1. Section 4 The War Begins

2. Colonial Leaders Emerge
May 10, 1775
Second Continental Congress meets. This was the same group of men from the First Continental Congress along with new men.
Second Continental Congress began to govern the colony.
Set up a post office
Printing of money
Created an army
John Adams nominated George Washington to be commander in chief of the army.

3. CHOOSING SIDES
As American colonists learned about these battles, they had to choose a side
The Patriots were determined to fight the British to the end – until American independence was won.
Those who chose to stay with Britain were called Loyalists.
They did not consider unfair taxes a good reason to rebel

4. The Olive Branch Petition
- George Washington sent a petition to the king called the Olive Branch Petition.
It told the king the colonists want peace.
Asked the king to protect the rights of the colonists.
King George refused to receive the petition.
He prepared for war. He hired 30,000 German troops to send to America and fight beside British troops.

5. More Military Action
Benedict Arnold – asked to create a militia of 400 to seize Fort Ticonderoga in New York from the British.
Ethan Allen , from Vermont, was also raising a militia to help Benedict Arnold.
May 10, 1775
the two groups snuck up on the British
The British surrendered
Americans gained new weapons - cannons

6. Drama with Benedict Arnold
Arnold conspired with the British and led raids against the Americans.
He then became a general in the British army.
Building Forces
Committees of correspondence asked for volunteers to join the continental army.
Soon the militia in the Boston area had over 20,000 people

7. The Battle of Bunker Hill
June 16, 1775
1200 militiamen prepare for fighting at Breed’s Hill and Bunker Hill
British assemble at the bottom of Breed’s Hill
Americans were low on ammunition, so American General William Prescott shouted the order “Don’t shoot until you see the white’s of their eyes!”
The Americans fired and forced the British to retreat.
The British won after the third attack
In the end the Americans ran out of ammo and had to withdraw…. The British had won.
More than 1000 British soldiers died and were wounded
The British had learned: It will not be quick or easy to defeat the Americans

8. The Colonials take the Offensive
July 1775
George Washington saw the number of troops in the continental army was growing, but he also saw they lacked organization, discipline and leadership.
By March 1776, Washington felt the army was ready to fight.
1st orders of Washington were to circle Boston with cannons and bombard the British troops inside Boston.
The British troops withdrew from the city and boarded their ships and left Boston.
January 1776
Support for absolute independence was still growing.

9. Common Sense
- Thomas Paine published a pamphlet called Common Sense that captured the attention of American colonists.
He called for complete independence from Great Britain.
He said it was “common sense” to stop following the king.
He said if your king is not providing you with the freedom he promised then it is “common sense” to want to find something that will provide for us.