 After fighting Lexington and Concord, the British retreated to safety in Boston.  15,000 Minutemen surround Boston.  Encircled by colonial forces, Boston was under siege and the British were forced to surrender.

 May 10, 1775, delegates meet in Philadelphia.  Delegates included the attendance of: John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Patrick Henry.  Agreed to create a Continental Army. › George Washington was appointed commanding general.

 June 1775, Minutemen were positioned across Boston harbor on Bunker Hill and Breeds Hill.  Gen. William Howe crossed the bay with 2,200 Redcoats.  The Redcoats climbed Breeds Hill. › Col. William Prescott ordered, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!”  The British won the Battle of Bunker Hill, but at tremendous cost. › 1,000 Redcoats were killed or wounded as compared to 400 Minutemen.

 In July 1775, moderates in Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition and sent it to London.  The petition asked the king to restore harmony between Britain and the colonies. › The king rejected and announced new measures to punish the colonies.

 Summer 1775, Washington arrived at the militia camp near Boston. › Gathered supplies and trained troops.  Instituted the bold plan. › The Continental Army would invade Quebec, defeat the British and draw Canadians into the Patriot cause.  Their attack failed, and the Continental Army limped home in defeat.

 Gen. Henry Knox, dragged 59 cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in January › Washington positioned the cannons overlooking Boston and threatened to bombard the city. › British Gen. Howe withdrew forces.  March 1776, over 7,00 Redcoats boarded 100 ships and set sail for England.  The British would never return.

 Thomas Paine, a immigrant from England, wrote Common Sense.  Paine was considered a political radical.  Believed that all men, not just land owners, should have the right to vote.  Argued that all monarchies were corrupt, and did not believe in the kings rule by the will of God.

 Instant success.  Published in January, sold more than 100,000 copies in three months.  Moved many colonists toward revolution.

 Congress appointed a committee to draft the Declaration.  The committee included: › Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson.  The committee chose Jefferson to compose the Declaration. › 1.) he was an excellent writer › 2.) he came from Virginia.  The members knew the independent movement could not survive without Virginia's support.

 July 4, 1776, Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. › John Hancock, the president of the Congress, was the first to sign it. › He wrote in large print and commented, “There, I guess King George will be able to read that.”  The core idea of the Declaration is based on John Locke’s ideas of natural and unalienable rights, rights that governments could not take away.  Outlined the reasons for breaking ties with Britain.