Revolutionary War

The Revolution Begins

Section Objectives:

• * How did the First Continental Congress and the fighting at Lexington and Concord affect the colonies’ conflict with Britain?

• * What tasks did the Second Continental Congress accomplish?

• * How did geography influence the early battles of the war?

Questions to think about???

• * Why might a country’s citizen’s revolt against their government?

• * What does it mean for a country to be founded on the idea of liberty?

• * Why might some nations support a revolution in another country?

1774-decision needed by the colonists on how to resolve their conflicts with Britain

• John Adams and Sam Adams (Cousins) decided the colonies should assemble an assembly in Philadelphia

• This led to 56 colonial delegates meeting for The First Continental Congress (Georgia was the only colony not represented)

• John Dickenson- “Colonist should find a way to make peace- no more bloodshed”

• Patrick Henry- “the only way this conflict will end is through violence”

• Result: compromise- still will boycott, however be prepared for a break out of violence

* Sent King George 10 resolutions (list of colonists rights)

• King George ignored and sent troops to colonies to seize all colonial militias’ weapons!!!!

• “The Shot Heard Round the World”– Minutemen- what the militia called themselves (ready to fight on

a minutes notice)– 1775- Thomas Gage received orders to take action. Stored

retrieved weapons in Concord (Boston)-tried to keep secret– Spies informed Colonists of move- Paul Revere hid in church-

ready to attack (one lantern if British were coming by land, two lanterns if they were coming by sea)

“ The British are coming”Lexington

• Revere and William Dawes warned minutemen- coming from the Charles River

• April 19th 1775: Colonists (minutemen out numbered) and British met in a stand-off –- British “Don’t fire unless fired upon”

• A shot happened- lead to a short battle over in minutes, the badly outnumbered colonists suffered 8 dead and 10 wounded

• *** Still to this day no one knows who rang that first shot video

Battle ContinuesRedcoats

• The British’s bright red uniforms with straps that formed X’s made them ideal targets- colonists called them Redcoats

• Retreated back to Boston but suffered more than 250 casualties, compared to fewer than 100 for the colonists

The Second Continental Congress

• 12 of the 13 colonies represented• Decided not to break way from Britain, but made

plans to organize and fund a Continental Army• Chose George Washington (Virginia) as the

Commander of the Army• “Olive Branch Petition”- one last attempt for

peace- by the time petition reach King George III fighting was so bad, he rejected it.

Fort Ticonderoga

• Located in New York (held by the British)

• Colonel Benedict Arnold was suppose to lead assault, however the “Green Mountain Boys” refused to fight without their leader Ethan Allen -compromised and both led the attack

• May 10th- colonists successfully took fort over- gain a lot of British weapons -Video

Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill

• Colonial forces held Boston under SIEGE- a military blockade of a city or fort (they had the city surrounded)-Video

• June 1775- Colonists learn that British wanted to take over Charlestown

• Colonists built Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill defenses• Colonists instructed not to fire on the British until “you

see the whites of their eyes”• Most of fighting took place on Breed’s Hill- Colonists

retreated after running out of ammunition.

Results

• British gained control of the hill

• British suffered more than 1,000 casualties compared to some 400 colonists

• Despite the retreat of colonists- still more of a victory for them- showed they could withstand a frontal assault from the British Army despite the British superior firepower!!! Video

Dorchester Heights

• Washington strategically positioned cannons on a hill called Dorchester Heights, overlooking Boston

• March 1776 fired down on the British- British guns were not match to well-positioned cannons

• Result: British retreated from Boston-The Birthplace of the rebellion was back in colonial hands