The American Revolution “Fighting Begins in the North”

Olive Branch Petition Even though the battles of Lexington and Concord had already been fought, many colonists were still hoping that there could be a peaceful solution to the conflict Colonial delegates met at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia to discuss the peaceful resolution. The end product of the meeting was the Olive Branch Petition. In it, they declared their loyalty to the king and asked him to repeal the intolerable acts. The king was furious when he heard about the petition. How dare those colonists rise up against the great country of England. The king’s response to the petition was to send 20,000 more troops to the colonies. When the Continental Congress learned of the king’s decision, they weren’t very happy. They were trying to make peace, and the king was replying with aggression. Colonial leaders like John and Sam Adams began to plan for a war with England

What was the purpose of the Olive Branch Petition? A.) To declare independence from England B.) To express loyalty to England following Lexington and Concord C.) To demand representation in Parliament D.) To get the colonists to go to church

Fort Ticonderoga Ethan Allen, another colonial leader, decided to take matters into his own hands. He led a group of soldiers into Fort Ticonderoga in the middle of the night and captured the fort quite easily. The fort gave them much needed cannons and a key route into Canada. The continental congress also put George Washington in charge of the Continental Army. I am Ethan Allen!! I have a passion for Independence and Furniture!!!

Advantages and Disadvantages The colonies had split into two groups. The patriots who favored war with England, and the Loyalists who wished to stay loyal to the king. Both the Colonists and the English had advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the Colonists had few weapons, poorly trained troops, and no navy, but they also were fighting with great passion and they were fighting on home soil. The British had the best army and navy in the world, but they were 3000 miles from home. It took months to get supplies and news from England.

Battle of Bunker Hill During the first year of fighting, much of the conflict happened in and around Boston. Colonial troops surrounded Boston so that the Redcoats couldn’t leave. Even before Washington reached Boston, the colonists took action Men gathered on Bunker hill, a hill near Boston Harbor to attack British ships. The men realized that their was an even better position on Breed’s hill so they moved there. When morning came, the colonists fired their cannons at the ships and shot the English soldiers. The English were able to push the colonists back, but they lost 1000 men doing so. The colonists only lost 400. The battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the American Revolution. When Washington arrived, he quickly organized the troops. England quickly realized that they couldn’t hold Boston anymore, and they left. The king was not giving up, though. He ordered a blockade of all colonial ports. Nothing could come in and nothing could go out.