U.S. History

Chapter 7: The American RevolutionSection 1: The Revolution Begins

The First Continental Congress

•Sept 1774: First Continental Congress assembles in Philadelphia

•How to respond to crisis in Boston

The First Continental Congress

•First Continental Congress’ Response:

–Continue boycott

–Prepare militia incase violence breaks out

–Meet again May 1775

The “Shot Heard round the World”

•Minutemen—members of the Boston militia

The “Shot Heard round the World”

• April 1775: Gage decides to seize minutemen weapons at Concord

• Sons of Liberty learn of plan General Thomas

Gage

The “Shot Heard round the World”

Old North Church Steeple

The “Shot Heard round the World”

Paul Revere and William Dawes rode through the countryside warning of

the British march on Concord

Paul Revere William Dawes

The “Shot Heard round the World”

•Morning, April 19: 70 minutemen gathered at Lexington meet much larger British force

•“Do not fire unless fired upon…”

The “Shot Heard round the World”

•British march on Concord

•Weapons already removed

•Set fire to buildings, attacked by minutemen

The “Shot Heard round the World”

•Begin retreat back to Boston

•Redcoats—nickname for British soldiers, whose uniforms made them ideal targets

The “Shot Heard round the World”

•British: 250+ casualties

•Americans: Less than 100 casualties

The “Shot Heard round the World”

•Colonists outraged and shocked“The Bloody Butchery of the

British Troops”

The Second Continental Congress

•May 1775: delegates assemble at Philadelphia

•Olive Branch Petition

•Organize and funded an army to defend the colonies

The Second Continental Congress

Appointed George Washington commander of the Continental

Army

“But lest some unlucky event should happen unfavourable to my reputation, I beg it may be remembered by every Gentleman in the room, that I this day declare with the utmost sincerity, I do

not think myself equal to the Command I am honored with.”

--George Washington

Early Battles

•May 10, 1775: Colonists strike Ft. Ticonderoga

Early Battles

Ethan Allen Benedict Arnold

Early Battles

Minutemen held Boston under siege

Early Battles

•British troops plant to takeover Charlestown

•Patriot soldiers warned

•Build defenses on Bunker Hill & Breed’s Hill

Early Battles

Israel Putnam

“Do not fire until you see the

whites of their eyes.”

Early Battles

•The attack:

–1st wave: British repelled

–2nd wave: British repelled

–3rd wave: Patriots overrun

Early Battles

•Outcome:

–British: 1,000 casualties

–Americans: 400 casualties

Early Battles

"A few more such victories would have surely put an end to British

dominion in America.“

--General Henry Clinton

Early Battles

• Washington arrives to take command

• November 1775: Henry Knox sent to retrieve cannons from Ft. Ticonderoga

Henry Knox

Early Battles

March 1776: Cannons placed on Dorchester Heights

Early Battles

•March 7, 1776: Howe orders a retreat to Halifax

First Continental Congress

Second Continental Congress