THE SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE CHAPTER 5 LESSON 3 A CALL TO ARMS

CHAPTER 5 LESSON 3 –A CALL TO ARMS A MEETING IN PHILADELPHIA 1ST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS – SEPTEMBER 1774- PHILADELPHIA 12 OF THE 13 COLONIES CAME – EXCEPTION WAS GEORGIA KEY PEOPLE: JOHN ADAMS,SAM ADAMS, PATRICK HENRY, JOHN JAY, RICHARD HENRY LEE, AND GEORGE WASHINGTON THE CONGRESS DECIDED TO: ISSUE A STATEMENT ASKING PARLIAMENT TO REPEAL THE ACTS THAT VIOLATED COLONIAL RIGHTS VOTED TO BOYCOTT ALL TRADE WITH BRITAIN DECIDED TO APPROVE THE SUFFOLK RESOLVES- CALLED FOR CREATION OF MILITIAS THE COLONIAL MILITIA - NOT PROFESSIONAL SOLDIERS THE MASSACHUSETTS MILITIA BEGAN TO TRAIN AND GATHER WEAPONS. THE BEST TRAINED WERE CALL MINUTEMEN BECAUSE THEY COULD BE READY TO FIGHT IN A MOMENT’S NOTICE. FIGHTING BEGINS (IT’S ON NOW!!!!) PREPARATIONS WERE MADE AND IT SEEMED LIKE NOTHING COULD STOP THE VIOLENCE. MANY BELIEVE IT WOULD BREAK OUT IN NEW ENGLAND FIRST.

BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL THE BRITISH SEND MORE TROOPS KING GEORGE DECLARES THAT THE COLONIES ARE IN A STATE OF REBELLION GEN. THOMAS GAGE TRIED TO SEIZE WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION STORED AT LEXINGTON AND CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS. HE SENDS 700 TROOPS TO GET THE WEAPONS AND AMMO. APRIL 1775 THE BRITISH ON THE MOVE TOWARD LEXINGTON & CONCORD APRIL 18, 1775 AS THE BRITISH MOVE; THE SONS OF LIBERTY ARE WATCHING PAUL REVERE AND WILLIAM DAWES SET OUT TO WARN THE MINUTEMEN THAT THE BRITISH WERE COMING 70 MINUTEMEN MET THE British at Lexington and the first shots of the American Revolution were fired. ( NO ONE KNOWS WHO FIRED FIRST!) THE BRITISH MARCH ON TO CONCORD BUT WERE STOPPED AT THE CONCORD BRIDGE AND FORCE TO RETURN TO BOSTON THE BRITISH RETREATED WITH THE MILITIA AMBUSHING THEM ALL THE WAY BACK TO BOSTON MORE MILITARY ACTION ETHAN ALLEN AND THE GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS (not a bluegrass group) CAPTURE FORT TICONDEROGA BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL BUNKER AND BREEDS HILL ACROSS THE RIVER FROM BOSTON. THE COLONIST BUILT FORTIFICATIONS. BRITISH ATTACK UP BREEDS HILL 3 TIMES AT GREAT LOSS BEFORE TAKING THE FORTIFICATIONS.

CHOOSING SIDES COLONIST HAD TO MAKE A DECISION!!!! WOULD THEY BE LOYAL TO THE KING OR WOULD THEY SUPPORT THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE? LOYALIST WERE COLONIST WHO SUPPORTED THE KING AND BRITAIN DID NOT THINK THE TAXES WERE UNFAIR AND FELT PEOPLE SHOULD OBEY THE LAWS THESE WERE OFFICERHOLDERS, RICH LAND OWNERS, AND THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT BRITAIN WOULD WIN. PATRIOTS WERE COLONIST WHO SUPPORTED THE WAR AGAINST THE BRITISH. THEY BELIEVE THE COLONIES SHOULD GOVERN THEMSELVES BELIEVED THE BRITISH VIOLATED COLONIAL RIGHTS AS BRTISH CITIZENS