COMMUNICATION AND ORGANIZATION Colonists had various forms of extralegal organizations designed to convert popular discontent into direct action Some were local, some colony-wide, and some inter-colonial Colonial assemblies Groups such as the Liberty Boys Committees of Correspondence Politically-active citizens wrote letters to each other Reported on political events Served as bond between colonies and facilitated cooperation

CALL FOR CONTINENTAL CONGRESS House of Burgesses dissolved by British government for protesting Intolerable Acts Delegates reconvene in a tavern in Williamsburg Declared Intolerable Acts threatened the liberties of every colony Issued call for Continental Congress General meeting of delegates from every colony to plan opposition to Intolerable Acts

FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS Met in Philadelphia in September 1774 Every colony except Georgia sent delegates Moderates wanted to reach a compromise with the British Persuade them to repeal Intolerable Acts and grant colonies a degree of self-government Extremists argued that the time for compromise was over Pushed for another face-to-face confrontation with British Outright defiance of Intolerable Acts Combined with another boycott Force Parliament to back down again

FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS TAKES ACTION Extremists gained control of Congress but because of opposition of moderates it passed a program that was not as tough as their original position Contradictory and unclear Granted that Parliament did have right to regulate colonial trade But demanded that all tax measures and other restrictive laws passed since 1763 be rescinded Called for boycott until Parliament met their demands Took steps to defend Boston if necessary Agreed to meet again to take further action if necessary

LORD NORTH’S OFFER Parliament did not want another boycott nor did it want to fight the colonists So they essentially gave in again Offered colonists the right to tax themselves, at Parliament’s request Lord North hoped to win over moderates with this proposal, split colonial opposition, and end crisis Too late

MINUTEMEN Farmers and townspeople in and around Boston had been collecting guns and ammo in preparation for a possible British attack Also staged secret night-time training sessions Called themselves “Minutemen” Ready to fight at a minute’s notice

GAGE’S DECISION Also learned that minutemen had hidden large amount of gunpowder in Concord Near Lexington Ordered 1000 men down road to Lexington and Concord Mission was to arrest Adams and Hancock, destroy gunpowder, and return to Boston before shots could be fired General Thomas Gage thought his army was too small to do anything about minutemen until he received reinforcements He then received orders to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock Hiding in Lexington

“THE BRITISH ARE COMING” Minutemen warned of British troop movement by Paul Revere and William Dawes Minutemen waiting for British when they arrived at Lexington Shots were fired 8 minutemen killed, 10 wounded—the rest scattered British won this skirmish

LEXINGTON/CONCORD British abandoned plan to arrest Adams and Hancock But went to Concord and destroyed gunpowder On the way back to Boston they were attacked by Minutemen snipers Lost 33% of original force Americans had 93 casualties

THE SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD No one will ever know who fired the first shot at Lexington But Adams got his version of the story out first Convinced many colonists that British had started battle and committed many atrocities A war was on and most colonists believed that the British has started it