These two are going to fight to the death

Lexington and Concord

Colonists had been preparing for war or at least armed conflict for some time. Special groups among militia were arming themselves. They were called minutemen because they believed that they could be ready for battle at a minute’s notice. They had been collecting arms and gunpowder near Boston.

The BR continued to build up its forces. By 1775 there were over 7000 BR in Boston. In April of 1775, BR General Thomas Gage ordered 700 of his men to march from Boston to Concord.

They were looking to seize the supplies the Massachusetts militia had been storing. They left at night hoping no one would notice.

Observant colonists did notice and sent 3 messengers to alert the minutemen. We all know the story of Paul Revere. The next morning 70-75 minutemen met BR troops near the town of Lexington. The BR general commanded that the minutemen return home. As the story goes they turned to leave and as they did BR troops fired on them killing 8 colonists. But no one knows for sure who shot first

The British arecoming! The British arecoming!

Concord

Lexington

Even those that wanted to continue relations with BR wanted the colonies to have a defense force.

One of the Congress’s 1st acts was to create an army out of the various militias. George Washington was appointed commander of the Continental Army.

On May 10, 1775, the members of the Second Continental Congress met at the State House in Philadelphia.

The Second Continental Congress established the militia as the Continental Army to represent the thirteen states. They also elected George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.

The second Congress managed the colonial war effort, and moved slowly towards independence, adopting the United States Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776.

May 10: Second Continental Congress convened at Philadelphia’s State House.

June 14: Congress established the Continental Army

June 15: Congress appointed George Washington, as commander of the Continental Army

July 1: King George III Addresses Parliament stating they will "put a speedy end" to the rebellion

July 6: Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms approved

July 8: Second petition to the king (the Olive Branch Petition) signed

1776 January 10: Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense

July 2: declare independence of the colonies from Britain

July 4: Final text of the United States Declaration of Independence approved

August 2: Declaration of Independence signed in Congress

Debating Independence

Delegates from 13 colonies came to Philadelphia in May 1775 for the Second Continental Congress.

Complete Break With EnglandSam Adams-Mass.Richard Henry Lee- Virginia

Continued Relationship With BRThomas Jefferson- VirginiaB. Franklin- Penn.