olive branch petition

Even though the war had already started, the Americans still had not declared their independence. With the Olive Branch Petition, they made one last attempt to find a peaceful end to the revolution.On July 5, 1775, Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition. It outlined their issues and asked the British government to respond and deal with them. King George III of England refused to accept the petition. He believed the Americans to be in rebellion, and believed he could quickly end it with his military force.

second continental congress

The Second Continental Congress started on May 10, 1775. The delegates of the 13 colonies gathered in Philadelphia to discuss their next steps.The members of the Second Continental Congress met at the State House in Philadelphia. There were several new delegates including: John Hancock from Massachusetts, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, and Benjamin Franklin from Pennsylvania.

The Second Continental Congress meeting started with the battle of Lexington and Concord fresh in their memories. The New England militia were still encamped outside of Boston trying to drive the British out of Boston. The Second Continental Congress established the militia as the Continental Army to represent the thirteen states. They also elected George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.

The battles pf Lexington and concord were the first military engagement of the American Revolution War. they were fought on April 19, 1775. The battle was provoked by general Thomas Gage when he send the British troops to capture John Hancock and Samuel Adams. On April,20,1775 70 patriots gathered on Lexington Green, as the redcoats (British troops) marched into Lexington on the morning. The militia dispersed and redcoats started shooting. When they stop 8 partiots were killed. Then redcoats marched into Concord to seas all the weapons.

Dr. Joseph Warren learned of the British plans and sent Paul Revere to alert John Hancock and Samuel Adams. Paul Revere promised to warn them when the British soldiers started to march. Since he wasn't sure that he would be able to get out of Boston with the message, he made plans to alert people by putting lanterns in the Old North Church steeple. He would light one lantern if the British were coming by land, and two lanterns if the British were coming by sea.On the evening of April 18th, the British troops were ferried across the Boston Harbor to start their march on Lexington. Paul Revere hung two lanterns in the church steeple. Then Paul Revere, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott rode to warn the colonists that the British were coming. Paul Revere rode to Lexington and alerted Samual Adams and John Hancock. By the time the British soldiers reached Lexington, Samual Adams and John Hancock had escaped.

Patrick Henry

"I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death."

"The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, New Englanders are no more. I AM NOT A VIRGINIAN, BUT AN AMERICAN!"

John Hancock

John Hancock was a merchant, statesman and patriot of the american revolution. He was president of the second continental congress.

Before the American Revolution he was the wealthiest man of the colonies.

He was one of the Boston Leaders in the crisis that lead to the revolution. Since he was the president of the congress hw was the first to sign the declaration of independence.

Samuel Adams

"Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.
Samuel Adams, essay in The Public Advertiser, 1749"

John Adams

He is considered as “One of the most influential fathers of the United States”.

He played an important role in the United States Declaration of Independence, which took place in 1776.

He opposed to the Stamp Act of 1765 and wrote 4 important articles in the Boston Gazette explaining the colonist’s opposition to the “unfair taxes”.

On June 7, 1776, John Adams helped in the resolution of Independence were Richard Henry Lee stated "These colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states".

First Continental Congress

The First Continental Congress was a meeting held on September 5, 1774. Twelve colonists participated except Georgia. The purpose of the meeting was to unite as a new country and fight against the Intolerable Acts.

Boston Port Act & Administration of Justice Act

Boston Port Act

Intolerable Acts

-->Boston Port Act (1774): Law passed by parliament that closed the Boston Port until they paid the tea.

-->Administration of Justice Act: The soldiers that committed a crime in the colonies, were sent to England for trial.

-->Quebec Act (1774): The law that let Canada extend their boundaries.

-->Quartering Act of 1774: Now soldiers were allowed to take possession of any building they wanted to live in.

-->Massachusetts Government Act (1774): The Parliament didn't allow people in Massachusetts to have their own assembly.

Boston Massacre

The Boston Massacre was an incident that occured in March 5, 1770.

When a british soldier entered a house full of angry colonists, they started attacking him and they fighted. The soldiers shooted at the colonists and 5 of them died.

John Adams helped the soldiers arguing that they were only defending themselves from the colonists, he could save them from a severe punishment.

Boston Tea Party

On December 16, 1773 a group of colonists disguised themselves as Native Americans, they went to the ship that carried tea imported from England and dumped all the tea into the Boston Sea.

The colonists got to this point because they felt that the parliament was not being fair by imposing all those taxes on them, so they conspired against them.

When the parliament saw this they closed the Boston Port, which later became a law too. Parliament forced the colonists to pay for the tea.

Acts

-Sugar Act: act imposed by parlimanet to raise the taxes on molasses (1764)

-Stamp Act: law imposed by parliament taxing any printed material. (1765)

-Townshend Act: law that increased taxes on any imported material sent from England to America.(1767)

-The Tea Act: the act that taxed tea, it brought the Boston Tea Party consecuence. (1773)

taxation without Representation

England startes taxing the colonists because they had to pay the dept of war and they had to supply the soldiers. The parliament didnt agree with the fact that they were the ones who paid high taxes and the colonists didn't pay them as they should; so they started increasing taxes on silly stuff. Colonists didn't agree with this decision because colonists were not part of the parliament, theu couldn't vote for the laws either. They called this, "Taxation Without Representation".

Treaty of Paris

The Treaty of Paris, also called "Peace of Paris" and "Treaty of 1763" was signed in February 10, 1763. It was signed between England and France.

It formally ended with the seven year war.

French and Indian War

The French and Indian War, was a seven-year war between England and the colonists against the French. Native American that felt threatened by the colonists, took revenge with this war, that later became a world war. During the first two years of the war the french and indian allies defeated the British.

England spent a lot of money in this war, they had to pay the dept of war and later the colonists had to pay for this expenses. This brought many conflicts between them later.

The war came to an end in February 10, 1763, with the Treaty of Paris.