Moving Towards Independence

1
Moving Towards Independence

• Chapter 5, Section 4

2
Another Congressional Meeting

• On May 10, 1775 the Second Continental Congress
  convened.
• Individuals such as Samuel Adams, John Adams,
  George Washington, John Hancock and Benjamin
  Franklin were in attendance.

3
Second Continental Congress

• The Second Continental Congress was in charge of
  governing the colonies.
• In addition, the Second Continental Congress
  began printing money, set up a post office (to be
  ran by Ben Franklin) and created the Continental
  Army to fight against Britain in a more organized
  way than militias could.

4
General Washington

• John Adams also nominated George Washington to
  lead the Continental Army.

5
Olive Branch Petition

• The Second Continental Congress offered Britain
  one last chance to avoid all-out war.
• In July the Congress sent a petition (formal
  request) to King George III.
• This request was called the Olive Branch
  Petition.
• King George III not only rejected the petition,
  he hired 30,000 German troops (Hessians) to fight
  alongside the British troops.

6
An Important American Victory

• On May 10th, 1775, an important battle took place
  in northern New York.
• A group of colonial militiamen called the Green
  Mountain Boys (led by Ethan Allen) took over
  fort Ticonderoga from the British.
• The colonists seized 30 cannons.
• Washington would use the cannons against the
  British at the Battle of Boston.

7
Battle of Bunker Hill

• The colonists occupied two hills across from
  Boston Harbor Breeds hill and Bunker Hill.
• These provided strategic positions against the
  British who currently occupied Boston.
• On June 15, 1775 the British took charge up both
  hills. Though they were successful in taking the
  hills, they suffered great casualties.
• This battle gave confidence to the Colonial
  militia that they could hang with the trained
  British military.

8
The Colonies Take the Offensive

• George Washington arrived outside of Boston in
  July 1775. When he reached Boston, Washington
  found members of the militia growing in numbers,
  however, he knew they lacked discipline,
  organization and leadership.
• Washington began shaping these armed civilians
  into a functional army.

9
Battle of Boston

• On March 17th, 1776 the cannons from Ft.
  Ticonderoga arrived and Washington placed them on
  high ground overlooking Boston.
• Outnumbered and outgunned, The British soon left
  Boston.
• Washington led his troops to victory by forcing
  the British to surrender in Boston.

10
All Out War

• The battles of Lexington, Concord, and Boston
  signified that the Revolutionary War had begun.
• Most colonist dreamed of freedom and the start of
  a new independent country.
• England hoped to restore order and maintain her
  wealthy overseas colonies.

VS.