THE SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE CHAPTER 5 LESSON 3

THE SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE CHAPTER 5 LESSON 3 A CALL TO ARMS

CHAPTER 5 LESSON 3 –A CALL TO ARMS • A MEETING IN PHILADELPHIA • 1 ST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS – SEPTEMBER 1774 - PHILADELPHIA • 12 OF THE 13 COLONIES CAME – EXCEPTION WAS GEORGIA • KEY PEOPLE: JOHN ADAMS, SAM ADAMS, PATRICK HENRY, JOHN JAY, RICHARD HENRY LEE, AND GEORGE WASHINGTON • THE CONGRESS DECIDED TO: • ISSUE A STATEMENT ASKING PARLIAMENT TO REPEAL THE ACTS THAT VIOLATED COLONIAL RIGHTS • VOTED TO BOYCOTT ALL TRADE WITH BRITAIN • DECIDED TO APPROVE THE SUFFOLK RESOLVES- CALLED FOR CREATION OF MILITIAS • THE COLONIAL MILITIA - NOT PROFESSIONAL SOLDIERS • THE MASSACHUSETTS MILITIA BEGAN TO TRAIN AND GATHER WEAPONS. THE BEST TRAINED WERE CALL MINUTEMEN BECAUSE THEY COULD BE READY TO FIGHT IN A MOMENT’S NOTICE. • FIGHTING BEGINS (IT’S ON NOW!!!!) • PREPARATIONS WERE MADE AND IT SEEMED LIKE NOTHING COULD STOP THE VIOLENCE. • MANY BELIEVE IT WOULD BREAK OUT IN NEW ENGLAND FIRST.

• THE BRITISH SEND MORE TROOPS • KING GEORGE DECLARES THAT THE COLONIES ARE IN A STATE OF REBELLION • GEN. THOMAS GAGE TRIED TO SEIZE WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION STORED AT LEXINGTON AND CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS. HE SENDS 700 TROOPS TO GET THE WEAPONS AND AMMO. • APRIL 1775 THE BRITISH ON THE MOVE TOWARD LEXINGTON & CONCORD • APRIL 18, 1775 AS THE BRITISH MOVE; THE SONS OF LIBERTY ARE WATCHING • PAUL REVERE AND WILLIAM DAWES SET OUT TO WARN THE MINUTEMEN THAT THE BRITISH WERE COMING • 70 MINUTEMEN MET THE British at Lexington and the first shots of the American Revolution were fired. ( NO ONE KNOWS WHO FIRED FIRST!) • THE BRITISH MARCH ON TO CONCORD BUT WERE STOPPED AT THE CONCORD BRIDGE AND FORCE TO RETURN TO BOSTON • THE BRITISH RETREATED WITH THE MILITIA AMBUSHING THEM ALL THE WAY BACK TO BOSTON • MORE MILITARY ACTION • ETHAN ALLEN AND THE GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS (not a bluegrass group) CAPTURE FORT TICONDEROGA • BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL • BUNKER AND BREEDS HILL ACROSS THE RIVER FROM BOSTON. THE COLONIST BUILT FORTIFICATIONS. • BRITISH ATTACK UP BREEDS HILL 3 TIMES AT GREAT LOSS BEFORE TAKING THE FORTIFICATIONS.

• CHOOSING SIDES • COLONIST HAD TO MAKE A DECISION!!!! WOULD THEY BE LOYAL TO THE KING OR WOULD THEY SUPPORT THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE? • LOYALIST WERE COLONIST WHO SUPPORTED THE KING AND BRITAIN • DID NOT THINK THE TAXES WERE UNFAIR AND FELT PEOPLE SHOULD OBEY THE LAWS • THESE WERE OFFICERHOLDERS, RICH LAND OWNERS, AND THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT BRITAIN WOULD WIN. • PATRIOTS WERE COLONIST WHO SUPPORTED THE WAR AGAINST THE BRITISH. • THEY BELIEVE THE COLONIES SHOULD GOVERN THEMSELVES • BELIEVED THE BRITISH VIOLATED COLONIAL RIGHTS AS BRTISH CITIZENS