War Breaks Out

First Continental Congress 1774

•Met in Philadelphia from Sept 5-Oct 26 to redress colonial grievances•55 men from every colony but Georgia• Sam Adams, John Adams, Patrick Henry, George

Washington•Drew up a Declaration of Rights

The Association

•Called for the complete boycott of British goods: non-exportation, non-importation, non-consumption•NOT YET CALLING FOR INDEPENDENCE•Agreed to meet again in May 1775 if concerns were

not addressed•Parliament rejected their concerns•Men began to prep for battle

Lexington and Concord

• April 1775 British soldiers sent to Lexington and Concord to seize colonial stores of gun power and to capture “rebel” leaders Sam Adams and John Hancock• British fired shots on colonial “Minute Men”- 8 Americans

killed• Americans forced the British to retreat before they reached

Concord• 300 injured and at least 70 soldiers killed•WAR BREAKS OUT

Imperial Strengths

•Population odds 3:1•Professional Army•Treasury to hire soldiers•30,000 German Hessians•50,000 American loyalists

Imperial Weaknesses•British troops had to watch Ireland• France was looking to get back a Great Britain•Whigs supported Americans in Britain•Difficulties for British armies in America: second rate

generals, brutally treated soldiers, poor food supply•3,000 miles from home: military orders could arrive

months later•No colonial capital to be seized

American Advantages and Disadvantages• Outstanding leadership: George Washington, Ben Franklin (foreign

diplomat), and Marquis de Lafayette

• Poorly organized for war (politically)• Poorly trained• Lacked supplies• Economic difficulties• Printed colonial paper money• Some states issued their own money• Caused damaging inflation

African Americans in the War•Colonial Side: 5,000 blacks fought at Trenton,

Brandywine, and Saratoga- some become military heroes•British Side: Nov 1775 Lord Dunmore (Royal VA gov)

issued a proclamation promising freedom to any enslaved black in VA who joined the British army•300 joined in the first month• Evacuated 14,000 black loyalists to Nova Scotia after

the war

Meeting of the Second Continental Congress•May 10, 1775• All 13 colonies were represented• Hoped that fighting would cause the King and Parliament to

redress grievances• Adopted measures to create an Army and Navy• George Washington is selected to head the army• Lacks experience but he is a strong leader with a strong

character- soldiers trusted him

Bunker Hill

•May 1775 Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold surprised and captured Ticonderoga and Crown Point in New York State• Gained gun powder and artillery• June 1775 the American army beat down British soldiers at

Bunker Hill

The Olive Branch Petition

• July 1775 Continental Congress adopted this petition that professed American loyalty and begged the King to prevent further hostilities• King George refused after the massacre at Bunker Hill• Aug 1775 King George formally proclaimed the colonies “in

rebellion” which was a crime of treason punished by hanging• Sept 1775 King hired thousands of German Hessians to

crush rebellion

Abortive Conquest of Canada• Oct 1775 British burned Falmouth, Maine• Rebels invaded Canada in an effort to add a 14th colony and

deprive British of a valuable base to strike colonists• American General Montgomery captured Montreal• He was joined in Quebec by Am. Gen. Arnold• This assault on Quebec was put down•Montgomery was killed and Arnold was injured• Troops retreated• Jan 1776 British set fire to Norfolk, VA