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Lexington and Concord
aka "Shot heard 'round the world"
Initiated the Revolutionary War between British and Americans
Thomas Gage sent troops to Concord to seize arsenal and they then make their way to Lexington where militiamen fire at British, killing many -
Second Continental Congress
Met in Philadelphia
Decided George Washington to be appointed to lead Continental Army
Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking up Arms
Delegates met and agreed to support the war -
George Washington named Commander in Chief
The Continental Congress commisioned George Washington as Commander in Chief of Continental Army
He had previous military experience for British and was chosen over other candidates such as John Hancock -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Small American force under Benedict Arnold captured Bunker Hill and killed many British soldiers
Ran out of gunpowder and had to retreat but put up a good fight -
Declaration of Independence
Congress adopts Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson
Declares unalinable rights and all men created equal -
Lord North decides to cut off New England
Lord North thought of a new tactic to cut off New England from rest of colonies and therefore cutting off their supplies -
Battle of Long Island
Lord North orders General Howe(British) to capture NYC and Hudson river to cut off New England from rest of the colonies
Washington and Continental Army retreated to New Jersey and and pushed to Pennsylvania by winter -
Battle of Trenton
Washington and army cross Delaware River into Trenton, New Jersey on in the winter on Christmas for a surprise attack
Captured 1,000 Hessian solders who surrendured -
Valley Forge
Washington loses 3,000 soldiers to disease and 1,000 more to starvation
200 officers resign, leaving him with 8,000 soldiers threatening to leave
Baron von Steuben comes to train the army -
Baron von Steuben
Americans take him to turn the Continental Army more professional at Valley Forge
Soldiers come out of Valley Forge more sophisticated due to his training -
Nathanial Green- New Tactic
Takes supplies from from townspeople and pays them back later with interest
Quartermaster of Continental Army -
Battle of Princeton
Howe sent a force under Lord Cornwallis to capture Washington but he defeated them
Washington's second successful battle in Revolutionary War -
Battle of Saratoga
Burgoyne pushed northward and was surrounded by Continental Army led by Horatio Gates
Burgoyne surrenders
Turning point for the war
French decided to aid Americans -
French Alliance
Frenches pledges military support of Americans if they recognize their authority over the Caribbean -
England's Reaction
Parliament is panicking and passes a new act that repeals Intolerable Act and Tea Act
Howe and Burgoyne return in shame
Parliament recognizes it has no power to tax colonies -
Henry Clinton
Takes over British forces
Plan to starve out cash crop colonies -
British take over Savannah, Georgia
British forces under Henry Clinton invade Savannah, Georgia and create a British stronghold
Creates the possibility of taking Charleston -
Spain joins War
Wants to take back Florida and a port in the Caribbean
Doesn't send supplies, only a naval fleet
Comes to Georgia and Florida to push British north -
Philipsburg Proclamation
Henry Clinton
Granted freedom to any slave if they abandoned their master
30,000 slaves abandoned plantations for British protection -
British invade Charleston
Under Henry Clinton, British forces from Savannah invade Charleston and it is taken by British -
French arrive in Rhode Island
Marquis de Lafayette persuades King Luis to send 6,000 soldier to New Port, Rhode Island
New York surrounded -
Nathanael Greene Commander of Southern Army
Washington appoints Nathanael Greene commander of the southern army -
Articles of Confederation Adopted
Granted limited powers to central government and most power went to the states
Replaced by Consitution later -
Battle at Guilford County Courthouse
British forces under Cornwallis fought American forces under Greene
British won but suffered heavy casualties
Cornwallis flees to Yorktown -
Battle at Yorktown
Victory of Continental Army with the help with the French Army against the British forces led by Cornwallis
Last battle of the Revolutionary War -
Cornwallis Surrenders
After defeat at Yorktown
Sends in second in command to hand sword off to Washington-who sends second in command to recieve the sword -
Treaty of Paris 1783
Ends the War between the British and Americans -
Period: to
Shay's Rebellion
A rebellion of debtors who id not recieve anough compensation for the war
Led to the demise of the Articles of Confederation -
Period: to
Philadelphia Convention
All states except Rhode Island sent delegates
George Washington president of the convention
Produced the Consitution -
Virginia Plan
Proposed a strong central government and composed of three branches: legislative, judicial, executive at Convention
James Madison came up with this plan -
New Jersey Plan
William Paterson proposed that we have a one-house Congress in which each state had equal representation
Supported by smaller states -
The Great Compromise
An agreement between large and small states
Defined the legislative structure and representation that each state would have
Proposed a bicameral structure, resulting in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives -
U.S Consitution Signed
Establishes strong central government
James Madison considered "Father of Consitution"
George Washington, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin among people who signed it -
U.S Consitution Adopted
It is adopted when New Hampshire ratifies it
