – Intolerable Acts – How to assert rights? – United front 3 objectives: (not independence) – Statement of colonial rights – Identify Parliaments violation of these rights – Provide plan to convince Britain to restore these rights Boycott British goods

Britain Strong military with powerful navy More wealth 3 times more people Colonies Soldiers poorly trained and little experience Not all in favor of rebellion Fighting on own land George Washington – brilliant leader

Lexington and Concord “The shot that was heard around the world” – 1775; First shots of revolution – Lexington, Mass.

Thomas Paine’s – Common Sense Approved DOI – 2 nd Continental Congress (1776) Written by Thomas Jefferson Defined the rights of the people of the independent states July 4, 1776 – delegates signed the document

Battle of Saratoga Series of battles – turning point of war 1777; Colonial victory – British forced to surrender

Battle of Yorktown (1781) Last major battle of the Revolution Cornwallis – British leader; moved troops to Yorktown October 19, 1781 – Cornwallis surrendered

U.S. – no central government Second Continental Congress governing A of C – defined federal government powers separate from those of the states – Adopted March 1781

Officially ended the American Revolution Recognized American Independence