Start of The Revolutionary War

Choosing Sides Separatist –Patriots –Political and Economic Gains –Rebels –Uncertainty would come with change Loyalist –Tories –Political and Economic Gains –Redcoats –Faced Difficult Choice First Civil War

Lexington and Concord April 19, 1775 –General Thomas Gage Redcoats March on Concord Arsenal Paul revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott –Colonial Militia = Minutemen Captain John Parker Lexington First Shots Fired –8 Dead and 10 wounded –Destroyed part of Arsenal Gauntlet to Boston –250 British dead or wounded –100 colonist dead or wounded Siege of Boston

Second Continental Congress Philadelphia – May 10, 1775 Assumed the role of Government –No Legal Authority or No Resources –Named George Washington Commander of Army »Virginia Delegation »Command army at Boston »Experience in French and Indian War Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms John Dickinson Wrote history of conflict and should fight for rights Olive Branch Petition –July 5 and 6 John Dickinson Wrote –Called for Unity and Self-Rule »King George Refused »Issues Proclamation of Rebellion

Battle of Bunker Hill Two impacts on war –Made the British Cautious –Congress called all men to serve, divided population between loyalist and patriots June 17, 1775 –First Major Battle –Breed’s Hill Actual Location –Hill Top Fortification “see the whites of their eyes” –Three ways of attack by British –Bloodiest Battle of War British Victory –Colonial Losses 400 –British Losses 1,054 out of 2,400

6 Siege of Quebec Attack on walled city of Quebec –General Benedict Arnold and General Richard Montgomery Small Pox Outbreak Most soldiers enlistment up in 1776 –December 31, 1775 Bad defeat –Small Pox was brought back to army and civilian population Demoralized soldiers Cut recruitment quotas 6

Siege of Boston April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776 –Boston Seat of Colonial Resentment Punished by Coercive Acts for Boston Tea Party –Under British Control General William Howe Fleeing Soldiers From Concord Took Refuge –British Navy Evacuated Soldiers and Loyalist –Boston Became the Center of Rebellion March 17, 1776 British Power had collapses colonies

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense Inspired the common man to seek independence –Changed colonial view of England and the Monarchy Thomas Paine –English, Recent immigrant –Teacher and Writer Common Sense –Questioned gods acceptance of monarchy –Disputes heredity secession –Discusses Grievances against England –Notes England brings colonies into European War –American resources can support independence and build a mighty navy

Declarations of Independence Lees’ Resolution – July 2, 1776 –Richard Henry Lee –Declared Colonies Free and Independent –Real Independence Days Declaration of Independence – July 4, 1774 –Thomas Jefferson, help from John Adams and Ben Franklin Inspired by Virginia Constitution & Virginia’s Declaration of rights Debated before final draft agreed upon –Three Sections »Right to displace unjust Governments (Social Contract Theory) »List of Grievances »Declaration of Independence from Britain and Monarchy

Causes of the Revolution The Anti-British Reasons –The Tax Burden and No Representation in Parliament (Taxation with Representation) –Excessive Regulation of Trade –Imperial Policies The Pro-Colonist Reasons –Restrictions on Settling Western Lands –Debt to British Merchants –National Consciousness –Self-Government