Chapter 7.1 The American Revolution Begins

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Chapter 7.1 The American Revolution Begins

• August 1774
• The American colonies feel that the time for
  action against England is now!
• So what action do we take exactly?
• We should have a meeting.

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September 5, 1774

• 1st meeting of the Continental Congress held in
  Philadelphia, Pa.
• 56 representatives from each of the colonies
• Except Georgia
• What did they discuss?
• How to deal with what England is doing to Boston,
  Massachusetts
• Intolerable Acts

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Some important people who were at 1st Continental
Congress

• Massachusetts
• John Adams
• Samuel Adams
• John Hancock
• Pennsylvania
• John Dickenson
• Benjamin Franklin
• Virginia
• Patrick Henry
• George Washington

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So what was the decision for the fate of Boston?

• John Dickinson (Pa)
• Quaker who did not want to fight
• Boston should make peace with England
• Patrick Henry (Va.)
• Believed in fighting for natural rights of all
  men
• War with Britain can not be avoided!

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So how did the first meeting of the Continental
Congress end?

• Agreed to continue boycott of British goods
• Agreed to prepare colonial militias for a fight
  with Britain if things get worse.
• All colonies signed letter to King George called
  Declaration of Rights
• Listed freedoms that the colonists felt they had
  a right to.
• Representation in government
• Agree to meet again in Spring 1775 if King George
  does not agree.

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What happens next?

• 1774
• Winter comes to America
• The colonies go about with their separate lives
• Why?
• No way to travel from colony to colony
• So, Boston is left alone to deal with the British
  by themselves.

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Spring 1775

• Boston used the winter to train their militia men
• Renamed themselves minutemen
• Could be ready in a minutes notice.
• King George is concerned about these trained
  minutemen.
• So what can he do about it?

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The War Begins April 18,1775

• King George orders General Thomas Gage to take
  all weapons away from the Massachusetts
  minutemen.
• Guns were kept in city named Concord
• About 20 miles west of Boston

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The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming!

• Evening, April 18, 1775
• Paul Revere and Charles Dawes are told that
  British troops were coming.
• They both leave on horseback to tell citizens to
  get ready!
• By morning,
• The minutemen were ready in Concord!
• City of Lexington prepared as well
• why?
• They were in between Boston and Concord

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Morning April 19, 1775

• Battle of Lexington, MA
• Military Breakdown
• 70 minutemen with rifles
• Vs.
• 700 trained British troops
• Battle lasted 6 minutes with minutemen retreating
  from the city

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The British move on to Concord

• News gets to Concord that Lexington has fallen.
• British redcoats are on way to Concord.
• Redcoats troops
• Concord is more ready than Lexington
• They have 500 minutemen ready!

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Battle of Concord, MA

• The Minutemen hold off the British!!
• Kill over 250 British troops
• British retreat back to Boston
• Never captured the weapons in Concord
• The King is not going to be happy..

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Review Questions

1. What is the First Continental Congress?
2. Where did the Continental Congress meet?
3. What is a minutemen?
4. What was Gen. Thomas Gage ordered by the King to
   do?
5. What are the Battles of Lexington and Concord?