Do Now What is your honest opinion of
- Slides: 8
Do Now • What is your honest opinion of the two videos that we watched last week. • Liberty’s Kids • John Adams Episode 1
The Road to War
The Second Continental Congress • News of the fighting at Lexington and Concord spread through the colonies. • Colonial leaders called for the Second Continental Congress to meet in Philadelphia on May 10 1775. • Delegates were divided but by June, Congress agreed to prepare for war. • The first step was for Congress to form an army. • George Washington was chosen as the army’s commander in chief. • Commander in chief: leader of all the military forces.
Stop and Think • What caused Congress to form an army?
The Battle of Bunker Hill • The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775 • After sunset on June 16, colonial commanders Israel Putnam and William Prescott arrived at Breed’s Hill, across the Charles River from Boston. • They ordered their soldiers to build earthworks to help defend themselves against the British. • Earthworks: walls made of earth and stone. • British General Thomas Gage learned of this and sent General William Howe and 2400 British soldiers to capture Breed’s Hill.
The Battle of Bunker Hill Continued… • 2400 British vs 1600 colonists • Twice the British were forced back toward the river. • The colonists ran out of ammunition and later, as the British made it over the earthworks, the colonists had to retreat. • The British won the battle but had suffered heavy losses. • More than 1000 British soldiers had been killed or wounded where the Colonial forces only sustained 350 colonialists killed or wounded. • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=zi. NJFVt 99 u 0
Stop and Think • What caused the colonists to retreat from Breed’s Hill?
Trying for Peace • On July 5 1775, Congress sent another petition to King George III. • The petition became known as the Olive Branch Petition. • Olive branch: an ancient symbol of peace. • By the time the Olive Branch Petition reached London, it could do little good. • The Battle of Bunker Hill had further angered British leaders. • King George III promised to do whatever was necessary to crush the colonists’ rebellion.
