Recap
In the previous post, the Declaration of Independence was broken down and explained. While not a complicated document, it was still an extremely important piece of our history. It marked the birth of America and was when the Colonists evolved to be Americas.
The Declaration was created in the first session of the Second Continental Congress. This Congress met as a promise to reconvene after the British finally pushed the colonies too far with the shot heard around the world and the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
That battle was the first of the American Revolution. After King George got his hands on the Declaration, he was by no means happy. Labelling the Colonists rebels, and the Declaration making it clear that as an independent nation, America can wage war, that’s exactly what happened. This was the American Revolution.
Timeline of the American Revolution
While the American Revolution is usually thought of as a large war (and it was) there were many, many more details and events that occurred that contributed to America’s freedom. Below is a more detailed timeline of the previous events already discussed from the very beginning of the wartime. It is important to see these events together (before the full timeline of the battles) because it shows the full stage the war is playing on.
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Included are events that occurred and weren’t mentioned in previous posts due to the concise nature of each breakdown. Go read the previous breakdowns to get more insight on the most remembered and notable events of America’s history!
Foundations of the War
- 1754-1763: The French and Indian War
- October 1763: The Proclamation Line of 1763
- April 1764: Sugar Act
- September 1764: Currency Act
- March 1765: Stamp & Quartering Act
- October 1765: Stamp Act Congress
- March 1766: Stamp Act Repeal and The Declaratory Act
- June 1767: Townshend Revenue Act
- October 1768: British troops arrive in Boston Massachusetts
- March 1770: The Boston Massacre
- April 1770: Partial Repeal of the Townshend Acts
- June 1772: Gaspee Affair
- This occurred in Rhode Island between the Colonists and British: “he incident began when HMS Gaspee, a British customs schooner tasked with enforcing trade regulations, ran aground while pursuing a local ship, the Hannah. Seizing the opportunity, a group of Rhode Island merchants and traders attacked the stranded ship, ultimately boarding it, capturing its crew, and setting it ablaze. This bold act of defiance was fueled by local resentment towards the ship’s captain, Lieutenant William Dudingston, who was perceived as overreaching in his authority.” – EBSCO Website linked below
- December 1773: The Boston Tea Party
- March-June 1774: Intolerable Acts
- September 1774: The First Continental Congress
- October 1774: Continental Association was adopted
For more details on these events:
Wartime Begins
- April 1775: Battle of Lexington and Concord
- May 1775: Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
- This was an early victory for America. Fort Ticonderoga was a New York military base created during the French and Indian War by the French in 1755. Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys and Benedict Arnold launched a surprise attack on Fort Ticonderoga. The Americans crossed Lake Champlain at night and entered through an unsecured gate. Fewer than 50 British soldiers were present. Captain William Delaplace surrendered immediately. The Colonists captured the fort and its artillery.
- May 1775: The Second Continental Congress convenes
- June 1775: Continental Army Created and George Washington is appointed it’s commander
- June 1775: The Battle of Bunker Hill
- This was a victory for the British. British forces assaulted colonial positions on Breed’s Hill in Charlestown. The colonists repelled two major attacks before being overrun on the third due to low ammunition. Although the British captured the ground, they suffered heavy casualties. The battle demonstrated that colonial forces could stand against the regular British army though because they created many more casualties by slaughtering over 1,000 Brits.
- July 1775: The Olive Branch Petition
- July 1775: The Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Arms
- August 1775: The King declared the colonies in rebellion
- December 1775: Failed invasion of Quebec
For more detail on the events above:
Independence
- January 1776: Common Sense was published
- March 1776: The Siege of Boston/The British evacuate from Boston
- The British evacuated Boston in March 1776 because the Continental Army placed heavy artillery on Dorchester Heights, giving them a commanding position over the city and the harbor. These cannons—brought from Fort Ticonderoga during the Knox Expedition—made the British ships and troops vulnerable to destruction. General William Howe realized he could not hold the city without unacceptable losses. As a result, the British decided to withdraw.
- June 1776: Lee Resolution introduced
- July 1776: The Second Continental Congress votes of Independence
- July 1776: The Declaration of Independence is adopted
- August 1776: the signing of the Declaration of Independence
After the Declaration of Independence, the battles got worse, and the new Americans had to fight even harder for their lands.
This is only the first part of breaking down the American Revolution! Since we covered the events that happened at the time of these initial battles, it is best to start here and provide a fuller context.
There is so much to keep breaking down! Subscribe so you know when part II is released, and other breakdowns on the notable figures and documents created to facilitate the Revolution.
Resources
https://www.britannica.com/event/Timeline-of-the-American-Revolution
https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/stamp-act-1765
https://www.studentsofhistory.com/stamp-sugar-intolerable-acts
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/gaspee-affair
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/bunker-hill
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/march-17/british-evacuate-boston
AI assisted in editing
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