1. Fighting Begins in the North
Olive Branch Petition, Green Mountain Boys, Continental Army, Patriots, Loyalists, Battle of Bunker Hill

2. Olive Branch Petition
Set up at the Second Continental Congress to avoid war
Olive Branch Petition – a petition sent to King George pledging their loyalty and asking him to repeal the Intolerable Acts
The king was furious about the petition and sent troops to the colonies.

3. Green Mountain Boys
Ethan Allen, a Vermont blacksmith, did not wait for Congress to Act.
Allen lead a band of Vermonteers – Green Mountain Boys – in a surprise attack on Fort Ticonderoga
The British surrendered and the Green Mountain Boys won a valuable supply of cannons and gunpowder.
They also established American control of a route to Canada.

4. Continental Army
Delegates of the Second Continental Congress decided to set up a Continental Army.
They appointed George Washington as commander.

5. Patriots Patriots – colonists who favored war with Britain
They thought the British rule was harsh and unjust
One third of the colonists were patriots.
Had some advantages like their leader George Washington and that they wanted to defend their homes
Disadvantages included the fact that their forces were untrained and unorganized.

6. Loyalists Loyalists – American colonists who remained loyal to Britain
Included wealthy merchants and former officials of the royal government
One third of the colonists were loyalists.
More loyalists lived in the Middle and Southern colonies than New England – why?
Faced tar and feathering
Many fled to England or Canada – lost homes, stores, etc.

7. Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed’s Hill)
During the first year of conflict, much of the fighting centered around Boston.
About 6,000 British troops were stationed there.
Colonial militia surrounded the city and prevented the British from leaving.
The British wanted to control the Charlestown Peninsula because it had a great view of the harbor.

9. Battle of Bunker Hill Cont’d
On June 16, 1775, Colonels Israel Putnam and William Prescott led 1,200 minutemen up Breed’s Hill, across the river from Boston.
From there they could fire on the British ships.
The British General William Howe spotted the Americans. He moved the redcoats across the harbor to attack the rebels.
As the British approached, the Patriots held their fire.
“Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!”

10. Battle of Bunker Hill Cont’d
When the Americans fired, the British were forced to retreat.
However, the British tried 3 times and eventually succeeded.
However, they did sustain heavy losses.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the Revolution.
It proved the Americans could fight bravely and the British wouldn’t give up easily.

11. British leave Boston
When Washington showed up weeks after Bunker Hill, he turned the recruits into an army.
In January, the cannons from Fort Ticonderoga arrive in Boston and Washington uses them to defeat the British.
The British fled to Canada.
However, the King did not give up and set up a blockade of all colonial ports.
Blockade – the shutting of a port to keep people or supplies from moving in or out
The king also used mercenaries – troops for hire, from Germany to help fight the colonists.