1. Welcome to the American Revolution.
Buckle your seatbelts!

2. Let’s Review!
The First Continental Congress was formed to figure out how to deal with the Intolerable Acts! They decided two things:
Ban all trade with Britain
Each colony would train a militia!
At this point, the colonists were not ready for independence - they just wanted to protect colonial rights!!

3. Patriots vs. Loyalists Patriot Loyalist
A Colonist who sides with the rebels!
Loyalist
A Colonist who sides with the British!

4. The Midnight Ride
Sam Adams (Patriot and cousin of John Adams) had many spies to watch over British activities.
There were also Loyalist spies watching the American colonists!!
The British learned that the Americans were storing weapons and ammunition in Lexington!

5. The Midnight Ride “One if by land;
two if by sea!”
It was the responsibility of Paul Revere and William Dawes, two Patriots, to warn the Americans in Lexington if the British came.

6. The Next Day…
April 19, 1775: 700 British troops reached Lexington and found 70 militiamen waiting for them!
Nobody knows who fired the first shot but a shot was fired and started the Battle of Lexington and Concord!

7. The Battle of Lexington and Concord
By the time the British arrived in Concord, 4,000 militiamen had turned up to fight them!
The Americans kicked butt and sent the British crying back to Boston!
Battle of Lexington and Concord: FIRST battle of the American Revolution!

8. Battle of Lexington and Concord
The British are coming!!
Many colonists still hoped for a peaceful solution.
However, rebels outside Boston were ready to duke it out!

9. Last Efforts for Peace Peace, Please!!
1775: Second Continental Congress met in Philly – Most delegates did not want to break with Britain!
They voted to try and patch things up with Georgie – The result was the Olive Branch Petition.
Peace, Please!!

10. The Olive Branch Petition
In the Olive Branch Petition, they declared their loyalty to the King and asked him to repeal the Intolerable Acts.
The Second Continental Congress also set up a Continental Army and Washington was voted as the commander!
PS – King Georgie was pretty mad about the Petition!!

11. Strengths and Weaknesses
The colonists had few cannons, little gunpowder and no navy!
BUT…
They were fighting to defend their homes! They also owned rifles and had excellent aim. Plus, they had Georgie Washington!

12. Strengths and Weaknesses
Britain had very experienced troops and an extremely powerful navy.
BUT…
Their armies were 3,000 miles from home! News and supplies took a mega long time to get back and forth!

13. The Battle of Bunker Hill
June 1775: Colonel William Prescott marched his men to a Bunker Hill. However, when he got there, he saw that, if they moved to the nearby Breed’s Hill, they would have a better position.
So, off they went!

14. The Battle of Bunker Hill
The colonists had an extremely small amount of gun powder. Prescott told them,
“Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes!”

15. Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!

16. The Battle of Bunker Hill
The colonists really gave the British a run for their money! The British retreated twice because of such intense firefight!!
BUT…
The third time they charged up the hill, the colonists had run out of gunpowder and the British were able to overtake both Bunker and Breed’s Hill.

17. The Battle of Bunker Hill
While the British were victorious, 1,000 redcoats were killed and only 400 colonists.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the Revolution. It proved that the Americans could fight bravely!

18. Common Sense 1776: Common Sense by Thomas Paine hit the streets!
In the pamphlet, he showed the colonists how they had nothing to gain from staying under British rule.
He also attacked the idea of having Kings and Queens as rulers!
50,000 copies were printed and sold and Common Sense changed the ideas of many a colonist.

19. Common Sense
“It is foolish to be always running three or four thousand miles with a tale or petition, waiting four or five months for an answer, which when obtained requires five or six more to explain it in.”