1. COMMUNICATION AND ORGANIZATION
Colonists had various forms of extralegal organizations designed to convert popular discontent into direct action
Some were local, some colony-wide, and some inter-colonial
Colonial assemblies
Groups such as the Liberty Boys
Committees of Correspondence
Politically-active citizens wrote letters to each other
Reported on political events
Served as bond between colonies and facilitated cooperation

2. CALL FOR CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
House of Burgesses dissolved by British government for protesting Intolerable Acts
Delegates reconvene in a tavern in Williamsburg
Declared Intolerable Acts threatened the liberties of every colony
Issued call for Continental Congress
General meeting of delegates from every colony to plan opposition to Intolerable Acts

3. FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
Met in Philadelphia in September 1774
Every colony except Georgia sent delegates
Moderates wanted to reach a compromise with the British
Persuade them to repeal Intolerable Acts and grant colonies a degree of self-government
Extremists argued that the time for compromise was over
Pushed for another face-to-face confrontation with British
Outright defiance of Intolerable Acts
Combined with another boycott
Force Parliament to back down again

4. FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS TAKES ACTION
Extremists gained control of Congress but because of opposition of moderates it passed a program that was not as tough as their original position
Contradictory and unclear
Granted that Parliament did have right to regulate colonial trade
But demanded that all tax measures and other restrictive laws passed since 1763 be rescinded
Called for boycott until Parliament met their demands
Took steps to defend Boston if necessary
Agreed to meet again to take further action if necessary

5. LORD NORTH’S OFFER
Parliament did not want another boycott nor did it want to fight the colonists
So they essentially gave in again
Offered colonists the right to tax themselves, at Parliament’s request
Lord North hoped to win over moderates with this proposal, split colonial opposition, and end crisis
Too late

6. MINUTEMEN
Farmers and townspeople in and around Boston had been collecting guns and ammo in preparation for a possible British attack
Also staged secret night-time training sessions
Called themselves “Minutemen”
Ready to fight at a minute’s notice

7. GAGE’S DECISION
Also learned that minutemen had hidden large amount of gunpowder in Concord
Near Lexington
Ordered 1000 men down road to Lexington and Concord
Mission was to arrest Adams and Hancock, destroy gunpowder, and return to Boston before shots could be fired
General Thomas Gage thought his army was too small to do anything about minutemen until he received reinforcements
He then received orders to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock
Hiding in Lexington

8. “THE BRITISH ARE COMING”
Minutemen warned of British troop movement by Paul Revere and William Dawes
Minutemen waiting for British when they arrived at Lexington
Shots were fired
8 minutemen killed, 10 wounded—the rest scattered
British won this skirmish

9. LEXINGTON/CONCORD British abandoned plan to arrest Adams and Hancock
But went to Concord and destroyed gunpowder
On the way back to Boston they were attacked by Minutemen snipers
Lost 33% of original force
Americans had 93 casualties

10. THE SHOT HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD
No one will ever know who fired the first shot at Lexington
But Adams got his version of the story out first
Convinced many colonists that British had started battle and committed many atrocities
A war was on and most colonists believed that the British has started it